Blinkit Ambulance has introduced a fee of Rs 2,500 for non-emergency patient transfers, seeking to ensure that its emergency response vehicles remain available for people who need urgent medical attention. The service will continue to provide emergency ambulance transfers free of cost, while users opting for non-emergency transportation will have to pay after completing the journey.
\n\nDeepinder Goyal, founder of Eternal, said the revised pricing structure will discourage people from using emergency ambulance facilities for routine medical visits. The proposed charge is broadly comparable to the rates levied by private ambulance operators.
\n\nIn a social media post, Goyal revealed that Blinkit Ambulance has attended to nearly 42,000 cases over the past two years. Of these, around 20,000 involved medical emergencies, with users not being charged for the service.
\n\nAccording to Goyal, the company noticed a change in the nature of bookings, with an increasing number of people using its ambulances for non-urgent medical requirements. These included routine health checkups, hospital appointments and transfers from hospitals to homes.
\n\nSuch journeys, he pointed out, could be completed using ordinary private vehicles or ride-hailing services instead of specialised emergency vehicles.
\n\n"With everything free, a growing share of bookings are for routine checkups, hospital…
Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/business-economy
