On a recent visit to India, Sigal Atzmon, President, Founder & CEO, Medix Global spoke to Viveka Roychowdhury on the company’s triple-digit year-on-year growth, how the company’s personal medical case management services and preventive services, in collaboration with insurance providers, has reduced the need for expensive treatments or hospitalisations in the long run and why it is therefore crucial to address the barriers that prevent individuals from obtaining health insurance in India
What has been Medix Global’s experience in the India market over the past decade?
India is a phenomenal country that is very close to my heart. It was one of my best executive decisions to prioritise India as a market. We’ve been working in India for many years, primarily providing services remotely to multinational companies and large corporations since 2011.
However, during the pandemic, we decided to make India one of our top core markets and a priority in our business since Prime Minister Modi has made it easier to work in India by reducing the complexity of doing business in India, and India’s huge population made India a very attractive market. We decided to focus on Asia and have offices in 12 different countries around the world.
During the pandemic, people became more open to change and were more aware of the vulnerability of their health. They needed access to quality healthcare, especially when diagnosed with serious medical conditions, and did what was best for them. We set up offices amidst the pandemic in India; we recruited people and opened up our first office in Mumbai. It was challenging and a humbling experience. Most of the people that we hired, 80 per cent, are still with us, which is quite phenomenal.
We provide a personal medical case management service that supports patients who are diagnosed with serious medical conditions such as cancer, cardiac, neurological, or anything that has a serious effect on the quality and longevity of one’s life. We provide this service globally to millions of customers. Since then, we have already launched a prevention service that focuses on accessing a person’s risks of developing certain diseases such as cancer, diabetes, stroke, etc.
We provide a tailored approach for screenings since most corporations screen all the individuals in the same way, which is time-consuming and costly and not useful to assess the risks of those individuals; hence, we provide a more tailored approach based on individual assessment. Once these screenings are done, we recommend care programmes that actually manage the risks identified in these screenings. We have launched our Medix app, which is the one-stop shop for all the medical services we provide for ease of access for our patients.
What has been the response to these services?
Our services were well received in India. The figures show triple-digit year-on-year growth, and the feedback from the demand has changed significantly. We are delighted with the positive response and growth in India. The numbers have indeed been impressive, and the demand for our services has increased substantially.
I am thrilled to mention that we have also launched our Medix App – a world-leading platform for health management. Our app is designed to be a secure, comprehensive, and user-friendly one-stop shop that empowers individuals and their families to take control of their health and make informed medical decisions. Our strategy remains focused on working B2B2C and partnering with leading insurers and large corporates to scale up and have a meaningful impact.
Medix had and is further launching various care programmes that are increasing the accessibility and affordability of health services in India. We are aligning specific programmes on areas where we see significant demand and need in India, such as chronic disease management programmes for diabetes and cardiac conditions, as well as comprehensive cancer, women’s health, and mental health programmes. All of Medix’s services are designed from a Shared Value approach, improving outcomes for individuals while also driving engagement and sustainability.
Can you provide a brief overview of a patient’s journey from the initial contact with Medix Global to the various touchpoints? Is this done in collaboration with various healthcare groups, or is it a standalone service?
The patient initiates contact with Medix Global through a referral from their employer, insurer, or healthcare provider. During this stage, the patient’s medical history and current health condition are carefully assessed to understand their specific needs and requirements. A dedicated team of doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals collaborates to create a care plan designed to address the individual patient’s unique circumstances.
Medix Global acts as a central point of contact, coordinating with the patient, their family, healthcare providers, and insurers. We leverage our extensive network of quality-accredited doctors and hospitals to provide the best possible medical care to patients. We also take pride in offering continuous support throughout the patient’s medical journey. The team monitors the patient’s progress, offers ongoing advice, and makes necessary adjustments to the care plan, ensuring the best possible outcomes. Palliative care and patient rehabilitation are also top priorities at Medix.
In addition to managing existing medical conditions, Medix Global places significant emphasis on preventive measures to promote overall health and well-being. The Medix App serves as a centralised hub for objective knowledge, information, and services related to healthcare. Patients can access a wealth of medical information, expert insights, and personalised resources to better understand their health conditions, treatment options, and preventive measures.
Speaking of services, you mentioned launching an app. Can you share the number of downloads it has received so far?
The Medix App in India has just started with hundreds of downloads on day 1, and the numbers are increasing every day. This is a new App that was launched several weeks ago. Our digital marketing team will be coming out with a marketing campaign soon, and we invite all of the readers to download the App and take control of their health. We are currently also on boarding our corporate customers in India.
In a country like India, where cost is a significant factor for patients, what’s the cost-benefit analysis for your services? Is it an upfront cost, and how does it compare to other alternatives in terms of preventive measures and costs?
Our business model aims to collaborate with insurance providers to ensure better coverage for patients’ healthcare needs. We believe it should be a collective effort where employers, insurance companies, and public coverage all contribute to making healthcare more affordable and accessible for everyone.
Additionally, our preventive services have reduced the need for expensive treatments or hospitalisations in the long run. The prevention service supports every person in providing a true “under the hood” view of their health and risk factors and providing them with actionable recommendations to better manage their health.
In 53 per cent of the cases, we help avoid unnecessary tests, while in 28 per cent of the cases, we help identify a significant risk factor that was not previously being managed. Unlike generic screening packages that are offered by most diagnostic centres, we tailor the programme for every user, thus improving their health outcomes and avoiding overuse and misuse.
Access to affordable healthcare is crucial in India. Considering the current state of healthcare insurance coverage in the country, how do you address the issue of insurance coverage for patients who might not have sufficient coverage, especially in rural areas? The penetration of insurance is poor in India; how can we improve that?
At Medix Global, we are committed to addressing this issue and working to make our services available to as many people as possible.
While health insurance coverage has increased in recent years, a sizable portion of the population remains uninsured, leaving a large number of people vulnerable to financial hardship when seeking healthcare services.
Approximately 514 million people, or 37 per cent of the population, were covered under health insurance schemes in India in 2021. Around 70 per cent of the population is estimated to be covered under either public health insurance schemes or private health insurance plans. This indicates a reasonably good coverage rate for a significant portion of the population.
Despite the relatively good coverage rate, over 40 crore individuals (approximately 30 per cent of the population) remain without health insurance coverage. This uninsured population represents a substantial challenge in providing equitable access to healthcare services for all. The progress is there, and the government is working towards it.
However, it is crucial to address the barriers that prevent these individuals from obtaining health insurance. This may include improving affordability, expanding eligibility criteria, and raising awareness about the importance of health insurance. Additionally, implementing targeted initiatives to reach marginalised communities and vulnerable populations can help bridge the gap in healthcare access and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to receive necessary medical care. Efforts are being made to bridge this gap through various initiatives, such as the implementation of Ayushman Bharat, a national health protection scheme aimed at providing health insurance coverage to vulnerable populations.
How do your services improve clinical outcomes for patients as well as give good return on healthcare spends?
These figures highlight the positive impact of Medix of our Personal Medical Case Management service, which we offer in India in collaboration with insurers, employers, and brokers:
Change of diagnosis: In 23 per cent of cases, there was a change in the initial diagnosis made by healthcare professionals. Medix contributed to more accurate and tailored diagnoses, ensuring patients received the most appropriate treatments.
Change of treatment: In 47 per cent of cases, the treatment plans were modified or optimised. Medix Global’s personalised approach led to adjustments in treatment strategies, ensuring patients received the most effective and suitable treatments for their specific medical conditions.
Avoidance of significant treatment, surgery, or procedure: In 21 per cent of cases, significant treatments, surgeries, or procedures were avoided. We have helped identify alternative approaches or preventive measures, reducing the need for more invasive and costly interventions. This strikes the balance of optimising clinical pathways and making sure that every person gets treated for exactly what they need, nothing more and nothing less while in parallel we are helping to curb medical cost inflation and keep healthcare sustainable and accessible to all.
viveka.r@expressindia.com
viveka.roy3@gmail.com