Product Overview

The case, which is set in the period 2014–21, provides an overview of Karma Primary Healthcare’s origin and growth story. It also explores the unfolding growth opportunities, some of which emerged as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Karma was founded by Jagdeep Gambhir to deliver quality healthcare to communities in rural India. As of 2021, Karma clinics were present at 25 locations in semi-urban and rural India. Nurses at these clinics used a teleconsultation-based care model to connect the patient with doctors located remotely. The case suggests that Karma has been reasonably successful in progressing toward its original mandate of delivering care to rural communities. However, opportunities for further growth opened up. The case presents the prospects for growing the organization’s nascent B2B business, given the broad acceptance of, and high demand for, tele-consultation-based care models across India during and after COVID-19. Further, the case discusses in detail the opportunity for Karma to utilize its experience and capabilities to enter urban India, and touches upon the critical factors that would determine the decision whether or not to enter this market.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the key differences between the healthcare systems in rural and urban settings in India. 2. Explore how leading-edge technologies can be leveraged to develop innovative solutions that enhance healthcare access and quality. 3. Appreciate the importance of identifying different revenue streams for a start-up; especially where the primary customers have limited ability to pay. 4. Appreciate scaling process for healthcare start-ups Understand collapse of family physician system