Practo is a pioneering healthcare platform from India, revolutionizing the access and delivery of health services through technology. Established in 2008 by Shashank ND and Abhinav Lal, Practo has grown to become one of the leading providers of telemedicine services, allowing millions of patients to consult doctors virtually. The company offers a comprehensive suite of healthcare solutions, including appointment bookings, online consultations, medicine delivery, and health records management. Practo's robust platform, used by clients across India and several other countries, integrates technology and healthcare to empower individuals with better access to quality medical care from the comfort of their homes.
This blog is a complete guide providing students with all the essential insights and information needed to excel in interviews with this company.
1. Practo Overview
About
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Founders | Shashank ND, Abhinav Lal |
| Industry Type | Healthcare, Technology |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Bengaluru, Karnataka, India |
History
Early Years (2008-2013)
- 2008: Practo was founded by Shashank ND and Abhinav Lal with the aim of transforming healthcare delivery through digital solutions, starting with digitizing medical records and making healthcare more accessible to patients.
- 2010: Practo launched its first SaaS product, Practo Ray, designed to assist doctors in practice management, enabling healthcare providers to digitize records, manage appointments, and streamline patient interactions.
- 2013: Practo expanded its platform by introducing a booking system for appointments with healthcare providers, marking a significant milestone in its growth as a comprehensive healthcare platform.
Growth and Expansion (2014-2017)
- 2015: Practo raised significant funding, which was used to expand its services across India and launch into international markets. The company’s presence in new regions allowed it to offer services in markets outside of India.
- 2016: Practo introduced Practo Consult, enabling users to consult doctors online 24/7 via video or chat, providing patients with access to healthcare services from the comfort of their homes.
- 2017: Practo expanded its operations to international markets, including the Philippines, Indonesia, and Singapore, further strengthening its global presence.
Recent Developments (2018-Present)
- 2019: Practo extended its platform to offer online prescribing and medicine delivery, allowing patients to receive digital prescriptions and order medicines through the platform.
- 2020: With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Practo saw a substantial increase in the adoption of its telemedicine services, as patients sought contactless consultations with healthcare professionals.
- 2023: Practo continues to focus on integrating AI into its platform to enhance personalized care and diagnostic capabilities, further improving the patient experience and the efficiency of healthcare delivery.
Key Milestones
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2008 | Practo was founded to transform healthcare delivery with digital solutions. |
| 2010 | Launched Practo Ray, its first SaaS product for doctors’ practice management. |
| 2013 | Expanded platform to include appointment booking with healthcare providers. |
| 2015 | Raised significant funding and expanded services into international markets. |
| 2016 | Launched Practo Consult, offering 24/7 online consultations with doctors. |
| 2017 | Expanded operations to international markets like the Philippines, Indonesia, and Singapore. |
| 2019 | Expanded platform to offer online prescribing and medicine delivery services. |
| 2020 | Saw increased adoption of telemedicine services during the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| 2023 | Continued focus on integrating AI to enhance personalized care and diagnostics. |
2. Company Culture and Values
Mission
Vision
Core Values
VUPIM—Vision, User, Practeon, Investor, and Myself—serves as a guiding framework, ensuring balanced decisions across all stakeholders. These principles reflect the organization's core identity, focusing on vision, user needs, teamwork, investor trust, and personal responsibility, helping align actions with long-term goals.
Commitment to Healthcare Excellence
An effective approach to healthcare revolves around delivering high-quality, trusted, and accessible services. This philosophy ensures that strong connections are fostered, trust is built, and transparency is maintained throughout the healthcare journey.
1. Connect
Healthcare extends beyond the basic process of diagnosis and treatment. Building a meaningful connection between healthcare providers and patients promotes continuous care and results in better health outcomes over time.
2. Trust
Trust is the foundation of a reliable healthcare system. With millions of patients and thousands of healthcare professionals depending on these services, maintaining trust at every step is essential. Upholding the highest standards of care ensures consistent quality and professionalism.
3. Transparency
Transparency is key to fostering trust. Open, honest communication is critical in ensuring that patients are fully informed throughout their healthcare experience. Adhering to ethical standards ensures clarity and accountability in all actions.
3. Product & Service Offerings
Practo is a comprehensive healthcare platform offering a range of services designed to improve access to healthcare in India. Here’s a breakdown of their main offerings:
1. Consultation Services
- Online Video Consultation: Practo allows users to consult verified doctors across various specializations through instant video calls, providing real-time medical advice and treatment suggestions. This service is available 24/7, making healthcare accessible anytime.
- In-Clinic Appointments: Practo helps users book in-person appointments with experienced doctors across specialties like dentistry, gynecology, general surgery, orthopedics, and pediatrics. Users can search for doctors by location, read reviews, and confirm appointments.
2. Medicines and Health Products
- Order Medicines Online: Through its online pharmacy, Practo allows users to order prescription and over-the-counter medicines, health supplements, and personal care products. The service offers doorstep delivery across 100+ cities in India​.
- Health and Wellness Products: Practo also offers a range of fitness and wellness products, including Ayurvedic medicines, health devices, and personal care items like skincare and haircare products​.
3. Diagnostic Tests
- Lab Tests at Home: Users can book diagnostic tests online, and Practo’s certified phlebotomists will collect samples from the user’s home. The platform offers a range of tests, from basic blood tests to comprehensive health check-up packages​.
4. Surgeries
- Safe and Trusted Surgery Centers: Practo offers a platform for scheduling surgeries at accredited hospitals and clinics. Users can consult with surgeons and healthcare experts through the platform to arrange pre-and post-surgery care.
4. Financial Performance Highlights
In 2024, Practo, a digital healthcare platform, reported several key financial metrics:
- Revenue Growth: Practo achieved a 22% growth in revenue during FY24, with a significant focus on its core business areas such as software, appointment booking, and telemedicine.
- Profitability and EBITDA: The company reported a 90% improvement in adjusted EBITDA compared to FY23. Practo achieved a positive adjusted EBITDA in Q4 of FY24 and aims to maintain this momentum into FY25.
- Cost Management: Practo has been focusing on profitability and has successfully reduced its adjusted negative EBITDA from INR 162 crore to INR 17 crore. The contribution margins rose to 40% in FY24 from -1% in FY22, indicating enhanced operational efficiencies.
- Market Expansion: Practo observed significant growth in tier 2 and 3 markets, with revenues in these regions growing by 50%, while tier 1 markets grew by 20%. The company's hospital management system, Insta, now holds a 15% market share in the UAE and reported a 98% retention rate.These financial outcomes reflect Practo's strategic focus on core business profitability and market expansion as it continues to enhance operational efficiencies. For more detailed information, you can refer to the following sources:
- Practo Blog
- Business Standard
5. Key Competitors of Practo
Practo is a leading digital healthcare platform in India, but it faces strong competition from other telemedicine, pharmacy, and healthcare service providers. Below are some of its key competitors:
1. 1mg
Overview: 1mg, founded in 2015, is a digital healthcare platform that offers a range of services, including medicine delivery, lab tests, and online doctor consultations.
Services: 1mg provides home delivery of prescription and over-the-counter medicines, diagnostic lab tests, and telemedicine services, allowing users to consult with doctors online.
Market Position: 1mg competes with Practo in the medicine delivery and telemedicine space. While Practo focuses more on doctor consultations and diagnostic tests, 1mg’s strength lies in its extensive online pharmacy and diagnostic test delivery.
2. Apollo 24|7
Overview: Apollo 24|7 is a digital healthcare platform by Apollo Hospitals, launched in 2020, providing healthcare services such as online consultations, diagnostic tests, and medicine delivery.
Services: Apollo 24|7 offers online doctor consultations, diagnostic test bookings, and doorstep delivery of medicines. It also provides personalized health plans and digital health records.
Market Position: Apollo 24|7 competes with Practo, offering similar services but with the backing of the Apollo Hospitals network. Its integration with Apollo’s offline services, including hospitals and clinics, gives it a competitive edge over Practo in terms of comprehensive healthcare offerings.
3. Netmeds
Overview: Netmeds, founded in 2015 and acquired by Reliance Retail in 2020, is an online pharmacy offering medicines, wellness products, and healthcare services.
Services: Netmeds provides home delivery of prescription medicines, over-the-counter drugs, and wellness products. It also offers diagnostic test bookings and online doctor consultations.
Market Position: Netmeds is a strong competitor to Practo in the online pharmacy space. With Reliance’s backing, Netmeds focuses heavily on medicine delivery, whereas Practo’s strength is in its telemedicine services. Netmeds’ broad product range and aggressive pricing strategy make it a formidable player.
4. PharmEasy
Overview: PharmEasy, founded in 2015, is an online healthcare platform offering medicine delivery, diagnostic tests, and telemedicine services.
Services: PharmEasy provides online medicine delivery, diagnostic test bookings, and teleconsultations. It also offers wellness products and has a vast network of diagnostic labs.
Market Position: PharmEasy competes with Practo, particularly in medicine delivery and diagnostic test services. While Practo excels in doctor consultations, PharmEasy’s strength lies in its seamless delivery of medicines and diagnostic services, making it a key player in the digital healthcare space.
5. HealthifyMe
Overview: HealthifyMe, founded in 2012, is a health and wellness app focused on fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle management. It provides personalized diet and workout plans along with virtual consultations with health professionals.
Services: HealthifyMe offers personalized fitness coaching, diet planning, and online consultations with dieticians, nutritionists, and fitness experts. It also integrates tracking tools for calorie counting and workout routines.
Market Position: While HealthifyMe focuses more on wellness and fitness, it competes with Practo in the virtual health consultation space, offering personalized healthcare advice from nutritionists and fitness experts. HealthifyMe’s niche in fitness and wellness differentiates it from Practo, but it still competes for users seeking holistic health solutions.
6. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
The company focuses on making healthcare more accessible, empowering medical professionals, promoting preventive healthcare, and supporting community health. Below are some key CSR initiatives undertaken by Practo.
7. Future Outlook and Strategic Plans
Practo is focused on expanding its healthcare services, enhancing the patient experience through technology, and improving access to healthcare across India and international markets. Below are some of Practo’s key strategic initiatives:
Expansion of Telemedicine and Online Consultations
Practo is heavily investing in telemedicine and online consultations to provide healthcare access to patients from the comfort of their homes. The platform allows patients to consult with doctors virtually, receive prescriptions, and order medicines online.
- Expanding Practo Consult to offer a wider range of specializations, including mental health, dermatology, and pediatrics.
- Partnering with hospitals and healthcare providers to integrate telemedicine into traditional healthcare systems.
Focus on Preventive Healthcare
Practo is promoting preventive healthcare services to help patients manage their health proactively. The company offers diagnostic tests, health checkups, and wellness programs that can be booked through the platform.
- Expanding partnerships with diagnostic labs to offer home-based sample collections and faster report delivery.
- Promoting preventive health packages to encourage early detection of diseases.
Expansion into International Markets
Practo is expanding its healthcare platform to international markets, especially in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The company aims to replicate its successful model in these regions and provide quality healthcare services to a global audience.
- Targeting new markets with growing demand for digital healthcare solutions.
- Partnering with international healthcare providers and clinics to onboard them onto the Practo platform.
Improving Data Privacy and Security
Given the sensitive nature of healthcare data, Practo is focused on enhancing data security and ensuring compliance with healthcare regulations such as HIPAA. The company is investing in encryption and security protocols to protect patient data.
- Implementing advanced encryption methods to secure health records and consultations.
- Expanding security measures to comply with international healthcare data privacy regulations.
Enhancement of Enterprise Healthcare Solutions
Practo is enhancing its B2B offerings through Practo Prime, which provides comprehensive healthcare management solutions for hospitals, clinics, and healthcare providers. The company is also working on improving EHRs (electronic health records) and healthcare workflow management systems.
- Expanding Practo Prime to provide better workflow automation for healthcare providers.
- Integrating AI and analytics to help healthcare providers improve patient care and streamline operations.
AI-Powered Diagnostics and Healthcare Insights
Practo is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to offer better diagnostic tools and healthcare insights. AI is used to analyze patient data, provide accurate diagnoses, and recommend personalized treatment plans.
- Implementing AI algorithms for better diagnosis and personalized healthcare recommendations.
- Using machine learning to analyze healthcare trends and improve patient outcomes.
8. Latest News & Updates about Practo
Keep up with the latest updates from Practo, covering new healthcare services, partnerships, and innovations in digital health solutions. Stay informed on how Practo is transforming the healthcare industry for both patients and professionals.
9. Conclusion
Practo is a leader in India’s health-tech space, known for its commitment to making quality healthcare accessible through technology-driven solutions. With a focus on expanding telemedicine, promoting preventive healthcare, and enhancing enterprise healthcare solutions, Practo offers exciting career opportunities across engineering, product management, marketing, and operations. Aspiring candidates can prepare for a rewarding career at Practo by aligning their skills with the company’s mission to provide easy access to healthcare for everyone.
Key Takeaways for Aspiring Practo Candidates:
- Research the Company: Understand Practo’s business model, including its healthcare services like Practo Search, Consult, and Prime. Be familiar with its role in the health-tech industry and how it addresses the growing demand for telemedicine and preventive healthcare.
- Prepare for the Interview Process: For technical roles, focus on coding, system design, and healthcare data privacy. For business roles, be ready to discuss healthcare trends, customer acquisition strategies, and market expansion.
- Demonstrate Cultural Fit: Practo values leadership, teamwork, and a passion for healthcare. Highlight your ability to contribute to the company’s growth by solving healthcare challenges and improving the patient experience.
- Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest trends in health-tech, telemedicine, and AI-powered diagnostics. Understanding these trends will help you stand out during the interview process.