TheCconnects: Good day, Gurpreet Singh Anand! It’s a pleasure to have you with us today. To begin, could you share a bit about your journey? How did your professional path lead you to the helm of Avante, and what experiences paved the way for this venture?
Gurpreet Singh Anand: Thank you for having me. My journey has been a tapestry of personal experiences, challenges, and eye-opening realizations. I started my career in the corporate world, a period during which I juggled the demands of a high-pressure job and family responsibilities. Like many, I faced the daunting challenge of caring for aging parents while also trying to excel professionally. My experience opened my eyes to the glaring gaps in managed patient care at home in the city of Kolkata. I realized that the system was reactive rather than proactive. This spurred my ambition to create a model that provides compassionate, comprehensive care similar to that of a hospital, however in the comfort of their home and loved ones. Avante was born from the necessity to fill these gaps, a vision to transform patient care in Kolkata by merging professional health services with the warmth of home care, ensuring that no one feels isolated or neglected in hands of Ayah Centers that have mushroomed in the city.
TheCconnects: That’s truly inspirational. In your early days, was there a figure who profoundly influenced your perspective on care and leadership?
Gurpreet Singh Anand: Absolutely. My Father was a constant source of inspiration. His compassionate nature, resilience, and unwavering commitment to the welfare of those around him taught me the essence of empathy. I often witnessed him selflessly caring for family and friends, even when he had limited resources or support. This instilled in me a passion for caring not just for my own loved ones, but for the broader community. His influence drove me to ensure that every individual receives the care and dignity they deserve.
TheCconnects: It sounds like your personal experiences have deeply intertwined with your professional mission. Speaking of challenges, what are some of the biggest obstacles you’ve encountered while building Avante, and how did you navigate through them?
Gurpreet Singh Anand: The challenges were as diverse as they were significant. Initially, the traditional mindset in India concerning patient care at home posed a major hurdle. Families generally only sought help when a crisis occurred, rather than embracing preventive care. Convincing people to invest in a continuous and proactive care regimen has been a steep learning curve. There were also systemic challenges in shifting from a hospital-centric view to a more holistic, home-based care model. Building trust in a setup, where families have been let down for too long required relentless outreach and consistent delivery of quality service. Overcoming these challenges meant not only innovating our service offerings, such as mental wellness program for the family caregiver at home, companion care, and specialized support for conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, but also pioneering a new narrative about what patient care at home should be. We tackled these obstacles through community engagement, transparent communication, and by consistently adapting our services based on the feedback from both patients and their families.
TheCconnects: Your approach seems to be a blend of professional excellence and heartfelt compassion. In your journey, what key professional lessons have you learned?
Gurpreet Singh Anand: There have been several lessons. One of the most significant is the importance of empathy in our line of work. While strategy and operational efficiency are crucial, truly understanding the needs and emotions of your clients makes all the difference. I also learned that innovation in healthcare doesn’t always have to be about cutting-edge technology; sometimes it’s about redefining how we deliver care. Every encounter has emphasized that listening is as important as action. Finally, the persistence to challenge established norms has reaffirmed that meaningful change is possible, even in sectors that have been resistant to innovation for decades.
TheCconnects: That’s profound. Shifting to the digital age, what do you believe is the most pressing challenge for brands when it comes to engaging with customers online?
Gurpreet Singh Anand: Digital engagement in today’s landscape is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it offers unprecedented access to a wide audience; on the other, it demands authentic, meaningful communication. One of the key challenges is cutting through the noise of information overload. Brands need to deliver valuable content that genuinely resonates with their audience rather than opting for transactional interactions. For us, growing organically was essential. Having said that, creating a digital narrative that mirrors the human touch of our services was essential. We have invested heavily in content marketing and social media, not only to promote our services but to educate families on the importance of preventive care. It’s about building a community, one that feels heard and supported at every step of the journey. One patient at a time
TheCconnects: That makes perfect sense. Now, let’s dive deeper into your unique services. How do your solutions address the specific pain points of your customers, especially within the complex landscape of Patient Care?
Gurpreet Singh Anand: At Avante, we start by deeply understanding the multifaceted challenges that our patients and their families face. Our comprehensive suite of services is designed to be a one-stop solution. For instance, our mental wellness programs address the psychological and emotional needs of the family person, the caregiver attached to the patient, combating loneliness and depression. Our Care manager ensures that patients and families have friendly faces to interact with, which is as vital as any medical intervention. Furthermore, our in-home care services, ranging from nursing and palliative care to home ICU setups and even emergency coordination, are tailored to provide dignified support for those dealing with chronic illnesses such as Respiratory Failure, ILD, COPD, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s, Cancer, Chronic Kidney and Liver Disease. We leverage technology for seamless communication and coordination with healthcare professionals, ensuring our patients receive prompt and personalized care. In essence, every service is a building block towards fostering a holistic environment where our seniors can thrive both physically and emotionally.
TheCconnects: That’s an impressive array of services. Transitioning a bit, we all have our ways to unwind. What do you enjoy doing in your free time, and how do you recharge your batteries?
Gurpreet Singh Anand: Despite the intense demands of managing a venture like Avante, I always make sure to carve out time for activities that help me reconnect with myself. I enjoy reading, everything from historical biographies to the latest in technological innovations, and I find that it stimulates my creativity. I love getting equipped with new technologies and medical learning’s that gives me insight into the ever changing dynamics of the medical community and patient care. I also love exploring Kolkata’s rich cultural tapestry through its music, art, and literature. On weekends, I try to spend time with family, whether it’s food at our favorite eatery or simply enjoying a cup of coffee with my better half, my wife. This balance of intellectual stimulation and simple pleasures keeps me grounded and fuels my passion for work.
TheCconnects: It seems that balance truly is the key. Now, for those aspiring entrepreneurs who look up to leaders like yourself, could you share some advice for them, particularly if they’re considering entering the healthcare or eldercare industry?
Gurpreet Singh Anand: My advice would be twofold. First, always start with empathy. Understand the real, unspoken needs of your target community, whether that’s patients, caregivers, or family members. Innovate with a purpose, letting compassion be your compass. Second, be prepared for setbacks. The healthcare industry, especially in sectors like homecare is steeped in tradition and often resistant to change. However, perseverance and a commitment to continuously learning from your challenges will set you apart. Surround yourself with a team that believes in your vision and be ready to advocate for change even when the odds seem insurmountable. Lastly, remember that sometimes the most groundbreaking innovations are not high-tech but human-centric, It’s not always about AI (artificial intelligence) but EI (emotional intelligence) as well. Focusing on connection, trust, and dignity in care.
TheCconnects: Before we wrap up, could you share any memorable success stories that truly encapsulate the impact of Avante on the community?
Gurpreet Singh Anand: Certainly. One of the stories that stand out involved a cancer patient who was receiving end-of-life care at home. The patient’s family lived far away, and traditionally, they would have felt powerless during such a challenging time. With our palliative care services, we not only managed his medical needs but also provided emotional support through regular community engagement activities. Witnessing the relief and comfort that our approach brought to the family was deeply gratifying. Other instance was the community event we organized for our members. It wasn’t just about health; it was about rekindling their social spirit, fostering new friendships, and even sparking a few creative hobbies among them. There are many client testimonials and overwhelming feedbacks from our clients. These moments have reinforced for me that success in our venture isn’t solely measured by clinical outcomes but also by the quality of life and happiness our clients experience.
TheCconnects: Your stories resonate with both heart and purpose. Lastly, what does the future hold for Avante and Managed Patient Care in Kolkata?
Gurpreet Singh Anand: I see a future where managing patient’s at home is seamlessly integrated into the fabric of everyday life. For Avante, it means expanding our reach to more communities and continually refining our services based on evolving needs. We’re exploring partnerships with technology providers to enhance our remote monitoring capabilities and improve the overall patient experience. More broadly, I envision a societal shift where proactive and continuous care for their family members becomes the norm rather than the exception. Our mission is to inspire other organizations, and indeed the government, to prioritize the holistic well-being of critical care of patients being managed at home. These are the very people, who have been discharged from hospitals as they cannot do anything further and released into homecare. When we start valuing these patients as the repositories of wisdom and experience that they are, we set the stage for a more compassionate, inclusive society.
TheCconnects: Thank you so much, Gurpreet, for sharing your journey, insights, and heartfelt vision with us today. Your work at Avante is not just redefining Managed Patient Care in Kolkata, it’s setting a new benchmark for healthcare with compassion and innovation at its core.
Gurpreet Singh Anand: Thank you for this opportunity. It’s been a pleasure discussing a cause that is so close to my heart. I hope our conversation inspires others to take meaningful steps towards transforming Patient Care at home and ultimately, to create a world where every patient receives the respect, dignity, and care they deserve.
You can visit their website Avante.
