<p>Making quality healthcare more accessible through smartphones was the mantra behind an app-based service called Mfine. Former Myntra co-founder Ashutosh Lawania and fformer chief business officer Prasad Kompalli came up with the idea in December last year. </p>.<p>It has been six months and they say the response has been encouraging. Prasad says they were looking at healthcare as the next space where technology could play a big role. “We wanted to come up with a product that would make it easier for consumers to access healthcare providers. Looking at how technology has matured in the country and the mobile penetration, we saw this as a huge opportunity,” he says.</p>.<p>Patients sign in using the mobile application and describe their symptoms to the doctor. If there is a lab or x-ray report, it can be sent to the doctor on the app. The consultation is just like at a hospital, the only difference being that it is online. The app also maintains profiles of patients. </p>.<p>“You can either chat, video call or voice call the doctor. Once the consultation is done, the doctor’s prescription comes in the form of a PDF. So far, 15,000 consultations have been done in Bengaluru and we plan to reach one lakh consultations by the end of the year,” says Prasad. </p>.<p>Initially, it was a challenge to tell people that doctors could give expert opinion online. “It was tough convincing people that a doctor can attend to them without a physical examination. We have had to dispel doubts in the minds of people, and this has been our biggest challenge,” says Prasad.</p>.<p>Younger patients, between 20 and 40, who are quick to find self-medication solutions, showed eagerness to try Mfine. “The big difference is that they could now have access to a real, qualified and reputed doctor,” says Prasad. </p>.<p>The company is planning to expand the doctors’ network beyond Bengaluru. “We also look forward to adding more specialties. We are thinking of long-term care programmes for chronic conditions,” says Prasad.</p>.<p><strong>How it works</strong></p>.<p>- About one lakh users have downloaded Mfine. </p>.<p>- 55 doctors across 16 hospitals like Cloud Nine, Aster CMI, Rainbow and Ovum are on board.</p>.<p>- App covers nine specialties like gynecology, pediatrics and dermatology.</p>.<p>- The fee for an online consultation is the same as the fee for a face-to-face consultation.</p>
<p>Making quality healthcare more accessible through smartphones was the mantra behind an app-based service called Mfine. Former Myntra co-founder Ashutosh Lawania and fformer chief business officer Prasad Kompalli came up with the idea in December last year. </p>.<p>It has been six months and they say the response has been encouraging. Prasad says they were looking at healthcare as the next space where technology could play a big role. “We wanted to come up with a product that would make it easier for consumers to access healthcare providers. Looking at how technology has matured in the country and the mobile penetration, we saw this as a huge opportunity,” he says.</p>.<p>Patients sign in using the mobile application and describe their symptoms to the doctor. If there is a lab or x-ray report, it can be sent to the doctor on the app. The consultation is just like at a hospital, the only difference being that it is online. The app also maintains profiles of patients. </p>.<p>“You can either chat, video call or voice call the doctor. Once the consultation is done, the doctor’s prescription comes in the form of a PDF. So far, 15,000 consultations have been done in Bengaluru and we plan to reach one lakh consultations by the end of the year,” says Prasad. </p>.<p>Initially, it was a challenge to tell people that doctors could give expert opinion online. “It was tough convincing people that a doctor can attend to them without a physical examination. We have had to dispel doubts in the minds of people, and this has been our biggest challenge,” says Prasad.</p>.<p>Younger patients, between 20 and 40, who are quick to find self-medication solutions, showed eagerness to try Mfine. “The big difference is that they could now have access to a real, qualified and reputed doctor,” says Prasad. </p>.<p>The company is planning to expand the doctors’ network beyond Bengaluru. “We also look forward to adding more specialties. We are thinking of long-term care programmes for chronic conditions,” says Prasad.</p>.<p><strong>How it works</strong></p>.<p>- About one lakh users have downloaded Mfine. </p>.<p>- 55 doctors across 16 hospitals like Cloud Nine, Aster CMI, Rainbow and Ovum are on board.</p>.<p>- App covers nine specialties like gynecology, pediatrics and dermatology.</p>.<p>- The fee for an online consultation is the same as the fee for a face-to-face consultation.</p>
