CAHOTECH 2024: Dr Devi Shetty Shares Narayana Health's 20-Year Journey

At the 9th edition of CAHOTECH, Dr. Devi Shetty, founder of Narayana Health, shared insights into the two-decade journey of building their digital healthcare platform, Athma. Launched after 20 years of hard work, Athma now handles 20 million daily transactions and stores over 10 million patient health records. Dr. Shetty emphasised the startup’s focus on digital transformation, explaining that 16 per cent of India’s heart surgeries are performed by Narayana Health, which oversees 8,000 hospital beds and 7,000 concurrent users.

Despite the enormous costs—over Rs 500 crore ($60-70 million) to build the platform—Dr. Shetty reflected on key decisions that shaped the company’s success. One pivotal moment was the choice to build in-house software, defying reliance on third-party vendors. Their team of 220 software engineers has specialised in developing electronic medical records (EMRs) and digital tools tailored to the unique challenges of healthcare. Dr. Shetty praised the engineers' ability to bridge the gap between technology and medicine, with an attrition rate of less than 1 per cent.

The platform’s early adoption of cloud computing and mobile-first approaches further differentiated Narayana Health from competitors. Recognising that doctors check their mobile devices 200 times a day versus a desktop only 5-6 times, the shift to mobile allowed for greater accessibility and efficiency.

Dr. Shetty also highlighted the integration of AI and chat platforms within their EMR system, which has streamlined collaboration between healthcare specialists. He noted that the decision to prioritise mobile and cloud technologies had made a significant impact on the ease of use for healthcare professionals. Moreover, Narayana Health’s partnerships, such as with Honeywell to develop sensors for continuous patient monitoring, represent its commitment to advancing healthcare technology.

Dr. Shetty concluded with an emphasis on the dedication and passion of his team, underscoring that the success of Narayana Health’s digital transformation was driven by relentless innovation and collaboration between software engineers and medical professionals.