Deepak Sahni: Revolutionizing Diagnostics with Healthians

In the realm of healthcare, Deepak Sahni, the visionary founder and CEO of Healthians, is leading a transformation in the diagnostics sector. Healthians, a home diagnostics service provider, has emerged as a trailblazer in an industry that has traditionally grappled with issues of regulation and unorganized players.

The Delhi High Court’s interim order seeking a ban on the ‘illegal’ sale of medicines online served as a catalyst for Sahni. While Healthians isn’t directly involved in offline retailing of medicines, Sahni resonated with the court’s concern about the risks associated with unregulated practices. He is eagerly awaiting a ‘regulatory moment’ for the diagnostic segment, emphasizing the potential dangers to public health posed by unregulated and unlicensed diagnostic labs.

Founded in 2015, Healthians has experienced rapid growth under Sahni’s leadership. The company’s revenue journey is emblematic of its success — from a modest ₹1.1 crore in its first year to an impressive run rate of ₹80 crore. With operations spanning 30 cities in North India and a recent foray into Bengaluru, Healthians is making significant strides toward becoming a pan-India player.

What sets Healthians apart is its contrarian approach to building a brand directly with consumers. While many diagnostic labs rely on referrals from doctors and hospitals, Sahni opted for a direct-to-consumer strategy. This decision was bold and unconventional, considering the prevalent industry norms. “People thought we have gone insane by not taking the doctor route,” Sahni recalls. Despite facing initial rejection from investors, he persisted in building consumer loyalty rather than relying on franchises.

Healthians employs an asset-light model, strategically partnering with standalone pathology labs equipped with high-quality equipment. The brand has positioned itself as ‘different’ by offering a range of free services, including home sample collection, doctor and diet consultation, and vital health checks for family members. This consumer-centric approach has proven to be a winning strategy, with Healthians collecting around 3,000 samples daily and completing 10 million tests to date.

Choosing the National Capital Region (NCR) — India’s most competitive diagnostic market — for its initial operations, Healthians embraced a ‘Red Ocean’ strategy, directly competing with market leaders and rivals. Today, 90 percent of the company’s revenue is generated from this region, showcasing the success of this strategic decision. Healthians navigated challenges through strategic pivots since its inception. Starting as an aggregator of diagnostic labs, the company transitioned to a logistics model and eventually took control of lab operations to ensure both timely sample collection and test quality. The unique challenges of each pivot underscore the company’s agility and commitment to delivering accurate and reliable diagnostic services.

Looking ahead, Healthians aims to deepen its presence in South India, with planned investments of ₹50 crore to expand into Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai. The company anticipates adding over 200 labs and 3,000 phlebotomists across 30 cities in the next 18 months. However, the challenge persists in smaller cities, where unorganized players dominate the diagnostic market.

While online penetration of diagnostic tests in India is currently under 1 percent, Sahni sees this as an opportunity for significant growth. A potential game-changer could be government intervention to regulate the industry, standardizing equipment use and calibration. Sahni believes that building a business around consumers will naturally thrive once regulatory measures ensure industry standards. In conclusion, Deepak Sahni’s journey with Healthians exemplifies a commitment to innovation, consumer-centricity, and overcoming challenges in a complex sector. As Healthians continues to redefine the diagnostics landscape, Sahni’s vision for a regulated and consumer-focused industry might well be on the horizon.