In an exclusive interview, Abhay Agarwal, founder of Clinics on Clouds, discusses the innovative journey of Health ATMs, which cover 80% of the Indian market. These ATMs, through strategic partnerships, are transforming healthcare access and affordability, particularly in underserved communities.
Read the full interview here:
TimesTech: Can you share some insights into Clinics on Cloud’s journey in forming partnerships to enhance accessibility and affordability in healthcare?
Mr Abhay: Certainly. At Clinics on Cloud, our mission is to democratize healthcare. We’ve achieved this by forging partnerships that make the accessibility and affordability of our Health ATM services more convenient. We have successfully established ourselves as market leaders, covering 80% of the health ATM market in India. Over the years, we have partnered with healthcare providers, corporates, government agencies, and NGOs to increase our collective impact. Through strategic partnerships, we’ve managed to deploy our Health ATM technology in various setups and offer our essential healthcare services at more affordable prices to the communities we serve. Our recent venture involves a $0.5 million investment in the rising Bengaluru-based startup Inolabs.ai, which focuses on preventive healthcare by providing AI-driven solutions for better long-term health planning.
TimesTech: How does Health ATM differentiate itself in the market, and what impact has it had on improving healthcare outcomes for individuals and communities?
Mr Abhay: Health ATM offers a fresh approach to health services at a time when conventional medical access is becoming expensive and inconvenient. Our Health ATM provides patients with more comprehensive health services than prior models, including diagnostics, teleconsultations, and prescribed diets, all in one convenient location. By improving access to these services through Health ATMs placed in communities, we aim to equip communities with healthcare tools for early detection and intervention in potential health hazards, achieving continuity of care where affordable healthcare access has been a challenge.
TimesTech: What are some key challenges you’ve faced along the partnership journey, and how have you overcome them to ensure successful collaborations?
Mr Abhay: The first challenge is education: the preventive mindset among populations in underserved areas is largely non-existent in India. We have much ground to cover to educate rural populations about the importance of “prevention is better than cure.”
Regulatory hurdles, such as ISO 13485 and CDSCO manufacturing licenses, took us some time and hard work to get however were extremely necessary considering the sensitive nature of preventive healthcare solutions.
Moreover, we use medical-grade devices with 90–95% accuracy and are dealing with CE and USFDA-approved devices which was again a challenge to get however our strive for medical excellence helped us in procuring the best devices. Another major challenge is to ensure data protection and compliance and adherence and and on both the fronts, we ensure compliance with ISO 27001, HIPAA, ABHA, and VAPT standards.
One major challenge was to make our systems flexible enough to integrate with third party apps. Today, our systems can seamlessly integrate with any third-party application, such as any hospital HMIS platform, through a single API.
TimesTech: In what ways do you see technology, particularly Health ATM, shaping the future of healthcare delivery, especially in underserved areas or communities?
Mr Abhay: Technology, particularly innovative products like Health ATM, which operate on cloud-based platforms, has the ability to redefine healthcare, especially for areas with limited healthcare provider communities. Through digital health, we can transcend geographical boundaries and address unequal care, empowering people to manage their personal health. Health ATM enables individuals to access essential healthcare and make data-based decisions, thereby addressing and monitoring healthcare inefficiencies, revolutionizing healthcare in peripheral areas.
TimesTech: Could you highlight a significant partnership or initiative that showcases Clinics on Cloud’s commitment to making healthcare more inclusive and accessible?
Mr Abhay: Clinics on Cloud has partnered with central and local governments to deploy Health ATMs in rural and remote areas, as well as religious and community hubs, across India. Health ATMs have been installed in numerous rural locations through government collaborations. These areas often lack infrastructure, making access challenging. Our efforts align with India’s national health agenda. By working with initiatives like Ayushman Bharat, we support broader goals of improved access and affordability.
Health ATMs are also placed in community and religious centers to leverage existing trusted structures central to people’s lives. These locations are easily accessible and build trust among hesitant communities. The partnership provides local healthcare access through the strategic placement of Health ATMs where facilities are sparse, reducing travel and costs for rural residents. Health ATMs enable preventive and regular care through check-ups and health education. They utilize advanced diagnostics and teleconsultations to deliver comprehensive services locally. The data collected helps the government understand and plan local health interventions. This initiative transforms the healthcare landscape to ensure quality services are within everyone’s reach.
