Caught Sick in a Foreign Country? Ambii Transforms How You Access Healthcare Worldwide
Imagine you are a foreigner in Japan, and you suddenly need medical attention. You don't speak the language, you are unfamiliar with the healthcare system, and you have no idea where to turn. This scenario, all too common for expats and travelers, inspired the creation of Ambii, a startup that is revolutionizing how people access healthcare across borders. Founded in May 2018 by Yuki Taira and Yuji Schuster, Ambii is driven by a singular mission: to make healthcare accessible and seamless for everyone, no matter where they are or where they're from.
The idea for Ambii was born from real-life experiences. Yuki Taira the co-founder and CEO, encountered these challenges firsthand when he moved to the United States for university. As a student in Wisconsin, he struggled with English and faced important difficulties when trying to access healthcare. He suffered of food poisoning that left him navigating multiple clinics, battling language barriers, and feeling isolated in a foreign land.
Yuki Taira discussed about this problem with his international friends and realized taht a lot of them faced the same problem. These experiences created a seed of idea in his mind: a service that would bridge the gap between patients and healthcare providers across linguistic and cultural divides.
Breaking Language Barriers: Ambii's Approach to Global Healthcare Access
That is why Yuki Taira and Yuji Schuster launched Ambii, a platform designed to assist foreigners in accessing medical care while abroad, particularly if they face language barriers. It allows users to find and book appointments with doctors and offers customizable symptom questionnaires in 14 languages.
Operating in Japan and Taiwan, Ambii streamlines the healthcare process by directly sharing these translated questionnaires with doctors, reducing paperwork and phone calls, and integrating the information into Electronic Medical Records (EMR) for a smoother experience.
The website makes it simple to find nearby clinics with English-speaking doctors and see their available schedules. / Image Credits: Ambii website
Ambii provides chatbot services to help make accessing healthcare easier for everyone. / Image Credits: Ambii website
Ambii's Key Partnerships with Taiwanese Healthcare Providers
Yuki Taira explains, “The system not only saves time but also helps doctors focus more on patient care rather than administrative tasks.” This innovation has already seen significant success in Japan, where over 100,000 appointments have been made through Ambii. The startup has also expanded into Taiwan, partnering with clinics like Xin Ming Clinic （新明診所）, Dianthus MFM Clinic （禾馨婦產科）, and William's Clinic ( 康心美婦診所), and is in talks with 15 more clinics to extend their services further.
Ambii’s business model is designed to be simple and patient-friendly. They charge residents a monthly fee and a one-time fee for each appointment, but the clinic covers these costs. This setup helps patients concentrate on their health without stressing over additional expenses.
Operating in the healthcare industry is not easy, especially in a market as unique as Japan’s. Ambii faces the challenge of ensuring that the healthcare providers on their platform maintain high standards of care. To address this, Yuki Taira and his team work closely with clinics to understand their needs and rely on user feedback to continually improve their services.
Yuki Taira reflects on the cultural differences between Japan and Taiwan and notices “Clinics in Taiwan initially didn’t use questionnaires, but once they started, they quickly saw the benefits. The appointment system is quite similar to Japan’s, which made the transition easier.” This adaptability is key to Ambii’s strategy as they prepare to expand further into Taiwan and beyond.
In a market where trust is key, Ambii is also considering introducing an "Ambii Certificate" for doctors who receive consistently positive feedback, helping to boost the credibility and reliability of their service.
Looking forward, Ambii plans to expand their services to include phone interpretation, so people can speak with doctors no matter the language. For now, they only offer services in Japanese in Taiwan, but they plan to launch an English service soon. Yuki Taira mentions, “Some people are very nervous about going to a clinic and don’t want to share their symptoms with friends, so they use translation apps, which isn’t convenient.”
Healthcare for Everyone: How Ambii Breaks Down Barriers with Technology and Culture
Ambii believes that healthcare should be easy for everyone, no matter their language, location, or background. Their slogan, “Healthcare for Everyone,” sums up this mission. By using technology, understanding different cultures, and focusing on patient care, Ambii is more than just a healthcare platform, it’s a helping hand for people dealing with the challenges of medical systems abroad.
As they continues to grow, their focus remains on expanding their services to new regions, improving user experience, and making healthcare as stress-free and accessible as possible. In a world where access to quality healthcare is often hindered by language and cultural barriers, Ambii is breaking down those walls, one appointment at a time.
Ambii has already made strides in breaking down barriers to healthcare, but their mission doesn’t stop there. They remain committed to finding new ways to make healthcare more accessible, ensuring that more people can get the care they need, no matter where they are.