FirstHealthAssist, a local healthcare company, has announced that it will soon be launching an ambulance booking app. Right on the heels of the health ministry’s announcement to develop e-hailing-inspired ambulance booking services, this upcoming app will allow users to call up an ambulance with a click of a button.
In collaboration with Digital Vibes Asia (DVA), a digital marketing agency, FirstHealthAssist states that its app is scheduled for launch in early 2025. According to DVA CEO Mark Lester Jackson, this is only the first phase for users within Klang Valley, with the services expected to expand nationwide by 2026.
The first phase will offer real-time tracking of the ambulance’s location and estimated arrival time, along with geo-mapping services within the app that will help users identify their preferred healthcare facilities, be it public or private facilities. “Our soon-to-launch app is designed to complement existing national emergency numbers and private hotlines by offering a dedicated platform focused specifically on medical emergencies and non-emergency needs”, said Mark.
For the second phase, the apps will offer two-wheel paramedic units for critical care and patient stabilisation. Moreover, it will include a Volunteer Emergency Responders Network, connecting trained off-duty professionals via an app, and Smart Ambulances with telemedicine for real-time doctor communication during transfers.
According to its website, users can either get a subscription for its ambulance booking service or opt for a pay-per-use plan that can cost RM500-RM800 per trip. The first plan costs RM350/year and offers two emergency trips and two non-emergency trips within Klang valley, while the second plan that costs RM600/year adds on priority scheduling for non-emergency trips. You can also extend the coverage to dependants at an additional RM150/year for each person.
While FirstHealthAssist might be the first dedicated ambulance booking app in Malaysia, it is not the first to offer the service. In 2022, DOC2US collaborated with First Tejani Ambulance Services (FTAS) to integrate an ambulance booking feature within its existing app.
