Lybrate takes aim to be India's largest provider of online OPD

Mobile healthcare communication and delivery platform Lybrate is aiming to become India’s largest online out-patient department (OPD), with the aim of getting at least 25 per cent of the country’s 1.3 million medical practitioners on its mobile and web services.

Currently, Lybrate connects around 80,000 doctors across India, with over 1,50,000 patient visits each day through its app, mobile browser, and website. “The 80,000 doctors belong to 54 different specialisations, including western medicine, ayurveda, veterinary science, physiotherapy, and other alternative forms. Our main idea is to promote the preventive side of medicine, and put an end to self-medication,” Lybrate Chief Executive Officer Saurabh Arora told Deccan Herald.

“A large problem area with India is about people shirking from visiting a doctor. A health issue is often considered small, and people find it time-consuming, and sometimes even expensive, to see a doctor. Another problem deals with people self-diagnosing and self-medicating. They buy drugs from a pharmacy on the basis of mere symptoms. A third problem is that several health issues are considered taboo,” Arora said.

Lybrate helps people to get in touch with doctors through its app and website, from whom they may seek free counselling. Doctors also offer a continuous stream of tips via a health feed, and the platform allows people, who seek medical help, to keep their identities confidential.

“We are the largest source for medically authenticated answers to health queries, and the only source for medically curated health information,” he claimed.

People can come on board the platform and shoot a query, which may take a few hours for a doctor to respond. The company has a paid channel as well, through which specific doctors can be consulted, and longer interactions may be developed with them, for a fee.
It is here that Lybrate earns its revenues from the internet handling fees of around 5-15 per cent, over and above the doctor’s professional fees.

Reports have shown that in India, for every doctor, there are 1,700 patients, which is worse in small towns and rural areas. Also, over 95 per cent of doctors practise locally, preventing many patients from accessing a good doctor.

Doctor discoveries and appointments are big for Lybrate. “We are not a replacement for in-person doctors, but an add-on to help people take better care of their health. Our service makes it easier for people to find doctors, have their doubts cleared, and reduce friction. We also help doctors to multiply their presence, and touch more lives,” Arora said.
Last year, Lybrate closed a seed round funding of $1.2 million from Nexus Venture Partners. Last month, it closed a Series A funding of $10.2 million from Tiger Global, Nexus Venture Partners, and Ratan Tata.