Dr. Reema N is the Chief Operating Officer & Group Medical Director at KITES Senior Care. She is an experienced healthcare management professional with rich experience in clinical & operational excellence with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital & health care industry. Dr. Reema says ‘we are children of elderly parents who understand this life stage. And that’s what inspired us to develop KITES Senior Care- India’s “Out of Hospital care continuum” model designed exclusively for the elderly.
KITES Senior Care is spearheaded by a team of elder care enthusiasts with extensive experience in leadership positions in the healthcare industry in India. Dr. Reema says, “We are passionate about solving large complex problems of the society that exists globally. Professional care for parents helps young aspirants grow in their sphere without worrying for their parents back at home. Our highly experienced and empathetic team ensures that they take the utmost care of your parents. “
Women stand for a mother, a friend, a sister, and a daughter who cares for everyone around. That is why on this Women’s Day we have chosen Dr. Reema N as one of the most influential women of 2022. She has always aspired to use her medical & management degrees to bring a notable change in society. Money was not everything for Reema. That is why she chose to stand out from the regular health care professional world. Looking after her aging mother, she realized the need of creating an ecosystem caring for the elderly. There is also a shift in the family system from joint to nuclear which is accelerating the need for specialized care models for the elderly.
Entrepreneur Insights had a quick Q&A round with Dr. Reema to gain a deeper understanding of the senior care industry and how it is helping to improve the quality of life of the elderly.
How did the idea of business come out?
Geriatric Care in India is at a very nascent stage. We are at least two decades behind the developed countries in providing care to the elderly. In India, the elderly and their children are realizing the need for this specialized vertical which focuses on well-being and enhancing the quality of life of seniors. Medical science has increased the quantity of life while geriatric care enhances the quality of life. The business idea emanated from understanding this growing need in the market.
What are your key driving forces to becoming an entrepreneur?
The desire to innovate & contribute meaningfully to the healthcare story of India was a key driving force in venturing into the “Out of Hospital care continuum” model. This is the beginning of the story, with many more pages to be written.
Have you ever faced any gender bias situations in your entrepreneurial journey?
No, and yes. We are a women-strong company where the majority of the workforce is comprised of women and we are led by a very gender unbiased person. But outside the company, yes, I have felt gender bias situations, unfortunately.
How do you come up with your company?
Having understood the vast unmet need in the market we decided to pursue the vision of providing superior geriatric care ‘out of hospital’. Being a commercial entity, we wanted to pursue this objective by setting up a company.
What are the tips to build a successful customer base?
This is a tough question to answer in a few lines as books are written on it. The starting point is compelling product/service offerings accompanied by a great customer experience. Building a strong B2C connection is very important. Since the field of geriatric care is in its nascent stages in India, people do not even know such services exist. It is important to reach out to people who need our services by effective modes and increase awareness.
What kind of work culture you have established within your organization?
Minds can flourish and employees exhibit ownership when they find a free-thinking atmosphere. It’s just not accountability but empowerment coupled with accountability. This gives them the sense of a strong link in the chain of an organization. They think of the company first than themselves. There are verticals created for functional efficiencies and accountability but a lot of porosity within verticals to capitalize on the inter vertical resources and knowledge.
Have you raised funds for your venture? If not, are you looking for it?
Initially, the venture was funded by promoters but in 2019-20 we were able to raise an angel round of funding from some fantastic people who are accomplished in their fields, which helped us complete the proof of concept of our offerings.
What motivates you most?
The smiling faces of the elders and the sigh of relief/trust of their families. We are glad that we are able to remove the feeling of guilt from the families when they leave elders with us as they realize that have taken the right decision to leave the care of their elderly in the hands of the professionals whose sole agenda in life is taking care of their parent.
How do you balance your work and family?
To feel the sense of Job satisfaction (as an entrepreneur or as a homemaker), you need support from all quarters. Like any other family, I also have two girls, an aged mother, a husband, a household, and my super baby KITES, the support understanding from my family, empowerment from other co-founders, and my amazing team are the strengths that are my wall. Another trick is prioritizing work, thinking on the feet, quickly improving solutions are a few tricks that I practice.
What do you feel what are your set of responsibilities and targets for the next 5 years?
We wish to be the leader in the field of ‘Out of Hospital’ Geriatric care in India in the coming years with a reputation of being a trusted partner. We are in the process of a Series A fundraising to move closer to this goal as we expand our operations & services in Bengaluru and beyond.