Great Eastern (GE) and Singapore-based start-up Doctor Anywhere have joined forces to launch health and wellness services for the insurer's corporate customers.
The first will be on-demand video consultations with Singapore-registered doctors, which should slash travelling and waiting times at clinics and allow patients to schedule appointments at their convenience, GE said yesterday.
A memorandum of understanding signed last Friday will allow the firms to leverage each other's platforms to improve their services.
These include GE's health and wellness and rewards platforms, GetGreat and UpGreat, and Doctor Anywhere's e-commerce site Marketplace, which offers healthcare products and services.
The firms will also share content, product resources, tech and industry expertise to meet customer needs in key Asian markets.
The first phase of the partnership starts on Aug 1 and will allow about 40,000 insured members covered under GE's Live Great group insurance programmes to consult doctors remotely via video using GE's Live Great Corporate mobile app.
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40k
Number of insured members covered under GE's Live Great group insurance programmes who will be able to consult doctors remotely via video using GE's Live Great Corporate mobile app, when the first phase of the partnership starts on Aug 1.
This service will be rolled out to more corporate clients over the next six months.
Patients who need medication can collect it from any of the Doctor Anywhere clinics here, or have it delivered within three hours of their consultation.
They can also access their prescription details and electronic medical certificates on the app.
This on-demand consultation service will be available 24/7 and is suitable for acute and common ailments such as fever, cough and flu. Patients who require a more thorough diagnosis will be referred to a clinic or a specialist.
People with chronic but stabilised diseases such as diabetes and hypertension can use the video consultations to continue to get treatment.
GE is providing telemedicine services to cater to busy corporate customers, said Dr Leow Yung Khee, head of its group insurance division.
"Customers today are becoming increasingly digital-savvy and are looking for solutions that are quick and effective," she added.
Other partnership initiatives will allow employers to arrange for their domestic helpers' mandatory health screenings to be done at home.
Travel insurance clients will also be able to have vaccinations administered at their homes or workplaces.
Doctor Anywhere started in 2017, providing a range of services - such as consultations, claims management, appointment booking and wellness shopping - in a single app. Its team of doctors practise in clinics in Singapore and are licensed by the Singapore Medical Council.
The start-up is part of a trial programme for telemedicine being run by the Health Ministry.
In February, Doctor Anywhere opened 20 hybrid medical clinics with integrated video consultation services and home-based medical services in partnership with DA Clinic Group.
