Surya Agarwal, Founder of Pheal, Omnichannel systems to empower physical therapists

Interview with Surya Agarwal, Founder of Pheal, Omnichannel systems to empower physical therapists

Surya Agarwal founded Pheal to empower doctors with technology and modernize physiotherapy. As his aspirations to become a professional snowboarder were dashed by repeated shoulder dislocations, Surya turned to create a revolutionary new company.

He is now a ‘man with a mission’ whose goal is to equip physical therapists with technological resources.

Pheal as a platform is Surya’s vision to revolutionise the physical therapy business for the benefit of everyone involved.

A believer that physical therapists are compassionate healers in our society, the Mumbai-born and raised Surya did his schooling at the Dhirubhai Ambani International School from its founding year till 10th grade and later graduated from the University of Michigan studying science, before opting for politics, war, and philosophy.

Between managing the spinning operations of yarn at a textile manufacturing company to launching Pheal, Surya also became a certified snowboard instructor and is an adrenaline junkie who has learned to play polo on horseback.

Pheal stems from the idea that physio and healing were born as a reflection of Surya’s experiences and tryst with injuries during snowboarding.

A firm believer in the India narrative, Surya is confident that the country would become home to a prosperous and harmonious society, shaped in no small part by the innovative work of India’s many young companies.

When it comes to healthcare, Surya believes that technology’s role must go far beyond telehealth, the elimination of menial jobs, and the provision of assistive intellectual tools.

As COVID hit the pause button on life for many people across the world, Surya focused on self-reflection and felt the need to do something more meaningful with his life.

Something that connected to his individual experiences and passion led to him co-founding Pheal which he says offers a clear opportunity for technology to transform the industry by making the lives of doctors much easier by assisting them with medical and non-medical work.

The future edition of Pheal will make it possible for any physiotherapist to set up an organized practice on the app in less than 10 minutes, whether they work in a clinic, hospital, or as a freelancer.

And since physical therapy is a profession with more women than men, he wants to empower women to be business owners who can live with freedom and flexibility.   

Tell us a little about yourself 

Surya Agarwal: I did my schooling from Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai and then went to Sevenoaks school, UK for my international baccalaureate.

Later, I studied politics, war and philosophy at University of Michigan. Regarding my work experience, I have worked as a Director in a textile manufacturing unit, operating a large multimillion dollar supply chain spanning across multiple countries.

Please tell us about your entrepreneurial journey.

Surya Agarwal: I founded Pheal when the world was still reeling from the pandemic. Physical therapy has played a crucial role in my life.

With multiple surgeries on my shoulder due to sports related injuries, physical therapists have helped me heal faster during my rehabilitation each time after injury.

During the COVID lockdown, I realized the impact technology could have on the physical therapy experience for patients and doctors both.

Kindly brief us about Pheal, its specialization, and the services that it offers.

Surya Agarwal: Pheal enables physical therapists to be business owners. It’s a dream for most young doctors to be able to practice on their own and this is where Pheal is helping them.

Pheal enables technically sound doctors irrespective of whether they start from scratch, run a clinic for years or freelancing physical therapists with management support to successfully run their own practice.

Pheal is a smartphone application that assists physical therapists in providing cutting-edge medical care to their patients while also improving their professional well-being.

The platform combines omnichannel systems to better physical treatment to assist physical therapists whether they work in a small clinic or a major hospital.

Pheal was formed in 2022 by Surya Agarwal and Namita Ambani, and it is supported by a strong advisory board composed of professionals in physical therapy, sports medicine, and musculoskeletal care.

The team brings together industry medical experts, business acumen, and firsthand patient experience. Every member of team Pheal is motivated by the same goal: to improve healthcare systems and physiotherapy practice.

The platform provides simple and intuitive digital tools that streamline time-consuming activities, allowing physical therapists to focus more on patient care.

Pheal’s mission is to make a difference by educating people about the benefits of physiotherapy for pain management following a range of injuries and disorders.

Its long-term goal is to provide standardized tools to physiotherapists all over the world, allowing them to provide the best possible care to their patients.

To accomplish this, the team works closely with physiotherapists and physicians, providing them with digital tools to improve their own and their colleagues’ practices.

Pheal is a very holistic and complete app that can be tailored to the demands of each physiotherapist and offers solutions based on the values of excellence, openness, and consistency.

As a community tool, Pheal acts as a platform for discussions between qualified physical therapists who actively practice physical therapy and tools to treat patients more effectively.

Pheal, which standardizes the delivery of services across medical and commercial protocols, as well as a transparent communicative approach, rehabilitative information, and high-quality assurance, is also focused on engaging physios worldwide to share best practices so that the overall quality of therapy can be improved.

The importance of physiotherapy is neglected in India, what is your take on it?

Surya Agarwal: In India, there is a negligence about physiotherapy due to the lack of awareness. In majority countries, if you end up with a musculoskeletal injury, the first medical professional you consult is a physical therapist as they treat the cause, not the symptoms.

A physical therapist helps you understand the cause of injury, how to ease your pain and how to prevent it in the future.

Your success tips for young and aspiring entrepreneurs. 

Surya Agarwal: In my opinion, work half done is no work done. Always give your 100% to any work you do as you will learn what you are good at, bad at and what you don’t want to do. Figuring what you don’t want to do is important as it will take away the indecisiveness aspect.

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