“Healthcare and credibility go hand-in-hand”, says Vaibhav Tewari, Chief Operating Officer of Portea Medical. 

Long-term medical care whether it be for the sick or for those recuperating post-surgery is best carried out in the environs of one’s home. 

To realise this dream and give patients medical care within the comforts of their home, Portea Medical was born.

In a country where nuclear families and working couples have become the norm, it has become increasingly difficult to care for an ailing or sick family member. Though a lot of families seek hired help or appoint a professional nurse, the options are fairly limited and most of them available lack credibility.

To address this problem, Portea was incepted six years back to provide end to end care for patients at home.

In a recent interview with the COO, Vaibhav Tewari, he said, “We looked at outside the hospital healthcare market and felt there was a tremendous need for a credible, large brand which can be trusted by consumers who are seeking healthcare at home”. 

“Credibility was the major driving force”, he reiterates. 

So, is India ready for professional home healthcare providers?

The current estimates for the home healthcare industry in India is approximately $2 billion and growing at a CAGR of 20 per cent.

When the brand started out, their aim was to address every healthcare need that can be supported outside the hospital. Whether it’s something as simple as appointing a resident nurse or something complex such as setting up an ICU (Intensive Care Unit) at home, Portea makes it possible.

“Suppose a person is getting out of a hospital and needs a doctor, ventilator and nurse, we will ensure that the complete ICU setup is in place”, he adds.  

Keeping in mind the brand’s core philosophy of ‘putting the needs of the patient in the centre’, Portea embodies availability, reliability and quality of service as their key strengths. Patient engagement is core to everything Portea does. 

Talking about getting the word out, Tewari mentioned that initially they carried out campaigns on Facebook and Google. As the brand started grabbing the limelight, they executed television, outdoor and digital campaigns too to build a National brand. “Word of mouth really helped us build the brand”, he stated. 

Delving into some important numbers that has taken Portea where it is today, Tewari mentioned:

• “30% of our customers come from referrals
• We have served over seven lakh patients so far
• We serve 12,000 to 14,000 patients every month
• 4000 clinician visits are made per day to patients’ homes
• Close to 1.5 million hours are spent in total in patient homes per month”

When asked about the biggest accomplishments in his career so far, he stated “To offer value to the society is an achievement in itself. I have earned the goodwill of lakhs of people and that’s my biggest accomplishment when I go back home”. In his closing statement dedicated to aspiring brand managers, Tewari stated “A brand is all about how you project your story and understand the bigger picture”.