The significance of diagnostics in healthcare cannot be overstated, as it serves as the initial step in disease detection, prognosis, and treatment regimen determination. Despite this, Sriram Iyer, CEO at Apollo Health & Lifestyle, one of India’s leading retail healthcare companies, points out that more than 80% of the diagnostics market remains unorganized. In a recent interview with Sudhir Chowdhary, he highlights the company’s efforts to expand its presence and discusses the pivotal role of technology in retail healthcare.
Iyer emphasizes the importance of digitalization for their business, stating that they are “digital first” in their approach. They utilize various digital platforms to streamline internal and external processes, ranging from logistics and supply chain management to customer relationship management (CRM) and automated manpower deployment based on dynamic load considerations.
In the realm of retail healthcare, there is a growing emphasis on hyper-local services with a focus on product differentiation and service delivery. Apollo’s primary objective is to provide care with utmost empathy and excellence. For instance, in diagnostics, they employ advanced digital, analytics, and AI capabilities to select the nearest center for customers. Their ProHealth tool, based on AI, aids in predicting a patient’s health condition. Additionally, Apollo clinics have implemented a queue management system to regulate patient traffic for services such as radiology, X-Ray, ultrasound, and dental care.
Reflecting on emerging technologies, Iyer notes the shift towards preventive care, especially highlighted by the pandemic. Solutions like integrated CRM enable proactive management of patient health data and timely reminders for necessary tests, thus enhancing customer experience and promoting preventive care. Furthermore, AI-backed care for chronic disease management and preventive measures shows promise in transforming traditional healthcare approaches.
Regarding expansion plans in diagnostics, Apollo aims for substantial growth by doubling its current infrastructure and expanding into new towns, particularly targeting Tier I and II areas to address the unmet demand for high-quality diagnostics.
Iyer highlights the integration of cloud-based solutions from Oracle, particularly Oracle’s Fusion Cloud ERP Applications, which streamline operations and facilitate data-driven decision-making. This integration centralizes financial data, automates processes, and provides real-time insights, supporting the company’s growth objectives.
Looking ahead, Apollo’s technology roadmap focuses on becoming a ‘digital first’ organization through partnerships and co-creation with technology firms, including startups. They aim to harness in-house capabilities and external partnerships to customize healthcare solutions, leveraging data analytics to target customer cohorts with relevant offerings while ensuring workforce readiness for ongoing innovation.
