Healthcare Startup Lifechart Is Connecting Patients To Ayurveda Doctors Digitally
Lifechart: For the past three decades, Mukul Shah’s mother has been grappling with Type II diabetes. Prolonged use of conventional medications adversely affected her kidney function, resulting in digestive issues and various other health complications.
This prompted Mukul to explore alternative remedies, and his research consistently pointed towards Ayurvedic treatment as a potential solution. Mukul recalls, “When I began my quest to find qualified Ayurvedic practitioners, I encountered a lack of accessible information. Fortunately, a friend of mine recommended an Ashram located 250 kilometers away from Delhi. However, they lacked a proper booking management system and had not embraced digitalization.”
Nevertheless, Mukul successfully brought his mother to the Ashram for a consultation. Following a six-month program, he observed a significant improvement in his mother’s health, and her reliance on contemporary medications decreased to just 20%.
“That’s when I made the decision to establish an alternative healthcare system for India and beyond, and that’s how Lifechart came into existence,” declares Mukul. Founded in 2021 by Mukul Shah, K Sandeep, and Mansi Sharma, Lifechart is a comprehensive gut health brand that specializes in holistic solutions.
This startup offers remedies for a range of issues including constipation, indigestion, gas, piles, fatty liver, and overall digestive wellness.
As a serial entrepreneur, Mukul crossed paths with Mansi during his previous venture, Yolo Bus. His acquaintance with Sandeep dates back to 2019 when Mukul was in search of a CTO for Yolo and extended the offer to him. Although Sandeep declined to join Yolo at that time, he later became a co-founder at Lifechart. This Gurugram-based startup currently boasts a network of 500 doctors and 30 health companions spread across India, and it has provided consultations to 150,000 patients to date.
Connecting patients to doctors
Lifechart offers comprehensive end-to-end solutions to its clientele. According to Mukul, the startup takes complete care of patients, guiding them from the initial discovery of their condition through to the recovery phase. Customers have three primary ways to engage with Lifechart.
Firstly, patients can easily download the app from the Google Play Store and connect with doctors in under 60 seconds. Mukul proudly mentions, “We take pride in using AI-based technology to instantly link customers with Ayurvedic doctors. We provide products developed by our doctors, rigorously tested for clinical efficacy, along with a program for disease recovery and patient care management, all conveniently accessible in one place.”
Secondly, Lifechart maintains a strong presence on various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, allowing customers to interact with doctors through these channels. Additionally, the startup employs digital marketing advertisements on social media, enabling people to establish connections with Lifechart.
Mukul points out, “The majority of our customer base hails from Tier II and Tier III cities, and they are actively involved in social media usage. Our doctors actively interact with them through various social media platforms, hosting informative sessions and sharing reels about our products and their usage. Customers even have the option to schedule appointments through these channels.”
Thirdly, patients can establish connections via the Lifechart website, where they can explore products and access teleconsultation links to connect with doctors. Currently, Lifechart’s products are exclusively available on its website, but the company has plans to expand and make them accessible on e-commerce platforms in the coming months.
How it works?
Upon logging into the Lifechart website, each customer is paired with a health buddy who serves as a guide for dietary and lifestyle adjustments. These health buddies are qualified pharmacists responsible for conducting an initial assessment before transferring the call to a doctor when necessary.
The formulations of Lifechart’s products are developed by an in-house team of doctors affiliated with Lifechart Labs, and these products undergo testing at FICCI labs. The doctors on the team possess extensive experience and are under the leadership of a research pharmaceutical head.
Lifechart not only offers over-the-counter (OTC) products but also provides them without the need for a doctor’s prescription. However, Mukul recognizes a significant gap in customer knowledge about Ayurvedic medicine, prompting the introduction of a free 24×7 consultation service.
Business model and revenue
Lifechart operates under a B2C model, offering digital doctor consultations and doorstep delivery of products. The platform levies a consultation fee, which varies from Rs 5 to Rs 20 per minute, depending on the doctor’s level of expertise.
Typically, people consult with doctors for an average duration of approximately 15-20 minutes. Lifechart has also developed an in-house AI generative engine to collect data during consultations, facilitating the prediction of future demand and the creation of new product categories.
Utilizing this data, the platform has introduced five sought-after instant gut relief products, including formulas for constipation, fatty liver, gastric issues, piles, and indigestion.
