Episode #594: Transforming Rehabilitation-Ashok Gupta on Building Theranow’s Tech-Driven Platform

Welcome to HALO Talks NYC! In this episode, host Pete Moore sits down with Ashok Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO of TheraNow, and talks about the future of telehealth and its impact on physical therapy. From humble beginnings and unique inspirations to the challenges of building a specialized tech-enabled service, Gupta discusses launching and scaling TheraNow alongside his wife and Co-Founder.

Together, they discuss bridging gaps in healthcare access with the power of virtual care, how technology is transforming patient assessment, and the innovative solutions they've brought to large hospital systems across the country. Whether you're curious about entrepreneurship in health tech, the state of remote physical therapy, or how to foster seamless patient care in a changing landscape, this episode is packed with invaluable insights and inspiration.

On the reality of tech in healthcare Gupta states, "I do not try to disguise ourselves as a tech company, when at the end of the day, what we offer is a service which is our physical therapists, our clinicians, speech therapists, occupational therapists are providing care to the patient. That is what we are actually billing and getting them paid for."

Key themes discussed

• Telehealth physical therapy origins and its necessity
• Access to care and healthcare gaps
• Technology and computer vision in remote PT
• Partnership with hospitals and staffing solutions
• Therapist onboarding, credentialing innovations
• Quality of care and regulatory reimbursement

A Few Key Takeaways

1. Telehealth Physical Therapy Innovation: Ashok shared how TheraNow was founded to address the issue of greater access to physical therapy care, especially for those living far from clinics. By leveraging telehealth and building a proprietary technology platform, TheraNow can extend quality care remotely, removing barriers tied to geography and physical clinic capacity. 00:41

2. Advanced Use of Computer Vision: Rather than relying on hardware sensors, TheraNow uses computer vision and AI via a regular webcam to assess patient movements, allowing therapists to evaluate functional motion and prescribe therapy without requiring specialized equipment. This improves accessibility and simplicity for patients. 09:25

3. Flexible and Scalable Therapist Network: TheraNow has configured its network of 400+ therapists to flexibly meet state-by-state requirements, employing both W2 and 1099 models. The business uses technology not only in care delivery but also to vastly speed up hiring and onboarding: what once took 14 days is now accomplished in 12 hours thanks to an asynchronous software platform. 12:18

4. Consistency and Quality of Care: Patients matched with a TheraNow therapist can expect to continue with the same clinician throughout their episode of care, which addresses a common pitfall in traditional physical therapy settings. The company exclusively employs highly trained therapists (Doctor or Masters of Physical Therapy) to maintain quality, and internal clinical data shows outcomes are as good as, or better than, in-person care. 18:28.

5. Bootstrap Success Story and Hospital Focus: TheraNow was started by Ashok and his wife (also a Doctor of Physical Therapy) and was largely bootstrapped or funded by family and friends. The company grew to profitability and now serves hospitals as its primary customers, filling a crucial gap for large systems with more patients than physical locations or clinicians can handle. 20:36

Resources: 

• Ashok Gupta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ashok-gupta-dpt-2b5a7023  
• Theranow: https://theranow.com 
• Integrity Square: https://www.integritysq.com
• Prospect Wizard: https://www.theprospectwizard.com
• Promotion Vault: https://www.promotionvault.com
• HigherDose: https://www.higherdose.com