Insights on EHR, telemedicine, AI, and the future of connected healthcare in India
Summary
Connected care and remote patient monitoring are emerging as critical pillars of modern healthcare delivery. As hospitals struggle with rising patient loads, fragmented patient data, and limited clinical resources, platforms that connect medical devices, patient records, and doctors into a unified digital care ecosystem are becoming essential healthcare infrastructure.
In this interview, we speak with Dr. Timiresh Das, Co-founder of MedTel, a connected healthcare technology platform integrating medical devices, electronic health records (EHR), telemedicine, and remote monitoring to help hospitals, governments, and healthcare organizations deliver continuous and data-driven care.
From solving data delays in public healthcare systems to building device-agnostic connected care platforms and navigating long healthcare enterprise sales cycles, this conversation explores the real operational challenges of building healthcare infrastructure in India and other emerging markets.
The discussion also highlights how connected care platforms are shifting healthcare from episodic treatment toward continuous patient monitoring, preventive care, and data-driven clinical decision making.
Key Takeaways
- Healthcare technology adoption depends more on workflow integration than product features.
- Remote patient monitoring is emerging as a major growth area driven by chronic disease management.
- Software subscriptions provide better margins than hardware sales in healthtech.
- Hospital sales require demonstrating financial ROI, not just technical capability.
- COVID accelerated telemedicine adoption but disrupted screening-based business models.
- Training and change management are critical for successful healthcare implementations.
- India’s healthcare technology market is service-driven rather than insurance-driven.
- AI’s near-term impact will focus more on operational efficiency than clinical replacement.
- Public healthcare digitization remains one of India’s largest healthtech opportunities.
Founder Background and Company Origins
Interviewer:
Can you tell us about your background and how MedTel started?
Dr. Timiresh Das:
Both my co-founder Dr Lalit and I come from medical backgrounds. We started as practicing doctors, but over time we became more interested in solving systemic healthcare problems rather than just treating individual patients.
Today I rarely practice clinically because most of my time goes into building MedTel. Occasionally I still guide known patients or people who reach out personally, but my primary focus is the company.
We started MedTel in 2017 with a different idea. Initially, we were building rural telemedicine centers. But by 2019 we realized telemedicine alone was not the real opportunity. The bigger problem was fragmented healthcare data and lack of continuity of care.
That realization led us to pivot toward building a connected healthcare platform integrating:
- Medical devices
- Patient records
- Teleconsultations
- Clinical workflows
That pivot defined our current direction.
Real-World Use Case and Healthcare Problem
Interviewer:
Can you explain a real use case of how your solution works?
Dr Timiresh:
Let me explain with a pregnancy care example.
India has a three-tier public healthcare structure: primary, secondary, and tertiary. At the primary level, Health Sub-Centers or Health and Wellness Centers are typically managed by Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs). They track pregnant women through visits and village outreach programs.
Today, most of this data collection is manual. Observations are recorded in registers, submitted to Primary Health Centers, and later entered into government portals by data entry operators. This process can take 30–45 days before insights become available.
This creates serious problems:
- Decision delays
- Data accuracy issues
- Monitoring gaps
For example, if a blood pressure machine stops working, there may be no visibility for months. That directly impacts patient care.
We solve this through smart diagnostic kits that:
- Capture data instantly
- Geotag records
- Upload data in real time
This removes delays, reduces manual errors, and prevents data manipulation.
Product Platform and Capabilities
Interviewer:
What does your platform currently offer?
Dr. Timiresh:
Our platform connects multiple healthcare components into one system. Instead of using separate tools, healthcare providers can manage everything in one place.
We integrate data from:
- Blood pressure monitors
- Glucometers
- ECG devices
- Pulse oximeters
- Other diagnostic devices
Doctors can view readings, track patient history, conduct teleconsultations, and generate prescriptions within the same platform.
We also built two types of EHR systems:
Public Health EHR
Used for:
- Population screening
- Risk stratification
- Identifying high-risk patients
- Program monitoring
Remote Patient Monitoring EHR
Used for:
- Individual patient tracking
- Chronic disease monitoring
- Trend analysis
- Follow-up care
The idea is simple: healthcare should not be episodic. It should be continuous.
Interviewer:
You mentioned two types of EHR systems. How do they function within your platform?
Dr. Timiresh:
Yes. Along with our device integration platform, we built our own EHR system to track patient trends. We also have a telemedicine platform where doctors can review patient data, conduct consultations, and issue digital prescriptions.
All prescriptions automatically become part of the patient record.
We broadly see two EHR applications:
Public health EHR
Used to track populations and identify risks early.
Remote monitoring EHR
Used for individual treatment decisions and continuous care management.
Interviewer:
How does your system improve healthcare data quality?
Dr. Timiresh:
One major challenge in healthcare, especially public systems, is unreliable data.
We have seen situations where:
- Devices remain broken for months
- Failures go unreported
- Data collection stops silently
For example, if a BP machine stops working in a screening center, patient readings stop being recorded without immediate visibility.
Our connected kits solve this through:
- Automatic data capture
- Real-time uploads
- Geotagging
- Reduced manual entry
- Manipulation prevention
This creates more trustworthy healthcare datasets.
Proprietary Technology and Device Strategy
Interviewer:
Is your platform proprietary?
Dr Timiresh:
All core healthcare software is built internally. This includes:
- Device integration platform
- Analytics systems
- EHR platform
- Clinical workflows
We use vendors for infrastructure like video consultations and cloud hosting, but the healthcare intelligence layer is fully ours.
Interviewer:
Is your system device-agnostic?
Dr Timiresh:
Yes. That is essential.
Doctors should not have to log into multiple platforms to see patient vitals. All device data should flow into one interface, with deeper reports available when needed.
Interviewer:
Do you manufacture devices?
Dr Timiresh:
No. We collaborate with more than 50 global device manufacturers.
Our role includes:
- Integration partner
- Distribution partner
- Research collaborator
For example, ECG companies only see ECG data. But because we integrate multiple devices, we can generate broader clinical insights across datasets.
We integrate devices using:
- APIs
- SDKs
- Bluetooth protocols
Interviewer:
How technically complex is device integration?
Dr. Timiresh Das:
Integration complexity varies by device.
We may use:
- APIs for processed data
- SDK integrations
- Bluetooth communication for raw readings
Each device requires a different approach.
Our goal is to hide this complexity from doctors so they only see clean, usable dashboards.
Team Structure and Operations
Interviewer:
How large is your team?
Dr Timiresh:
We have about 12–15 people including contractual staff.
The team includes:
- Software engineers
- Doctors (including Cofounder)
- Medical advisors
- Paramedics
- Data analysts
Our paramedics also train hospital staff during deployments.
Interviewer:
How important is training in healthcare adoption?
Dr. Timiresh:
Extremely important.
Hospitals don’t want five vendors training them separately. They want integrated workflows.
So we:
- Provide bundled device kits
- Train teams
- Support onboarding
- Provide early operational support
Eventually hospitals become self-sufficient.
Revenue Model and Economics
Interviewer:
Where does most revenue come from?
Dr Timiresh:
Software generates higher margins compared to hardware.
Typical margins:
- Software: ~50%
- Device commissions: 10–20%
Hardware is competitive and margin sensitive.
Interviewer:
What are your biggest software costs?
Dr Timiresh:
The biggest cost is manpower, not infrastructure.
Major cost areas include:
- Platform maintenance
- Firmware integrations
- Device compatibility upgrades
- Regulatory updates
- Customer training
- Field support
Many companies exclude these from cost calculations, but we include them to understand true margins.
Customers and Market Segments
Interviewer:
Who are your main customers?
Dr Timiresh:
We serve three major segments:
Public health
- NGOs
- Government programs
- CSR healthcare initiatives
Healthcare providers
- Hospitals running home healthcare programs
- Remote monitoring initiatives
- Screening programs
International markets
- Africa
- Southeast Asia
We have not focused deeply on small clinics yet because they operate through traditional diagnostic workflows.
Growth of Home Healthcare
Interviewer:
How do you see the home healthcare market evolving?
Dr Timiresh:
Home healthcare used to be fragmented and hyper-local. Now hospitals are adopting it as a care extension strategy due to aging populations and chronic disease needs.
Hospitals want to:
- Monitor chronic patients remotely
- Track recovery after discharge
- Expand care beyond facilities
Most of our deployments happen outside hospitals:
- Homes
- Rural clinics
- Screening camps
- Mobile medical units
Interviewer:
How did COVID affect your business?
Dr. Timiresh:
Our journey has been cyclical.
- Before COVID:Strong growth.
During COVID:
- Screening programs declined
- Telemedicine demand increased
Post COVID:
- Digital fatigue slowed adoption temporarily
- Now remote monitoring demand is rising again.
Healthcare Sales Challenges
Interviewer:
What are your biggest challenges?
Dr Timiresh:
Selling standalone software is difficult in India. Hospitals prefer bundled solutions.
So we combine:
- Devices
- Software
- Training
- Maintenance
- Consumables
- Supply chain support
Another challenge is long sales cycles involving multiple stakeholders.
Success depends on:
- Internal champions
- Demonstrating ROI
- Showing new revenue streams
Once trust is established, relationships tend to be long-term.
Interviewer:
Are you leading sales?
Dr Timiresh:
No. I focus on:
- Product design
- Clinical workflows
- Algorithms
- Customer requirement mapping
Sales is led by my co-founder and the commercial team.
Pricing and Contracts
Interviewer:
What is your typical contract size?
Dr Timiresh:
Typical ranges:
Small hospitals: ₹10–20 lakh annually
Mid-sized hospitals: ₹20–50 lakh annually
Hardware revenue is front-loaded while software, services, and consumables create recurring revenue.
Funding and Financial Strategy
Interviewer:
Is the company bootstrapped?
Dr Timiresh:
No. We raised funding through grants and equity.
Grants:
- Startup India (~₹1 crore)
- Optum programs
- Innovation grants
Equity:
- Seed investors
- Angel investors
- Institutional investor (Singapore, 2021)
We raised funding during the 2021 peak. After the slowdown we focused on sustainability.
Currently:
- Not yet profitable
- Burn reduced significantly
- Moving toward profitability
Interviewer:
What is your fundraising strategy now?
Dr. Timiresh:
Healthcare requires patient investors. Outcomes take 10–15 years.
We prefer aligned investors rather than growth pressure.
Market Opportunity
Interviewer:
How large is the Indian opportunity?
Dr Timiresh:
The difference between India and the US is structural.
US adoption is:
- Tech driven
- Insurance backed
- Platform funded
India adoption is:
- Service driven
- Out-of-pocket driven
- Operations driven
Hospitals want operational improvements, not just technology layers.
Geographic Presence
Interviewer:
Where are your customers located?
Dr Timiresh:
We operate across 10–12 Indian states. Odisha remains a strong base since we started there.
International presence includes:
- Africa
- Southeast Asia
- Some global COVID deployments
Vision for the Next Five Years
Our vision focuses on three main areas: impact, growth, and innovation.
Impact goals
So far, we have impacted around 300,000 lives through our platform. In the next five years, we want to expand this impact to 3 to 5 million people by scaling our connected care and remote patient monitoring solutions.
Revenue goals
From a business perspective, we are targeting about ₹50 crore in annual revenue, while also becoming a profitable and sustainable company.
Innovation focus
We are mainly focusing on two areas:
- Remote patient monitoring, which is seeing strong demand as hospitals want to monitor patients outside hospitals.
- AI-driven healthcare optimization, where technology can help make healthcare more efficient.
We believe AI can help healthcare systems:
- Identify gaps in public health programs
- Support doctors in diagnosis
- Make testing processes simpler
- Detect diseases earlier
For example, new technologies like video photoplethysmography may soon allow doctors to measure vital signs using just a camera instead of physical devices.
Overall, we believe diagnostics will become simpler, more affordable, and more accessible, and we want to build solutions in that direction.
Technology Adoption and Success Factors
Interviewer:
Are smartwatches reliable?
Dr. Timiresh Das:
They are useful but often misunderstood.
For example:
Single-lead ECG detects rhythm issues but not heart attacks.
Patients often misunderstand limitations.
Technology is not the problem. Positioning is.
Interviewer:
What defines success in healthtech?
Dr. Timiresh Das:
Execution.
Not ideas.
Healthcare success depends on:
- Implementation
- Training
- Integration
- Trust
Technology is only one piece.
Final Thoughts
Healthcare technology adoption is rarely about technology alone. Success depends on workflow integration, clinical reliability, trust building, and measurable operational impact.
As remote monitoring, AI diagnostics, and connected healthcare ecosystems evolve, companies building unified healthcare data platforms may play a critical role in shaping the next generation of care delivery.