Omkar Nakade Shares How MEDNET Labs is Transforming Healthcare with Technology

1. Can you share a brief overview of your career journey in the IT industry and what led you to specialize in Healthcare IT?

My career journey began in Mumbai, where I started with Tandon Electronics before moving to Syntel India. In those early years, I worked primarily on mainframe projects, which was incredibly exciting, especially since my background was in electronics. Over time, I had the opportunity to work on a variety of non-mainframe projects, which exposed me to web-based systems.

One of the most pivotal moments in my career came when I was deputed to the U.S. on a Daimler Chrysler project, at a time when Chrysler was still a part of Mercedes-Benz. In the U.S., I worked extensively on web-based systems, gaining invaluable experience in the tech industry. Though we were well-settled there, with a green card and all the prospects, personal circumstances led us to return to Nagpur. My mother was battling cancer, and that experience prompted us to reflect on the vast differences in healthcare technology between the U.S. and India.

It was during this time that I realized how underdeveloped healthcare technology was in India compared to the U.S. This insight sparked our journey into healthcare IT. We began focusing on healthcare automation and digitization in Nagpur, driven by the vision of transforming the healthcare landscape in India.

2. How has your experience in IT project management contributed to the success of large-scale healthcare IT implementations?

My experience in handling large software projects has been instrumental in the success of healthcare IT implementations. Project management, by nature, involves many moving parts—detailed planning, design and consistent communication with stakeholders and funders. Large-scale projects often span multiple months or even years, so maintaining a clear vision and staying organized is crucial.

Managing teams, breaking down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable ones and ensuring deadlines are met, are all key elements of effective project management. This approach has proven invaluable in hospital implementations, where understanding requirements, mapping processes, training users and addressing deviations are critical. Communication with top management and frontline users is key to ensuring a smooth implementation.

My experience managing multinational projects, both in the U.S. and India, has been especially beneficial. While project management principles remain the same, the execution can vary significantly between Western countries and India, particularly in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Adjustments need to be made based on the skill levels of stakeholders and local conditions.

Despite these differences, the core principles of project management—risk assessment, identifying blind spots and continuous stakeholder engagement—have remained constant. These have been invaluable in delivering successful healthcare IT projects and ensuring they meet the needs of all involved.

3. Can you elaborate on how you leverage technology to improve healthcare performance and operations? Could you give specific examples?

Technology has undoubtedly become the backbone of operations in healthcare, driving significant improvements in both performance and efficiency. One of the simplest yet most impactful examples is the management of appointments. Technology enables hospitals to spread patient flow throughout the day—rather than having large volumes of patients clustering in the morning hours, from 10 to 12. Patients can book appointments based on the availability of their preferred doctor through a hospital app or website, which helps to streamline the process and reduce wait times.

Another key example is in the area of diagnostics. Traditionally, patients would need to visit the hospital, drop off a blood sample, wait for the results, and return again for consultations—a time-consuming process. With technology, we can schedule phlebotomists to visit patients at home to collect samples. The reports can then be generated and delivered through automated systems, either on the patient app, WhatsApp, or the hospital’s website. This streamlines the entire process, making it more convenient for patients while improving the efficiency of operations.

From the doctor’s perspective, technology plays a vital role in ensuring that clinical data is accessible at their fingertips, whether through apps or portals. This instant access improves decision-making and ensures timely patient care.

Additionally, technology significantly enhances operational efficiency in other areas, such as inventory management. Automated systems can track procurement, stock levels, expiry dates and indents, making the audit process cleaner and more accurate. Processes can be enforced through technology, such as ensuring that diagnostic codes are entered before prescriptions or discharge summaries are issued, which further improves accountability and compliance.

In summary, technology is essential to the operational framework of healthcare, helping to improve not just the patient experience, but also the efficiency and accuracy of healthcare services.

4. How important are these standards in maintaining operational excellence and patient safety in healthcare IT solutions?

Standards and guidelines are absolutely essential in maintaining both operational excellence and patient safety in healthcare IT solutions. They provide a structured framework, ensuring that we don’t have to create protocols from scratch, which could lead to inconsistencies or errors. For example, according to guidelines, a type 2 diabetic patient should regularly check their blood sugar levels, or HbA1c, typically every 90 days. These standardized guidelines ensure that care is consistent, evidence-based, and follows best practices.

In addition to supporting operational efficiency, these guidelines help in making clinical decisions more accurate and consistent. They allow for measurable outcomes, such as tracking a patient’s condition over time or ensuring that appropriate procedures are followed when transferring patients between departments. Rather than relying on subjective clinical judgment alone, these standards help reduce variability in decision-making and enhance patient safety.

When it comes to patient safety, these guidelines enable proactive measures. For instance, if a patient is identified as having a high risk for certain conditions, such as ischemic heart disease, the guidelines ensure timely and appropriate interventions can be taken. This proactive approach helps mitigate risks before they escalate into more serious issues, ensuring that patients are safer throughout their treatment journey.

In summary, standards and guidelines are critical in ensuring operational excellence and patient safety. They help streamline processes, ensure more accurate clinical decisions and allow for proactive measures that safeguard patients’ health.

5. Could you share insights on how MEDNET Labs maintains a balance between regulatory compliance and innovation?

Regulatory compliance and innovation are two essential but distinct areas in healthcare IT, and at MEDNET Labs, we prioritize both. Regulatory compliance is a statutory requirement that we must always stay on top of. For example, when a Government Regulation (GR) was issued in August 2021, mandating GST on room rent above ₹5000, we were fully compliant within just three days, ensuring seamless implementation.

While regulatory compliance is non-negotiable, innovation is equally critical to staying ahead in the industry. We cannot afford to be stagnant; innovation is key to our growth and relevance. At MEDNET Labs, we continuously focus on thinking outside the box and finding innovative solutions that enhance our systems.

Our innovations span various technologies, from Internet of Things (IoT) to machine learning. We’ve integrated smart solutions into our systems, improving usability for our users and enhancing the overall efficiency of our healthcare operations. These innovations help us provide better care, optimize processes and ensure that we remain at the forefront of healthcare IT advancements.

In summary, while regulatory compliance ensures we meet legal and industry standards, innovation allows us to evolve, adding value to our systems and keeping pace with technological advancements in healthcare.

6. As Co-founder and Director, what is your strategic vision for the future of MEDNET Labs in the healthcare IT sector?

My strategic vision for MEDNET Labs is to position technology at the forefront of the healthcare delivery system. Over the years, we’ve witnessed tremendous advancements in healthcare technology. For example, 15 or even 10 years ago, the idea of phlebotomists coming to patients’ homes to collect samples was unheard of. Today, we’re discussing AI and machine learning-driven systems that can provide differential diagnoses based on a patient’s symptoms.

MEDNET Labs has come a long way, but my vision is to continue leading the way in making healthcare delivery more accurate, consistent and accessible. We aim to harness emerging technologies to enhance the patient experience, streamline operations and support healthcare professionals in providing better care. Ultimately, our goal is to make healthcare not just more advanced, but also more accessible and efficient for everyone.

7. What leadership qualities do you believe are essential for driving innovation and operational success in a healthcare-focused technology company?

Leadership in a healthcare-focused technology company requires several key qualities. First and foremost, hard work and perseverance are essential. Driving innovation and operational success demands continuous effort and a commitment to overcoming challenges.

Another crucial quality is foresight—being able to anticipate what the future holds, particularly in the rapidly evolving fields of healthcare and technology. A good leader must be able to predict trends, such as shifts in patient needs or technological advancements and adjust strategies accordingly. This means thinking about what the landscape will look like three, five, or even ten years from now.

Above all, the most important leadership quality is believing in yourself and the vision you’re working towards. There will always be moments of doubt, times when you question whether you’re on the right path. But if you have confidence in your concept and in the capabilities of your team, success will follow. Building a strong, motivated team that shares your vision is key to achieving long-term success.

8. With telemedicine and remote patient monitoring gaining traction, how is MEDNET Labs adapting to these shifts in the healthcare landscape?

Telemedicine and remote patient monitoring have become increasingly crucial, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and at MEDNET Labs, we have been adapting to these shifts from the very beginning. During the second wave of COVID-19, for instance, we provided our telemedicine platform free of cost to the Nagpur district commissioner, allowing doctors in rural areas to stay connected and continue providing care, even when there was uncertainty around protocols for handling COVID-19 cases.

Our telemedicine platform has played a pivotal role, especially in rural areas where access to healthcare facilities can be challenging. India has a large rural population—over two-thirds of the country lives in these areas. For example, a patient suffering from a myocardial infarction (heart attack) may not have access to a cardiologist in a primary health center. In such cases, remote monitoring can be life-saving. With telemedicine, cardiologists can evaluate the patient remotely, providing critical care and guidance until the patient can be transported to a hospital, potentially saving valuable time in the critical hours before treatment.

I’m proud to say that our platform has already touched the lives of over 10 lakh patients, providing them with much-needed access to healthcare services. As telemedicine and remote monitoring continue to gain importance, we are committed to expanding these services, ensuring that healthcare remains accessible to all, especially in rural and underserved regions.

9. What are some of the most complex or large-scale IT projects you’ve led, and how did you ensure their successful implementation in the healthcare setting?

In the early stages of MEDNET Labs, I was actively involved in both sales and implementation, working hands-on to ensure the successful delivery of our projects. Over time, we’ve built a capable team that can handle large-scale, complex projects with ease.

Two notable examples of such projects are the implementation at Saideep Hospital, a 300-bed facility, and the National Cancer Institute, a 500-bed oncology-specific setup. Both projects presented significant challenges, particularly given their scale and complexity. In the case of the National Cancer Institute, for instance, the oncology-specific setup required careful planning and execution to meet the unique needs of cancer care.

While I was deeply involved in these implementations, we have now developed a set of internal standards and best practices that guide our projects. This ensures consistency, minimizes risks and maintains high-quality service delivery. Our approach involves rigorous project planning, clear communication with stakeholders and a dedicated team that is focused on ensuring that every phase of the project is executed with precision.

In summary, while the scale and complexity of these projects were significant, the success came down to having a strong team, detailed planning and a commitment to maintaining the highest standards of quality throughout the implementation process.

10. How do you approach collaboration with healthcare professionals and institutions to ensure the technology meets clinical needs effectively?

Collaboration with healthcare professionals and institutions is at the heart of our approach to ensure that our technology effectively meets clinical needs. We believe this is one of our key differentiators—our deep understanding of the healthcare system, its language and the specific pain points of clinicians. Technology, in itself, is just a means to an end. To develop solutions that are truly effective, we must first understand the real-world challenges faced by healthcare professionals.

We maintain continuous interaction with domain experts and clinicians to understand their requirements. For example, in oncology, accurate staging is crucial to determining the prognosis and treatment plan. When a diagnosis such as malignant neoplasm of the lung is made, it’s not just about identifying the tumor, lymph nodes, or metastasis, but understanding the staging system—whether it is clinical or pathological—and its relevance to treatment decisions. In cases where there is a discrepancy between clinical evaluation and pathological results, the pathological stage supersedes, which is a critical distinction we must reflect in our system.

Such nuances in clinical decision-making require us to work closely with experts to ensure that our software represents data in a meaningful, clinically relevant way. This understanding only comes through regular collaboration with clinicians and domain specialists.

Additionally, in terms of digital health transformation, the greatest challenge we face in India is clinician adoption of technology. Systems need to be extremely user-friendly and should minimize the time spent on data entry, which is currently a pain point. Clinicians are often using medical transcriptions or other manual methods for data capture, which is time-consuming. With advancements like speech-to-text, we are seeing major improvements. For example, Ognito, a key player in this space, offers an AI-powered medical dictionary that understands different dialects and pronunciations—such as variations in how ‘thrombocytopenia’ is spoken across regions like Punjab and Tamil Nadu. Innovations like these are crucial in addressing the challenges of digitization in healthcare and ensuring that technology truly adds value to clinicians and improves patient care.

11. In your opinion, what is the next big disruption in healthcare IT, and how are you preparing MEDNET Labs to embrace it?

In my opinion, the next big disruption in healthcare IT will be the widespread adoption of AI, machine learning and deep learning. These technologies are set to revolutionize healthcare by enabling predictive analytics, big data applications and advanced clinical decision-making at an unprecedented scale.

AI-powered tools can help in diagnosing diseases early, predicting patient outcomes, and personalizing treatment plans, all of which contribute to improving patient care and operational efficiency. Additionally, IoT (Internet of Things) will play a crucial role in the future of healthcare. We are already integrating various IoT solutions within our healthcare systems, but one of the most exciting advancements is in the area of diagnostic testing.

For example, in cases of myocardial infarction (heart attacks), the enzyme troponin is a key marker used to confirm the diagnosis. Traditionally, testing for troponin levels is an invasive process that takes about 60 minutes to provide results. However, one of the IoT innovations we are working with can provide a non-invasive, rapid troponin test in just three minutes. This kind of innovation is a game changer, particularly in emergency situations where every minute counts.

At MEDNET Labs, we are already preparing for this disruption by integrating AI and IoT technologies into our platforms. We are actively partnering with innovators to ensure that we are at the forefront of these advancements, making healthcare more efficient, faster and patient-centric. The ability to make quick clinical judgments based on real-time, accurate data can transform emergency care and overall patient outcomes.

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