RED.Health CEO Prabhdeep Singh On Scaling Emergency Medical Services Across India

Guwahati: Healthcare is emerging as a significant sector with business opportunities for new-age entrepreneurs. Ambulance service provider RED.Health has reportedly raised USD 20 million in a Series B round led by Jungle Ventures, Alteria Capital, and existing backers HealthQuad and HealthX.

Several media reports suggest that the Hyderabad-based startup, which has raked in USD 43 million since its inception in 2016, plans to use the funds to innovate its product, advance its technology and improve its dispatch system. The company currently works with over 100 hospitals in 20 cities. It aims to expand its services to 40-50 cities and partner with over 500 hospitals. Led by Prabhdeep Singh, RED.Health allows large hospitals, health apps and wearable operators to enable plug-and-play medical response in cases of emergency. In January, the company underwent a rebranding exercise and pivot, covering four verticals: RED Ambulances, RED Assist, RED Priority Clinics, and RED Academy. 

The firm also launched an air ambulance service in more than 500 cities. Red.Health reported Rs 100 crore in revenue in FY24 and targets two-fold growth for FY25. Its Indian entity saw its revenue grow by 45 per cent to Rs 67 crore in FY23 from Rs 46.13Cr in FY22. However, the company recorded a 20-fold jump in losses to Rs 31.74 crore during the period.

They have a fleet of 5000+ ambulances across India. Entering the northeast city in 2018, Business North East (BNE) conducted an exclusive interview with Chief Executive Officer and Founder Prabhdeep Singh to learn about it and its business in the region.

Excerpts of the Q&A interview:

BNE: What does Red Health Ambulance Service offer, and how does its business model work?

Prabhdeep Singh: RED.Health is India’s largest emergency response service provider, delivering 24/7 on-ground and on-call emergency medical care. Our primary service is ambulance response within 15 minutes in urban areas, ensuring the fastest emergency care delivery. Our business model is a hybrid approach:

•    B2B Partnerships: Collaborating with hospitals, enterprises, and government bodies for emergency care management.
•    B2C Services: Subscription plans offering end-to-end emergency care for individuals and families, including NRIs.

BNE: Tell me about your experience in the Northeast.

Prabhdeep Singh: RED.Health has actively expanded its presence in the Northeast, where accessibility is critical due to challenging terrain. We have partnered with regional medical logistics providers and hospitals to ensure timely emergency responses. We are working to improve operational reach and offer trauma care support in remote areas.

BNE: Who are your primary customers?

Prabhdeep Singh: Our customer base includes:

•    Hospitals and healthcare facilities rely on us for emergency transfers.
•    Corporate enterprises ensuring employee health and safety.
•    Individuals and families subscribing to our emergency care plans.
•    NRI families seeking reliable care for loved ones in India.

BNE: How can patients access your services?

Prabhdeep Singh: Patients or caregivers can access our services via:

•    24/7 helpline (911 4 911 911) for immediate assistance. 
•    Partner with hospitals and enterprises through integrated emergency care systems.
•    FLASH App: We have a dedicated quick health services app with 30+ services that any user can book us for, reaching under 8 minutes. While the app is already available in Hyderabad, it will soon be available for people across India.

BNE: How do you ensure efficient coordination between users and ambulances across different locations?

Prabhdeep Singh: We leverage advanced technology and real-time data to ensure seamless coordination:

•    Centralised Command Center: Monitors and dispatches ambulances efficiently.
•    On-call doctor Availability: We have 24/7 hours services of having a doctor on call to help with any intervention required at the time of the journey 
•    Real-Time Location Tracking: Tracks ambulance availability and traffic to assign the nearest vehicle.
•    AI-Driven Algorithms: Matches patient needs with the most appropriate service.

BNE: What is your long-term vision for the platform, and how does it align with our goals at Red Health?

Prabhdeep Singh: Our long-term vision is to redefine emergency care in India by:

•    Building the largest integrated emergency response network.
•    Using AI, IoT, and 5G to revolutionise emergency dispatch.
•    Ensuring every Indian has access to critical care within 15 minutes.
•    Expanding global air ambulance services for critical care across borders.
•    Ensuring 15-minute emergency response in every major city.
This aligns with RED.Health’s mission to provide patient-first, technology-driven emergency care.

ALSO READ: How Women Can Play an Important Role in the Biomanufacturing Industry? Experts Weigh In

BNE: Are you open to exclusive partnerships with select ambulance providers?

Prabhdeep Singh: Yes, we are open to partnerships that align with our quality and operational standards. Such collaborations ensure consistent service delivery, brand alignment, and long-term operational efficiencies.

BNE: How do you handle operational challenges like service delays, unavailability, or breakdowns?

Prabhdeep Singh: We mitigate these challenges through:

•    Redundancy: Partnering with multiple operators in each region for backup.
•    Preventive Maintenance: Ensuring listed ambulances are regularly inspected.
•    Incident Management System: Rapid escalation protocols for delays or breakdowns.
•    Live Updates: Informing users proactively about delays with alternative solutions.
•    Breakdown Assistance: If an ambulance breaks down, we provide free assistance and proactively shift the patient to another vehicle.
•    Unavailability Management: With 5,000+ owned ambulances and a vast partner network, we always have backup ambulances ready to deploy.

BNE: Is there any revenue-sharing model? How does it work for ambulance services on your platform?

Prabhdeep Singh: There is no revenue-sharing model. It works on a subscription-based model. Any ambulance provider can raise a request to partner with RED Ambulance, and if the vehicles by the provider fulfil the quality requirements/ checklists - they become our authorised partners. We also provide them with a partner application on which they get the ambulance cases alert. If they fail in the quality check audits, our team helps them enhance their quality and onboard as authorised partners.

ALSO READ: Assam Ergo Sets Sights On Global Expansion With Eco-Friendly Bamboo Designs

BNE: What technology features does your platform integrate to enhance user experience?

Prabhdeep Singh: Our platform integrates:

•    AI and Machine Learning: For intelligent ambulance routing and prioritisation.
•    IoT Devices: Enabling real-time vehicle health monitoring.
•    Cloud-Based Systems: For seamless scalability and data security.
•    User-Friendly App Interface: Simplifies booking and tracking for patients.
FLASH App: Real-time ambulance booking & tracking.
•    5G Connectivity: Enables faster, more reliable emergency response.
•    Salus AI: Optimizes ambulance dispatch based on severity and availability with Paramedic and ER doctor dashboards to review and recheck 
•    Genesys: Platform that takes the customer, hospital and enterprise partner calls in our 24/7 Call centre. 
•    Pilot and Paramedic App: We have a dedicated platform for our paramedics and pilots (ambulance drivers), where they can track and audit multiple parameters of vehicles and patients. The pilot receives auto-dispatch case alerts, streamlining interventions and reducing response time to case fulfil cases.

BNE: Do you have plans to integrate advanced features like real-time traffic updates, telemedicine, or AI-based emergency response?

Prabhdeep Singh: Yes, we already have these in paramedic and pilot applications:

•    Real-Time Traffic Integration to optimise routing and minimise delays.
•    Telemedicine Services: Enabling on-call doctor support during transit.
•    AI-Based Emergency Response: Predicting emergencies and offering preemptive care suggestions.

BNE: Are you planning to expand into other medical or emergency services, such as air ambulances or trauma care in the Northeast?

Prabhdeep Singh: We are already doing it. Apart from air ambulances, we also provide train ambulance services for critical care in remote areas in the Northeast and other parts of India, including for patients who cannot be airlifted but have to cover long distances within a short period. Our services are not just limited to India. We also provide air ambulance services internationally.

BNE: How do you ensure the quality and reliability of ambulances listed on your platform?

Prabhdeep Singh: We enforce strict quality checks:
•    Verification Process: Only certified providers are onboarded.
•    Regular Audits: Ensuring ambulances meet safety and hygiene standards.
•    Pilot Training: Partnering with operators to train staff in emergency protocols.

BNE: Do you plan to collaborate with hospitals, healthcare providers, or insurance companies?

Prabhdeep Singh: Collaboration is integral to our model:
•    We partner with hospitals for patient referrals and emergency support.
•    Work with insurance companies to integrate ambulance coverage into health plans.
Build alliances with healthcare providers to create an end-to-end emergency care ecosystem.