Connecting Specialist Healthcare Services To The Remote Areas Of India A pragmatic approach towards the journey of new age medical solution.

Technology is playing a pivotal role in changing the landscape of not only business models, but other verticals too at the same time. And there is very little doubt, that after supporting the business side of life, it is now playing a major role in improving the services provided in the medical domain.

To make optimum usage of these advancements, which can result in better living of the people, Ramakanth Desai came up CureSpring, which follows a pragmatic approach towards the journey of new age medical solution.

Entrepreneur India interacted with Ramakanth Desai to understand the work mechanism of his startup.

Please tell me about your work experience and how your educational background supported it.

I have done B.Tech & MBA and have more than 30 years' experience in IT industry under my working tenure, in which I have held many senior profiles, I was fortunate enough to handle many global clients and contribute in developing new business strategies for a number of clients.

What was the path you chose to be an entrepreneur? Was entrepreneurship really your career vision?

At the early stages of my career- no, it was not my vision. However, around 2000 I did feel like taking it up actively and starting something of my own. Having said that, in early part of my career, I was more focused on my corporate development and learning every aspect of the domain that I was involved in.. Moving ahead towards mid-way through my career, I started handling many entrepreneurial opportunities, which gave me a natural inclination towards entrepreneurial journey.

Please share the story behind the conceptualization of your startup brand.

I started this venture with a social purpose of enabling specialist doctors (cardiologist/oncologists), reach rural and semi-urban patients. It started off with a casual conversation that I had with the COO of Manipal Group and the idea automatically started taking a natural, yet, evolutionary shape.

Initially, we started working on a concept to help extend ICU management capabilities to remote areas. However, somehow the business was not working out for small hospitals to afford. It was then that we decided to switch over to telemedicine. The aim of my platform is to help patients reduce the cost of access to a specialist doctor by 30%, enhance their convenience and make sure that they have a better reach to these specialists. We have a network of specialist doctors, who are made accessible to remote general practitioners, who prepare the treatment protocol required for further treatment, and share the patient's medical condition with the specialists.

How did the name of your startup come up? Please share with us the story behind it.

We wanted it to be associated with something natural and full of positivity. Therefore, we went for CureSpring. Spring gives a positive connotation for growth and hence our startup is named Curespring.

How have your consumers responded to your product/service? Any particular story or comment you remember?

People have been receptive to the idea and we already have two-three hospitals, to go with two diagnostic labs who have signed-up for the solution service that we are offering. They have started connecting all their referral doctors.

What is your source of inspiration which keeps you moving ahead?

The very thought of increasing the reach of specialist care to remote areas in itself is a major motivation. In India, specialist care is missing for 80% of population and this is a pressing need to be addressed. With higher level of advancements in medical sector, we felt that it was very important to use technology to reach out to people. Our goal is to run 3000 remote clinics in five years. There are 20,000 villages in India, which means our presence needs to be in 15% of the villages in 5 years.

Any tips that you would like to give to beginners who intend to enter Indian startup ecosystem?

One should keep the passion to solve the business problems, despite the hurdles hindering the path. The Journey for entrepreneurs is the same, whether you have an experience of two years or 30 years unless he/she is planning to start-up with a huge capital.

What has been the biggest learning from the mentor(s) in your entrepreneurial journey?

The biggest learning from my mentors has been to think big if you are small and to think of adaptability, as much as, affordability. Make sure that you services solve the challenges. And also, look at every player in the similar space, as a partner, not as competition.

What's your business mantra to stay ahead in the market?

Focus on improving the solution and look at the problem holistically. Don't be afraid to change your approach, as you start discovering new things.