Who do you go to if…
- You have a neck pain or a back problem
- You puled a muscle while playing tennis
- You are recovering from knee surgery or a fracture
- You have just had surgery and find moving around difficult
- or you are a certain age and face reduced mobility
The Answer
Most Indians would visit a Ortho, Neuro or Cardiac specialist in addition to their GP.
Visiting a Physio or Sports Injury doctor is seldom done.
The Gap
Physio clinics are in a low value trap as most Physio clinics are not branded. Services are generic and not differentiated. Patients are also seldom educated on procedures, why they need to do certain things and how they can hurt themselves if they dont take care.
Physiotherapy clinics are also not provided enough referrals by specialists as specialists run the risk of losing patients. For example in many hospitals, Physio and Ortho OPD exists side by side but very few recommendations are actually sent to the Physio. According to some estimates as many as 50% of ortho patients at some point or the other need Physio help. However, referrals are seldom more than 10 to 15% (see slides 13,14,15).
Other specialists such as Cardio, Pulmonary, Geriatric, Neuro and Pediatric only refer patients in severe distress. The perception of Physio as a wellness centre in a hospital does not exist.
The Opportunity
A large opportunity exists in creating branded Physiotherapy and Sports Injury clinics in India.
[slideshare id=2735717&doc=physiotherapycentresindianretailconcept-091217044519-phpapp02]