1. Who we are
Meddy (“we”, “us”, “our”) is a Singapore-based technology platform that connects patients and their families with vetted and independent companions, who accompany the patients to their medical appointments. The companions are independent providers, not medical professionals, and do not provide clinical care. Meddy is operated by Meddy Pte. Ltd. (202616187Z), registered in Singapore.
This Privacy Policy applies to all personal data collected through our website (meddy.sg), our booking request form, and our companion application form. By using our services or submitting our forms, you agree to the collection and use of data as described here.
Where a patient is a minor, the customer making the booking confirms that they are the patient’s parent or legal guardian, or are authorised by them, to provide the patient’s information and to consent to our handling of it.
For privacy-related queries, contact us via WhatsApp at +65 8962 7288 or email us at hello@meddy.sg.
2. What we collect
We collect different categories of personal data depending on whether you are submitting a booking request, you are the patient receiving our service, or you are applying to become a companion. We only collect what is necessary to deliver the service safely and effectively.
Customers (the person making the booking)
When you submit a booking request, we collect your full name, mobile number, email address, and your relationship to the patient. This is used to confirm your booking and communicate with you throughout the service.
Patients
We collect information about the patient in order to match a suitable companion and ensure safe service delivery. This includes the patient’s full name, age, gender, preferred language(s), mobility status, and any relevant physical limitations or health context you provide. We also collect the patient’s appointment details: date, time, hospital or clinic, and department or specialist where provided.
Location and address data
For bookings that include a door-to-door component, we collect the patient’s pick-up and/or drop-off address, including unit number where provided. These are used to coordinate the companion’s journey and to determine the applicable taxi / ride fare. To estimate the fare, approximate location coordinates are transmitted to a third-party mapping service - no name, NRIC, or contact details are included in that transmission.
Service preferences and consultation relay
We collect your preferences for companion gender, whether the companion should be present during the consultation, and whether you have opted in to receive a relay of the doctor’s advice after the appointment. If you opt in to the consultation relay, we store your acknowledgement that the patient has consented to this relay. Any specific questions you wish the companion to raise with the doctor are also collected and shared with the assigned companion for that booking only.
Companion applicants
When you apply to become a Meddy companion, we collect your full name, NRIC/FIN number, date of birth, residency status, mobile number, and email address for identity verification and eligibility assessment. We also collect your employment status, healthcare background (including your current or most recent role, years of experience, primary care setting, and any relevant certificates), languages spoken, and a personal summary.
Where you apply without using Singpass, we collect NRIC photographs (front and back) for identity verification and vetting. Copies of healthcare certificates and other supporting documents are collected in all cases, where applicable. Because companions are entrusted with accompanying vulnerable patients, we rely on the NRIC to verify each applicant’s identity to a high degree of accuracy, consistent with the PDPA’s requirements on the collection and use of NRIC numbers. We also record your self-declaration regarding the absence of any criminal record, your acknowledgement of our confidentiality obligations, and your electronic signature submitted as part of the application process.
Where you choose to apply using Singpass, we retrieve your NRIC/FIN number, name, date of birth, sex, residency status and registered residential address directly from Myinfo, the Government’s personal data platform, with the consent you give on the Singpass authorisation screen. That screen lists exactly which items are requested before you authorise the transfer, and you may decline and complete the application manually instead. We record which fields came from Myinfo so that we can distinguish them from information you entered yourself. We do not collect NRIC photographs from applicants who apply using Singpass, because identity has already been established through Government authentication. Your mobile number and email address are always provided by you, even when other details come from Myinfo, as Myinfo holds these as self-declared rather than government-verified.
We additionally collect your emergency contact’s name, relationship to you, and mobile number. Please ensure your emergency contact is aware that their details are being shared with us for this purpose.
You may optionally disclose any medical conditions relevant to your ability to perform companion duties. This information is treated as sensitive personal data, is used solely to assess suitability for assignments, and is not disclosed beyond authorised Meddy personnel involved in assignment coordination.
Active companions
If you are accepted as a companion, we set up an account for you on the corporate transport account Meddy uses for patient journeys, which requires sharing the contact details needed to create that account (such as your email address) with the transport provider. We receive the transport provider’s records of rides booked through your account, such as the date, time, pick-up and drop-off points, and fare, and use them to check those rides against your assignments.
3. How we use your data
3.1 Customer data
- Match and assign a suitable companion to your booking
- Communicate booking confirmation, companion details, and payment instructions via WhatsApp
- Share relevant patient information with the assigned companion to enable safe and appropriate service delivery
- Determine the taxi / ride fare applicable to your booking by estimating the driving distance between your home address and the hospital via a third-party mapping service
- Process payment and issue post-service invoices
- Deliver the consultation relay to you (if elected) - see Section 3.2 below
3.2 Consultation relay (if elected)
If the customer has opted in to receive a consultation relay, and the companion is present in the consultation room, the companion will relay what the doctor said to the customer verbally or via WhatsApp, depending on circumstances.
- Scope: The relay may include the doctor’s findings, diagnosis, prognosis, follow-up instructions, referrals, and answers to any doctor questions pre-submitted by the customer. Where written discharge or follow-up instructions are provided by the clinic, the companion may photograph and forward them directly.
- Patient consent on the day: Before relaying, the companion will verbally confirm with the patient that they remain comfortable with the relay. If the patient declines on the day, nothing will be relayed. If the patient is unable to give a clear answer, the companion will proceed on the basis of the consent the customer confirmed at booking.
- Accuracy: The companion is a layperson relaying from memory. Medical terminology may be approximate. The relay is not a medical record and should not be treated as one. The customer is encouraged to contact the clinic directly to confirm any specific details.
- Data handling: Meddy does not store or retain the consultation relay in any form. Where the relay is delivered verbally, no record is created by Meddy. Where it is delivered via WhatsApp, the content is subject to WhatsApp’s own privacy policy and is outside Meddy’s control once delivered.
- Photos of the patient: If the customer asks, and only with the patient’s agreement, the companion may take a photo of the patient and send it to the customer via WhatsApp. Meddy does not store these photos, and companions are instructed not to keep them.
- Your declaration: By opting in and confirming that you have the patient’s permission to receive the relay, you acknowledge these limitations and confirm that the patient is aware this relay will take place.
3.3 Companion and companion applicant data
- Evaluate your application and assess suitability
- Verify your identity using your NRIC
- Pre-populate your Companion Partner Agreement if accepted
- Match you to suitable assignments and communicate booking details
- Process payment for completed assignments
- Set up your account on Meddy’s corporate transport account so you can book patient journeys
- Check rides booked on that account against your assignments and, where a ride was not for an assignment, recover the fare from your payout as set out in the Companion Partner Agreement
We do not use your data for marketing, advertising, or any purpose beyond service delivery. We do not use your mobile number to send unsolicited promotional messages.
5. How long we keep your data
Personal data relating to a booking is removed from Meddy’s records within 12 months of the service date. Where you have made more than one booking, your contact details are retained until 12 months after your most recent booking. For companions, we keep personal data only for as long as it is necessary for the purposes set out in this policy, including administering the Companion Partner Agreement, meeting our legal and regulatory obligations, and the safety and integrity of our services. Personal data relating to a rejected application is removed within 12 months of the rejection. Anonymised or aggregated records may be retained for operational and statistical purposes.
Where we are required by law to keep certain records for longer, in particular tax and accounting records which must be retained for at least five years, we will keep only those records and only for as long as the law requires.
The estimated driving distance retrieved during the booking process is retained with the booking record for fare determination, dispute resolution, and internal service analysis.
6. Your rights
Under the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (Singapore), you have the right to:
- Access - request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Correction - request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete data
- Withdrawal of consent - withdraw your consent for us to collect, use, or disclose your data at any time. Withdrawing consent does not by itself trigger a refund; any refund is governed by our cancellation and refund policy in the Terms of Service.
- Data portability - request that your data be provided in a commonly used machine-readable format
To exercise any of these rights, contact us via WhatsApp at +65 8962 7288 or email hello@meddy.sg. We will respond within 30 days.
7. Security
We implement reasonable organisational and technical measures to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. All companions and Meddy personnel are contractually bound by confidentiality obligations (see Section 4.2).
In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in significant harm, we will notify the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) and affected individuals in accordance with our obligations under the PDPA.
8. Third-party services
Our booking form uses third-party services for address lookup and distance estimation. These services operate under their own terms and privacy policies, which we encourage you to review. Our website may also contain links to external sites such as hospital websites or messaging platforms, which are likewise subject to their own privacy policies. We are not responsible for the data practices of any third-party service or site.
Where you apply to be a companion using Singpass, authentication takes place on the Singpass platform operated by the Government Technology Agency of Singapore. Your Singpass credentials are entered on that platform and are never seen by Meddy. Meddy receives only the personal data you authorise Myinfo to release, as described in section 3.
9. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last modified” date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our services after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
10. Contact us
For any questions, data access requests, or privacy concerns, please contact us. You may also address any matter to our Data Protection Officer, who can be reached at the email below:
- WhatsApp: +65 8962 7288
- Email: hello@meddy.sg
11. Governing law
This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of Singapore. Any dispute arising from this policy shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Singapore.