By Avishek Banerjee

Copyright republicworld

At the Republic Business Leadership Conclave, Tata 1mg CEO Prashant Tandon laid out his vision for transforming India’s healthcare landscape, stressing the need to build systems that place patients—not institutions—at the centre.Reflecting on the origins of 1mg, Tandon said his exposure to the American healthcare system in 2009 triggered a critical realization.“A lot can be learnt from that regarding what needs to be done and what not needs to be done. I was of the firm view that healthcare in India can be done better. And the fundamental difference that I felt was that healthcare needs to be patient-centric, while the entire world tends to make it doctor-centric or insurance-centric. Why can’t we have a healthcare model which keeps the patient at the centre?” he remarked.The idea took shape with the launch of the first version of 1mg in 2015, which was designed primarily as a content-driven platform. The app offered information on medicine prices, generic substitutes, and side effects, a move that resonated immediately with consumers.Also Read: Pioneers In Healthcare: 12 Leaders Shaping The Future Of Healthcare | Republic WorldAccording to Tandon, its viral spread was accelerated not by advertising but by word-of-mouth. “There was a consumer-created WhatsApp message that told people to check 1mg before buying any medicine. It went so viral that the app became India’s largest healthcare platform almost overnight,” he recalled.This early success, Tandon said, highlighted a critical gap in the system—patients craved transparency and trusted information. “Consumers are speaking. They don’t want to be left to fend for themselves. The demand for reliable healthcare access is very real,” he added.Asked about the challenges of scaling a healthcare business, Tandon was unequivocal. “Healthcare is a game of trust. Scale will not be a problem if you have trust—of the people, the government, regulators, and the ecosystem. That is the fundamental challenge, and it cannot be solved with marketing campaigns. Trust comes from authenticity and consistency,” he said. He noted that Tata 1mg has been deliberate in partnering only with credible players, ensuring that medicines, lab tests, and consultations on its platform meet the highest standards.Since its acquisition by Tata in 2021, 1mg has evolved into a full-stack digital health platform serving more than 80 million users. Its offerings now span e-pharmacy, diagnostics, e-consultations, rapid delivery, and offline clinics, supplemented by AI-driven personalization. Earlier this year, the company partnered with Unicommerce to streamline order management and warehouse operations across 1,000 cities.Concluding his session, Tandon stressed that India’s healthcare must move from a reactive to a predictive model, with education, transparency, and preventive care at its core. “If we can build a trusted partner for people before illness strikes, then we are truly reimagining healthcare for India,” he said.