Sata Commhealth launched Electric Bus for Health Screenings

14 March 2022, the SATA CommHealth has decided to pioneer an initiative in order to increase access to health screening services for the needy and vulnerable using an electric vehicle (EV). Imagine medical services to your door step, in a bus.

The use of an electric vehicle (EV) will make health screening for the elderly more accessible and convenient. This is in line with SATA CommHealth’s commitment to expand its range of medical services and bring healthcare closer to the community. The EV is officially launched by Minister Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health today alongside SATA CommHealth’s Board and Management team.

Since its inception in 1947, providing mobile medical services has always been in SATA’s DNA. Today, SATA CommHealth operates a fleet of vehicles providing diagnostic care. The addition of a mobile clinic to the fleet is a timely response to better meet community needs and improve the accessibility of care to patients.

This is SATA CommHealth effort towards meeting the rising demand for mobile medical services in a post-pandemic environment. Using EVs will greatly improve the accessibility of care to patients and will benefit patients like the elderly and the needy who might be unaware of their underlying conditions. It will also bring healthcare to the underprivileged to provide them with affordable basic healthcare near home. 

There 3 general directions for the launch of the EV:

1. Beyond Hospital to Community – SATA CommHealth partners community partners, Grassroots and community facilities (integrated long term care partners/corporate organisations) to provide comprehensive healthcare services including Digital Retinal Photography and Diabetic Foot Screening.
2. Beyond Healthcare to Health – The EV will be able to bring care upstream to provide preventive care such as health screening, vaccinations, diabetes awareness, frailty assessment for the elderly to prevent falls and osteoporosis and post pandemic services. The mobile clinic conveniently brings recommended preventive care services to the beneficiaries.
3. Beyond Quality to Value – The EV is a one stop basic healthcare facility and the mobile clinic offers government subsidies and SATA CommHealth’s Health Endowment Fund to defray “Out of Pocket” payment for the needy. 

The launch of SATA CommHealth’s EV is also in line with its Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) approach to roll out an environmentally sustainable operation. Though most of its current fleet operates on diesel, they expect to fully transition to hybrid fleet of logistics and transport EV and diagnostic buses by the end of 2027 and reduce CO2 emissions. Onwards Singapore Green Plan!

During times of endemic diseases, the EV can be deployed to provide services and promote disease prevention and management of chronic disease e.g. Doctors-On-Wheels sites. For sustainability, SATA CommHealth intends to work with corporate organisations for community events like health screening and vaccinations. 

Even better! In time of pandemic, the EV can be transformed to a crisis response vehicle and deployed to different sites as a reinforcement or a remote medical outpost. 

SATA CommHealth’s electric vehicle will be on the road along with its existing fleet of mobile X-ray buses and dedicated Mobile Medical Services team of competent doctors, nurses, radiographers, clinic assistants and drivers, to bring a wide range of medical services right at your doorstep. 

If you happen to see them on road, don't forget to tag them on Instagram @satacommhealth and me at @serenekoh.sg so we can repost it 😁