Fond memories are not something that an average person associates with hospitals, but for most Indians, their relationship with hospitals has always been more than a little fraught. Given the scarcity of good hospitals, doctors and nurses and the prohibitive treatment costs -— not always covered by insurance — people can’t really be blamed for becoming increasingly anxious at the prospect of hospitalisation. And there are enough associated challenges to worry about — decent and affordable post-operative care, trustworthy service professionals, convenient visit timings and consistent follow-ups. For those living away — especially overseas — from their geriatric family members, these problems are compounded manifold. And this is precisely where the next big opportunity — and challenge — for the healthcare industry lies: home-based healthcare. Over the past few years, several companies have popped up in this space, trying to bridge this gap and offer a significant advantage over the prohibitively priced home visits or nursing solutions offered by some hospital chains. Some of the well known names include Bengaluru-based Portea Medical, Chennai-based India Health Care at Home (IHCH), Hyderabad-based Medwell Ventures and the Delhi-based Health Care at Home (HCAH). But how exactly are they faring in a highly unorganised market where cost and convenience are the main motivators for customers?