Chander Verma, Founder, Plunes speaks to Prabhat Prakash about how technology can help in expansion of the business an enhance market penetration
How is your organisation different from other organisation offering the same services?
Well, although Plunes can be classified as a utility network per se, it’s more than just a utility network. While other health-tech platforms are only focussed on online consultations and appointments, we have gone beyond that level. Plunes, equipped with AI helps its clients find curated, validated, cost-effective and instant solutions to any healthcare-related issues. As per our research finding, only 4-5 per cent of the amount is spent in consultations and appointments whereas 95 per cent of the amount is spent on medical procedures, medicine and diagnostic tests. Through Plunes, we have tried to address the cost implications after the appointments. We only partner with curated medical professionals. Moreover, unlike other platforms which usually charge commissions to the doctors on registrations and appointments, there are no costs for professionals to join Plunes. In addition, we have incorporated PLOCKER, an intelligent cloud solution, into the system which facilitates cross-functional integration of the clients’ electronic medical records with the clinics. We not only help users find curated professionals and prices for medical procedures but also help medical professionals reduce their operational costs of clinics up to 40 per cent annually. So, we are safeguarding the interest of key stakeholders of the healthcare value chain.
Plunes.com aims to achieve gross merchandise value (GMV) of Rs5 crore per month by April 2020. How will your organisation achieve this goal?
The strategy to achieve that target is to expand and enhance market penetration in order to on-board more customers and medical professionals. By December 2019, we have plans to cover the Delhi and NCR region. We are working towards that. In fact, Delhi has emerged as a huge healthcare market with more than Rs 50 crore is spent on various medical procedures and over 7 lakh people undergo various diagnostics tests in Delhi on a daily basis. To expand our presence in the Delhi and NCR region, we have raised angel fund worth $120,000. By August 2020, we have plans to expand to top three metro cities, as those are potential markets for such services. We are looking at the option to expand to other cities as well.
The long-term goal to venture into other professional categories. Elaborate.
Our innovative AI and tech-based platform is sector agnostic. It’s easy to replicate and grow our model in any sector as its technological elements are flexible. At the moment, we are focussed on healthcare. After consolidating the market in favour of Plunes, we have plans to venture into other categories as our model can work seamlessly with other professional service categories such as lawyers, certified chartered accountants, CA, fitness professionals, make-up artists, etc. I think the growth potential will be much higher in those categories, as they offer much larger scope to scale up and expand reach.
How are you utilising AI to achieve two major goals in healthcare, access and affordability?
Our AI-powered platform not only helps clients in getting online appointments and consultations but also curates professionals and pricing of medical procedures and diagnostics as well. In addition, we have integrated PLOCKER which is the cross- functional integrated cloud for EMRs. Helping to streamline the process. In brief, Plunes focusses on curated solutions to the clients’ healthcare issues. AI acts like a personal assistant to professionals by automating appointments and payments. This way, as mentioned earlier, healthcare professionals can reduce the operational costs up to 40 per cent annually. As a result, healthcare services become affordable on our platform. In addition, PLOCKER is integrated with every profile of the professional profile with an aim to keep the EMRs on the cloud, facilitating easy storage and access anywhere.
- Advertisement -