It all begins with a little strain, but reaches a crescendo of maladies. The agony of chronic ailments finds many doctors, but not many treatments. There are right medicines, but no-so-right prescriptions. These thoughts occurred to Dr Arjun Rao, who along with Pooja Prakash Rao, founded Syncremedies — an integrated medicine service for people unaware of the best treatment approach for chronic illnesses.
As is the case in India, patients have a wide array of treatment options to choose from, but with scant awareness, keep jumping between allopathy, ayurveda and homeopathy at will, often with little or no remedy to come by. Chronic health problems are long-term issues such as skin problems, diabetes, acidity, hair loss, acne, asthma, chronic back pain, and hypertension. “There is a problem with jumping between doctors and systems of medicine. The industry has a lot of platforms that talk of second opinions, which are all in the realm of allopathy. Now can you imagine a situation wherein you are going to an allopathy physician, and then suddenly decide to go to an ayurvedic doctor, and then to a homeopath?” questions Dr Rao.
Syncremedies is a platform where patients get access to doctors, with whom they discuss their problem, which is later discussed by the doctors between themselves. The doctors — one each from allopathy, homeopathy and ayurveda — decide the best way to treat the problem, and come up with a customised comprehensive treatment plan, which could involve either one of the streams, even two, or all three forms of medicine.
Syncremedies works on an online and offline basis. On the online platform, the doctors’ expertise is mapped with the patient’s complaints. Based on appointment, three recommended doctors will show up on video chat and talk to the patient online.
In the offline format, patients may visit Syncremedies Powered Clinics, wherein partner doctors will only need a laptop with Internet to run the platform. Here, patients not only meet a doctor directly, but also receive integrated medicine as part of the consultation.
Currently, the company has tied up with 21 (family) doctors spread across Bengaluru, Pune, Belagavi, Ballari, and Hassan. “We see Pune and Bengaluru as main focus cities, where we are pushing our powered clinic approach, since we see greater traction coming from our offline model. We are aiming at 25 powered clinics in Bengaluru this month, and around eight clinics each in Pune and Hyderabad next month,” Dr Rao says, adding that Syncremedies has also partnered with physiotherapists, nurses, yoga centres, nutritionists, pharmacies and diagnostic centres, for its one-stop-shop.
The company is self-funded to a tune of Rs 80 lakh, and has over 300 registered patients till date, while 250 have received treatment across Pune and Bengaluru.
Quick facts
Founders: Dr Arjun Rao and Pooja Prakash Rao
Into: Online integrated medicine service for chronic health issues
Plans: 25 powered clinics in Bengaluru next month
