Covid-19 has brought with it a set of challenges where people interact less on a personal level. Operations and other surgeries were postponed due to a lack of hospital beds or lack of doctors. What has been your experience dealing with people wanting continuum care?

 Sukino’s vision, purpose, and primary emphasis has been on caring for patients who require long-term care. During Covid, patients and families sought such assistance more than ever, while expecting a financially feasible partner who is also reliable and trustworthy. With the present challenges on the existing healthcare system, there were times when operations and surgeries had to be rescheduled and professional care was not as prompt as desired. This eventually made patients more aware of immediate medical care and has helped establish the demand for continuum care. Even the medical community has begun to adopt this transitory treatment plan to improve the overall health of their patients.

One of the major outcomes from the Covid-19 pandemic was raising the importance of respiratory rehabilitation. We established a comprehensive post-covid-19 respiratory distress and rehabilitative treatment for patients who have stabilized but still suffering from Covid-19 side effects.  It is intended for those suffering from respiratory disorders/problems such as COPD, Asthma, Bronchitis, Post-Covid respiratory difficulties, respiratory distress syndrome, and sleep apnea. This treatment saw patients' lung functions improve progressively even as oxygen support was weaned off gradually. The recovery process also witnessed growth in stamina and reduction in breathlessness throughout the rehabilitation process. Our innovative and comprehensive patient-centric approach, availability of an around-the-clock team of doctors, cardio-pulmonary therapists, nurses, and caretakers have ultimately helped patients achieve amazing improvement in just a month of being drafted into our rehabilitative treatment.

In our experience, round-the-clock care has always been a priority and the Covid-19 pandemic has further reinforced the need to emphasize respiratory rehabilitation. This pandemic has taught us a lot by putting us through a very challenging and complicated period. While we continue to investigate the long-term consequences of Covid-19, it is critical to foster an environment that promotes patient care, especially because the severity of the disease's long-term respiratory problems is unknown. While the impacts of Covid-19 were severe and pervasive, it also encouraged families to strive for a work-life balance.

 You operate in South India where there is an awareness for such type of treatment? Do you plan to expand your operations to other regions?

Founded in October 2015, Sukino began full operations in March 2016 from the South Indian city of Bangalore. Given its vibrant environment and large senior population, Bangalore was an obvious choice for a base. We saw an increasing need for quality and structured healthcare services in Bangalore, particularly among IT professionals who have exposure to some of the finest healthcare services in the world. They have an extensive understanding of healthcare and understand the need for Continuum Care. While located in Bangalore, we have expanded our operations and treatment to Kochi.

There has always been a demand for rehabilitation services. Every patient, especially those who have had a severe episode or surgery for a chronic illness and are being released, need some form of rehabilitation. Furthermore, around 3 lakh cardiac surgeries are performed in India each year, necessitating the provision of rehabilitative care for these patients. For some patients, spending more than Rs 20,000/- a day in the hospital becomes exceedingly challenging. Several independent rehab centres are springing up throughout the world to make rehabilitative treatment cheaper and patient-friendly.

Given the widespread use of our services and care module, we want to grow our business both in terms of services and geographically. We plan to deliver more services in cancer, day ambulatory, and ICU care at home as part of our continuum care offers for our customers. We would want to continue establishing a commanding presence in Bangalore, Kochi, and the surrounding cities of south India, particularly those with a sizable senior population, individuals with advanced knowledge of healthcare, and an understanding of the idea of continuum care.

We've already planned to bring our services to a few more locations in South India and have set our sights on Chennai, Hyderabad, and Vijayawada. Given our strong investor base, we are confident of the required support that will be in line with our expansion plans.

 How does someone get in touch with you for your services? Is tie-ups with hospitals the only way or do you also have tie-ups with local GPs?

 We collaborate and tie up with hospitals and general practitioners for providing our services to any patient who requires out-of-hospital treatment. By keeping the physician in the loop, our operational strategy at Sukino assures the continuity of the therapy mapped out by the primary physician. This is the main reason why most doctors choose to recommend their patients to us. Patients suffering from chronic illnesses such as neurological impairments, renal disease, heart problems, cancer, respiratory distress, and postoperative clinical care are most likely to benefit from these treatments.

The onboarding process begins with a thorough evaluation of the patient in order to provide a smooth transition and seamless treatment. Following the first evaluation, our team of physicians and therapists discuss the next course of action with the main physician to ensure that the therapy is carried out as planned. Each patient is provided with a 24/7 healthcare assistant based on their preference who makes them feel at home. A multidisciplinary round the clock team of doctors, ICU trained nurses, therapists, caregivers, clinical dieticians, and psychologists work ceaselessly to make the patient and their families feel comfortable and informed. Here again, the goal is to guarantee that the patient’s treatment procedures are followed outside of the hospital's four walls.

Our home care services range from basic services such as injection administration and wound treatment to set up a fully equipped ICU at home. We go above the normal scope by providing qualified, experienced nurses and caregivers, and we train our personnel to be companions to patients on their road to recovery. Sukino's central staff conducts a thorough patient evaluation and works closely with the deployed nurse or caregiver to meet all critical patient needs.

 What is the percentage of patients opting for home care vis-à-vis staying at your centres for post-hospital care?

 We serve as a link between the hospital and the patient's home, providing out-of-hospital care that allows patients to either recover quickly in the most appropriate setting or attain the maximum quality of life during their last phases. Continuum care is an integrated out-of-hospital care system that advises and monitors patients through a wide range of health treatments covering varying levels of intensity. Hence, it's more of a transitory based treatment and focuses on establishing a faster recovery journey. Having pioneered the concept of Continuum Care with Sukino Healthcare, we have been able to revolutionise post-hospital care for patients who have been discharged but have not rehabilitated satisfactorily. We have seen that patients who require only minimal medical management OR a bedside caregiver opt for our homecare services post their stay in hospital. All other patients who require active medical monitoring and management coupled with a good set of therapy will prefer to stay in our centers.

Going forward, we aim to achieve seamless coordination between hospitals, physicians, nurses, paramedics, institutions, and commercial organizations to provide timely and optimal care to patients, irrespective of which health care model the patient chooses.

 In a cost-competitive environment, what is your USP?

 Our experience has been that investment in healthcare should not cease, and there should be a cooperative and collaborative approach. There is a need to look closely at the cost structures and ensure that operational savings are implemented. Finally, there has never been a better moment to leverage adaptive technology, such as converting regular beds into HDU beds using technology.

The expenses of homecare services vary and largely depend on the type and nature of ailment that a patient is suffering from. These factors decide the number of hours the designated caregiver spends with the patient and the associated medical devices needed to monitor the condition. Sukino’s USP is that it offers customized, affordable care packages based on the immediate and long-term requirements of the patient. Key considerations include the presence of experienced and certified nurses, therpists or caregivers that reduces the overall probability of accidents, relapses, and consequent re-visits to the hospital which would mean more expenditure in the long run.

What distinguishes us is our full spectrum of services under one roof, which includes preventative care, urgent intervention, prompt and suitable rehabilitative treatment, and sensitive palliative care for people who are terminally ill. We have worked hard to establish a standard by taking a comprehensive patient-centric approach. We also stress the care, comfort, and conversation aspects of therapy, and we make certain that all patients are treated as if they were members of their own families. Our physicians, nurses, and caregivers go above and beyond the stated technical standard to put a smile on the patients' faces and keep them engaged.

The cost of our continuum care package includes room rent, clinical care, physiotherapy, diet and a dedicated caretaker. At any point in time, our endeavour is to offer all these services at one-fourth or one-fifth of the price of the hospital. We have largely succeeded in keeping our prices low and that’s why there is a huge adoption for our services. Instead of perceiving other businesses as competition, we consider that the healthcare sector at this time deserves a radical shift. It is essential to go beyond the restricted brick and mortar medical procedures and strive collaboratively for a more empathetic, technically sophisticated healthcare system that allows patients to recover with pride and security, especially older people and those diagnosed with chronic diseases

Any plans for additional fundraising to beef up facilities or expand to other markets? 

We will evaluate opportunities and raise funds accordingly to support our expansion plan. We are backed by very well known investors and we are confident of their support for our expansion plans.