Document forgery found at WhiteCoat clinics in Vietnam
The Singapore telehealth firm confirms development; investigations underway
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with additional background quotes and clarifications.
Southeast Asia telehealth firm WhiteCoat is found to be implicated in the forging of cancer screening test papers at its clinics in Vietnam.
The development was first reported by local publication, Saigon Online, citing a surprise inspection conducted by Ho Chi Minh health authorities on April 17 at Whitecoat’s Ho Chi Minh office.
The incident involved an unnamed genetic testing company in Ho Chi Minh City, which provided cancer screening services to WhiteCoat Vietnam for periodic health checks for employees.
A discrepancy in test sample numbers was first discovered by the genetic testing firm, leading it to submit an official notice to WhiteCoat, before triggering a wider police investigation into the matter.
One indirect source told this publication that Vietnamese genetic testing firm Gene Solutions and local insurer MB Ageas Life were involved in the discovery of the document forgery.
Gene Solutions is a August Global Partners and Mekong Capital-backed genetic testing firm with offices in Vietnam and across Southeast Asia.
Gene Solutions and MB Ageas Life could not be reached at the time of publishing this story.
A separate direct source shared that the forgery was found in Hanoi instead of Ho Chi Minh. This involved one of WhiteCoat’s Hanoi employees who approached an unauthorised party to produce fake cancer screening test results in the name of one of their corporate partners.
The same source added that an internal investigation was started by WhiteCoat a few weeks ago, who reported the matter to Vietnamese authorities and led to the inspection at WhiteCoat’s Vietnam office. It is also understood that the guilty WhiteCoat employee is no longer at the firm.
WhiteCoat declined to comment on the identities of the partners involved, but said that only one company was involved in it.
The Singapore healthtech startup further added that this was an isolated case of employee misconduct where “errant personnel orchestrated the engagement of an unauthorised party to provide certain services to a corporate client of WhiteCoat Vietnam.”
“We have reported the matter to the relevant authorities in Vietnam. Immediately after it was uncovered, we proactively engaged and continue to actively work with the affected corporate client to resolve the issue.
Most importantly, we understand that there is no impact to the medical treatment and health of the individuals involved. Our clients remain supportive and our medical and healthcare services remain unaffected by this matter.
To eliminate any recurrence of such cases, we are thoroughly reviewing our processes for the appointment of external vendors, and staff adherence to these protocols and processes,” wrote a WhiteCoat spokesperson in an email statement.
WhiteCoat is a telehealth startup operating in Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia Indonesia. Last year, it acquired Good Doctor Indonesia, which gave the firm an accumulated regional client base of 130 insurers and 7,500 corporate partners.
The firm was last reported to have been backed by Raffles Family Office, SoftBank Vision Fund and MDI Ventures, as part of the deal to acquire Good Doctor.
It is understood that SoftBank Vision Fund and MDI Ventures are not yet investors with WhiteCoat since the acquisition is not completely finalised.