As we juggle a multitude of responsibilities and commitments to work and home, many Singaporeans turn to look for an extra pair of hands to help out around the house.
But when it comes to employing a domestic helper, the number one problem most households face is finding the right one among the throngs of candidates introduced by various maid agencies.
Stories we hear about untrustworthy helpers make it even tougher.
Even though cases of dishonesty or mistreatment may be the minority out of the norm, the decision to let someone into your house and entrust them with your children or elderly is not one we can afford to take lightly.
That’s where two Singapore-based tech startups, HealthPal and Searchmaid, want to come in.
They’re collaborating to help families seek out the right helper on their platform with a peace of mind, while at the same time ensuring helpers receive better healthcare benefits too, without bursting their employers’ wallets.
Connecting Consumers To Healthcare Providers
As an introduction for the unacquainted, HealthPal is an innovative platform that distributes healthcare and wellness services to direct consumers and companies.
With over 1,000 clinics islandwide, HealthPal reinvents consumer healthcare by working with clinical networks to extend preferential medical benefits to end consumers.
“While many of us have our own hospital and accident insurance, there is a shortfall of coverage if you were to see a doctor for a common flu,” HealthPal co-founder Ashton Tay said in an interview.
“HealthPal comes in to make healthcare more affordable and accessible.”
How Does It Work?
HealthPal works on a membership basis, offering “up to 48% savings at over 1,000 clinics in Singapore” with their plans starting at $2/month for individuals, or $6/month for family (covers 4 members).
Once you become a member, you need to download the HealthPal.SG app to activate your account.
A debit or credit card needs to be linked to your account for a cashless transaction whenever you visit a clinic.
When you want to see the doctor, you can search for nearest clinic around your location, and simply flash your HealthPal e-card at the reception.
Your bill will be automatically charged in the app, so you can just collect your medicine and MC and be on your way.
The app even lets you view your entire health record, including your previous visits and what medicine you’ve been prescribed before.
HealthPal also has a marketplace for members to find and enjoy subsidised health screenings and vaccines.
Healthcare For Maids Should Be Affordable Too
Now working with Searchmaid, a platform that boasts the largest maid listing database in Singapore, HealthPal wants to help people manage the healthcare costs for their domestic helpers as well.
Under the Ministry of Manpower’s regulations, an employer must send their domestic helper for a health check once every six months.
Unfortunately, people tend to overlook this, or feel burdened when it comes to paying the medical bills for their helpers.
“We are excited to work together with Searchmaid to launch HealthPal for Maids. This totally redesigns the way we look at bringing better healthcare benefits for our helpers without having the worry to pay higher medical bills,” said Ashton.
We see a common issue where some employers may not want to pay for such medical bills, [which results in] domestic helpers not [getting] the right medication or rest [they need].
Ashton Tay, co-founder of HealthPal
With the same $2/month subscription price, HealthPal for Maids extends its host of healthcare perks and benefits to your helper, including a flat fee of $13 for General Practitioner (GP) consultations at over 500 clinics.
It also provides health screening packages starting from $30, and the service will notify you when your helper is due for their 6-monthly medical examinations too.
Searchmaid founder Bobby Yeoh emphasises, “Helpers are like your extended family members, and we want to ensure that helpers are getting the fair side of the deal through better fair wages and medical coverages.”
This way, HealthPal for Maids ties in nicely to give people a better experience in hiring helpers, while taking care of both employers and domestic helpers’ needs.
HealthPal for Maids is now available online here.
If you’re looking for your ideal helper, check out Searchmaid. Every successful application comes with a complimentary 6 months HealthPal for Maids membership.