AOSTA: Creating World Class Healthcare Software Solutions!
“People die, memories fade but data remains forever”
Mr. Sreedhar, with his experience of more than two decades in the IT industry, brought to AOSTA, his expertise in formulating winning business strategies.
Coined from the name of a valley in Brazil and founded in 1999, AOSTA aims at creating world-class healthcare software solutions to comprehensively deliver the finest IT solutions to the hospitals and healthcare institutions. They believe that the benefits of software designed thoughtfully and purposefully can effectively address the challenges faced by healthcare providers.
Mr. Sreedhar, COO, in conversation with the Business Connect Magazine about the company and his journey with it,
Business Connect: Could you tell us something about the company and the services you offer?
Mr. Sreedhar: Originally the birth of AOSTA software happened as a five member IT department of KMCH (Kovai Medical Center and Hospital), one of the best multispecialty hospitals in Coimbatore, as recently awarded by the WEEK magazine.
An information system was developed for the hospital and deployed. It was found running successfull, and our Chairman gave a commercial angle to it with his vision about starting an IT company to provide the same software solutions to other hospitals as well.
New IT Company was formed and today it stands TALL with strength of more than 120 employees, servicing more than 150 Hospitals as our satisfied customers across the WORLD. We are a part of a large conglomerate with diverse business interests in Healthcare, Pharma, Education, IT, Travel and Oil & Gas.
Business Connect: What gives you an edge over your peers?
Mr. Sreedhar: In comparison to traditional IT companies, our advantage is that we have the domain knowledge and expertise in the vertical of health care. My knowledge comes from our own hospital, any new feature or functionality that is introduced is first tested in our own hospital before it is launched.
And in the case of bugs, they are fixed immediately on our trial grounds; the features are tested and then released in the market. It is also applicable to the updates that are going to be introduced in future, with new features and functionalities etc. This is the USP that no other IT company has over us. And this is the reason we are ranked among the best in the country in the healthcare sector.
Business Connect: How do you ensure unbreakable faith of the customer?
Mr. Sreedhar: We believe in customer satisfaction which is the most important, and to deliver a world-class product. All our customers are happy today as we take up change requests and new requests in the software and provide with constant support 24/7.
Business Connect: Do you believe in research and development for the growth of the company?
Mr. Sreedhar: Yes, we do believe in R&D, a lot of it has happened in the last 2-3 years. Electronic medical records, Patient Portal and Mobile compatibility, have already been adopted in our software as an innovation. In terms of R&D at present, we are slowly building Business Intelligence ( BI) and predictive analysis into the system itself.
Business Connect: What changes have you brought to the company?
Mr. Sreedhar: I joined this company 5 years ago in 2014. Till 2014 our company was predominantly focusing on Tamilnadu, and there was no Pan India presence. In the last 4 years, I feel proud to state that the company has established a Pan India presence. I have also successfully fulfilled the vision of our Chairman to go global. Our growth in the last Financial year is 100%. We have happy customers around the world in places like Kenya, Oman, Nepal, Malaysia, Iraq and more.
Business Connect: How do you believe you are giving back to society?
Mr. Sreedhar: We are giving a world-class solution in the space of healthcare which is the best way to give back to society. We are in a service-oriented industry. We take care of the records of millions of patients ensuring their secrecy and privacy. As on date we have captured more than 1 Billion OP Registrations, I Million IP Requests in our software starting from 50 bedded to more than 2000 bedded Hospitals. Creating a secured patient’s record is in itself a great service, I believe.
Business Connect: What else is your space of interest?
Mr. Sreedhar: I am a speaker at various public forums, Board Of Studies member, External Examiner, guest lecturer, an avid reader and a movie maker. Recently I have made a Short Film with a social message, for human rights. More than a favorite book, I carry a philosophy. I believe in the Karmic effect that what you sow, you reap. And this has got a very in-depth meaning that can be related to both science and spirituality.
Business Connect: What kind of obstacles have you faced over the years?
Mr. Sreedhar: Unfortunately in the health sector, without any second thoughts, the hospital management ventures to invest into all high-value medical equipment like CT scan, the MRI machine, the X-ray machine etc. because of the tangible and immediate results.
But when it comes for investment in IT, the stakeholders become very price sensitive as they do not realize the value, don’t see the effect immediately and is intangible and that is the biggest bottleneck that we are facing as an industry. They understand that technology is the backbone of the business, but the decision-making process is slow. We are gradually making them realize the value of investing in IT.
Business Connect: Do you believe there have been transformations in the entrepreneurial world?
Mr. Sreedhar: Yes, I do believe it has happened, the young generation is coming into the healthcare industry with a good amount of education, from all parts of the world. They understand the importance of IT, also the culture of IT is imbibed from around the world by these young minds and brought back to the country. So in that respect, I believe that there are a lot of changes happening. There is an acceptance of new technology with the new stream of stakeholders.
Business Connect: Do you believe in positive competition?
Mr. Sreedhar: Yes, I do believe in positive competition and to remain relevant in this competitive world it is necessary to have a Unique Selling Preposition. There could be a USP over the pricing, over the Business model, over the technology, the product, innovation etc., For us, the USP is our Domain Knowledge and innovation.
Business Connect: How do you ensure the loyalty and motivation remains constant in the staff?
Mr. Sreedhar: My biggest strength is my staff, we boast of an employee friendly organization. Our staff is extremely happy working for us and is recognized for their outstanding performance which makes them motivated and loyal to the organization.
Business Connect: Who has inspired you?
Mr. Sreedhar: My inspiration comes from my Chairman, Dr. Nalla G Palaniswami, a multifaceted personality, a Medical Doctor by profession, Business Magnet, Educationalist, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and above all a great Human Being, having great love towards Tamil Language and Literature. His story is fascinating and inspiring. His journey started by establishing a Hospital with the vision to serve people. Realizing the importance of having good nurses, led him to establish the line of Education as a Business vertical. He started College of Nursing, Pharmacy and ventured into Arts and Science College, Engineering College, Teachers Training College, School, and now is in the process of establishing a Medical College too. All this prompted him to start other allied businesses like Pharma, IT, Travel and Oil & Gas. Basically, it was backward integration, each of his business verticals would contribute to other verticals, by which he ensures the Revenue get rotated within the same Group all spear-headed by him. This vision, I believe, is great, and I admire it thoroughly. His humility, dynamism, Charisma and his magnetic smile gets people attracted to him, and he commands respect from approximately 5000 employees and their families of the group companies/ institutions, who feel connected to him.
AOSTA Software Technologies believes in long relationships with customers and mutual commitments to help them grow. With the rise of technology throughout the healthcare field, they have developed cutting edge software to better manage the information generated by newer technologies with one eye firmly focused on patient safety and the other on improving healthcare delivery for a better tomorrow.
