Practo eyes $12-billion secondary care surgeries market in India

Digital health services company Practo is planning to tap into the $12-billion secondary care surgeries market in India, eyeing 5 per cent share in the next five years. 

Practo, which now offers online doctor appointment bookings, telemedicine, pharmacy, and diagnostic services, will now offer an omni-channel healthcare ecosystem for secondary care or surgeries. 

This would be done through Practo Care surgery centers. Apart from doctor consultations, assistance with hospital admission, pharmacy, and diagnostic help, each patient enrolling for Practo surgeries would also get a relationship manager who will guide him or her through the entire process, including insurance claims. 

About 20 million surgeries take place in India every year, and of this around 80 per cent fall under secondary care. Practo plans to facilitate Rs 1,000 crore healthcare financing, including tier-1 to tier-3 cities over the next three years. It has tied up with hospitals and private insurance companies for this.