Salubrious Technologies, the parent company behind flagship healthcare platforms Online Chikitsa Mitra and 120by80, is strengthening India’s neighbourhood medical stores into digitally supported healthcare access points, connecting patients in rural and semi-urban markets with qualified doctors while preserving the trust and familiarity of a community touchpoint.
Traditional medical stores have always played an important role within communities, often serving as the first-place people turn to for healthcare advice. Rather than building entirely new infrastructure, Salubrious Technologies has focused on strengthening and digitally enabling these existing networks. Through Online Chikitsa Mitra, medical stores function as healthcare access points where patients can connect with qualified doctors, receive guidance, maintain health records, and continue care locally.
“The objective is not to change existing behaviour but to expand the role of a trusted community touchpoint. By combining digital systems with local presence, healthcare becomes more accessible while preserving familiarity and trust,” said Smriti Tandon, Co-Founder, Online Chikitsa Mitra and 120by80.
An Assisted Model Built for Low Digital Comfort
Recognising that digital adoption and healthcare-seeking behaviour do not always move at the same pace, particularly among patients with limited digital literacy or comfort navigating healthcare applications independently, the company designed an assisted-care model that keeps technology in the background while care remains at the centre. Patients can walk into a nearby eClinic or digital health centre operated through the company’s medical store and clinic partners and receive support throughout the consultation journey.
“Rather than asking people to adapt to technology, we have tried to design technology around how people already seek healthcare,” Smriti said, adding that the company also introduced a patient application to support continuity for users who wanted direct access to consultations while travelling or moving across locations, ensuring that care remains accessible both physically and digitally.
88% Patient Relief Rate Through Dedicated Follow-Up Support
To address the often-episodic nature of healthcare interactions, Salubrious Technologies built a dedicated Patient Relief Team that assists patients with prescription adherence, follow-ups, and monitoring recovery status after consultations. The team plays a particularly important role for patients experiencing video consultations for the first time, helping them communicate their concerns effectively and ensuring they feel confident they have shared everything they wanted to discuss with the doctor.
“This creates a more connected care experience where support continues beyond the consultation itself. Today, this approach has contributed to an 88% patient relief rate and close to a 50% revisit rate, reinforcing that healthcare outcomes improve when patients feel supported, understood, and engaged throughout their recovery journey,” said Smriti Tandon.
One Connected Ecosystem for Consultations, Medicines, Diagnostics and Insurance
Healthcare journeys rarely begin and end with a single consultation. Through Online Chikitsa Mitra and its network of medical store partners, patients can access consultations and continue treatment locally, with many partners holding established relationships with nearby diagnostic centres that allow patients to complete investigations and revisit doctors to discuss reports. Patients can also directly upload reports through the application to maintain continuity across their care journey. The company has also recently partnered to offer insurance advisory services, giving patients access to financial protection options as part of the broader healthcare journey, alongside 120by80, its doctor platform supporting consultation management, scheduling, digital records, and continuity-of-care tools.
“We also support patients by maintaining and organising their health information digitally so that if they later require specialist or secondary healthcare advice, they do not need to restart the process or repeatedly explain their medical history. Their records remain available in one place, creating a more connected experience,” Smriti Tandon said.
Technology as an Enabler of Trust, Not a Replacement for It
“Technology by itself does not automatically create healthcare adoption. One of our strongest learnings has been that healthcare decisions are deeply influenced by trust and familiarity. Rather than replacing existing systems, we have focused on strengthening structures that communities already rely upon. We believe that meaningful innovation happens when technology adapts to people rather than expecting people to adapt entirely to technology,” said Smriti Tandon.
Scaling Across Underserved India
Looking ahead, Salubrious Technologies aims to continue digitising healthcare access across underserved regions in a way that remains practical and sustainable, with a focus not only on increasing the number of locations but on strengthening the healthcare ecosystem around each eClinic and digital health centre.
“Healthcare is ultimately a human challenge before it becomes a technology challenge. Technology and AI can improve efficiency and support decision making, but AI alone cannot solve healthcare access gaps. Real impact will come from combining doctors, trusted local healthcare networks, and connected systems that make quality care easier to access,” Smriti Tandon said.
The objective, she added, is simple: quality healthcare should not depend on where someone lives
