Meeting a critical need for on-demand access to medical records
Arvind Raichur is the CEO of Eagle Intelligent Health
Tell me about Eagle Intelligent Health and the services it offers?
Eagle Intelligent Health is a secure telehealth platform that allows patients to connect with skilled South African doctors on the app from anywhere, regardless of location. Patients can start affordable telemedicine video visits and get shareable electronic sick notes and prescriptions sent right to their phones.
The app can hold all your essential medical records, including prescriptions and more. Your personal medical record will be accessible anywhere if you have internet access, which means you can always stay informed on your health. You’ll even have access to a convenient patient snapshot, an easy-to-understand summary of your health history.
What do you think makes you good at what you do?
My effectiveness stems from a combination of factors, including a clear vision for the company’s future, a genuine passion for the work we do, and a strong emphasis on strategic leadership. By articulating a compelling vision, I inspire my team to align their efforts towards common goals, fostering a sense of purpose and direction.
How did you end up as co-founder of Eagle Intelligent Health?
The time I spent as my mom’s caregiver was rewarding, but also one of the most stressful situations I have ever lived through. Throughout it, my wife and I had constant conversations about our frustrations with the process, and what we could do as entrepreneurs to help fix the experience for other people. I realised that the doctors providing her treatment often struggled to maintain a
comprehensive clinical picture of her ailments, prescriptions, and past procedures, particularly during emergencies. Her extensive medical history, stemming from various sources, posed a significant challenge.
This highlighted that there was a critical need for on-demand access to easily understandable medical records. By maintaining an up-to-date summary of her conditions, medications and allergies, we could effectively advocate for her. Without this crucial information, ensuring the best possible care would have been impossible.
This experience motivated my wife and I to establish the company.
What do you look for when recruiting?
When recruiting, I prioritise individuals who exhibit a strong sense of passion, drive and creativity in their thought processes. Passion fuels dedication and commitment, driving individuals to excel in their roles and contribute meaningfully to the organisation.
Likewise, a driven attitude demonstrates resilience and a willingness to tackle challenges head-on. Additionally, I value creativity in thought processes as it fosters innovation and the ability to generate novel solutions to complex problems, ultimately driving the company’s growth and competitiveness. By seeking out individuals who embody these traits, I aim to build a team that is not only capable but inspired to achieve excellence and drive positive change within the organisation.
What mistake at work taught you an important life lesson?
Maybe not at work, but one lesson I learnt was from the pandemic and how powerful virtual consultations could be. Trapped inside our homes and fearful of walking into crowded rooms, we saw how telemedicine could not only keep people safer but also lower the costs of basic health care.
What advice do you have for the matriculants of 2023?
I would encourage them not to be afraid of considering entrepreneurship as an option and go into well-established industries for opportunities to improve them. Often the biggest disruptions come from companies outside a specific area. When people talk about needing to think outside the box, I find the best strategy is to be outside the box to begin with. A great example of this is that Uber was not built out of a taxi company, Amazon was not built out of a retailer and Tesla was not built from a car company. The ability to think outside the box and solve existing problems in new ways is key to being an entrepreneur. If you see a problem and you think you have a better solution, go for it.