The healthcare industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the world and business models are being prepared to evolve the industry and make it accessible to everyone out there. The industry in India itself is expected to reach $280 Bn by the year 2020.
Gone are the days when you had to go sit outside a doctor’s cabin and wait for your turn in order to get yourself checked. With advancement in technology, people realizing the value of time and hence, technology has been integrated with the health industry to create the healthcare app responsible for your health progress known as “Lybrate”.
Lybrate is a “Mobile First” platform which provides accessible healthcare to all. The very basis of this app, developed by Rahul Narang, who brings along 6 years of experience in application development and Saurabh Arora, IIT Delhi and Columbia University alumnus, was to search for a doctor and book an appointment. But the app has evolved at a much faster rate and is an all-in-one solution to your health problems with features like virtual consultation within the reach of patients and doctors.
The idea behind Lybrate
According to Saurabh,” The source of the idea was to avoid the fear of unknown in ensuring better health for the people and their loved ones.” He also mentioned, “These techniques are in maturing stages where both patient and doctors are exploring and enjoying the innovative ways of healthcare delivery.”
With the help of Lybrate, all the major health issues can be accessed right from your smartphone. The interface simplifies the process of getting free consultation from a trusted doctor around the country.
There are numerous companies which are connecting doctors and patients with a motive to book an appointment, but Lybrate allows the patients to talk to the doctors and receive virtual consultation usually free of charge. Although one can always meet up and then the doctor might charge you a fee.
Features that Sets It Apart
Apart from the fact that it provides the patients with an option to search for a doctor and ‘Book an appointment’, Lybrate acts an overall health portal allowing the users to manage their health on a single page in their smartphones. It allows the users to understand all the possible reasons for the health issues they might be facing through virtual consultation and provides them with numerous doctor options.
Also, apart from the health management and Booking options, the app also provides a single-touch emergency support system and nearby ambulance locator. The services are currently available in 20 cities including the likes of Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune and Delhi.
The Numbers Game
The app is over a year old and has around 50,000 downloads. With their apps available on both the Android and iOS platforms, Lybrate has reached to the masses and is expecting a high jump in these numbers soon.
The company is headquartered in Silicon Valley and has a team of 25 people based out of Delhi. The startup had received a funding of $1.23 Mn from Nexus Venture Partners in August last year.
According to the product marketing manager, Avijit, “When we started, the first 3 months were simply electric. We were doing something that has never been done in India before. So we were careful about the minutest of details. Each and every feature of the service has been reiterated many times before shipping it for the people.”
Our Take
With the advancements in technology in the health sector, virtual consultation is a solution oriented process as it will help the patient diagnose the problem and prevent the ‘fear of the unknown’. Healthcare is already observing major developments and Lybrate has added to the list of achievements.
