Bridging the Care Gap: Karthik Ganesh on OnMed’s “Clinic in a Box”

The American healthcare system is facing a “perfect storm” as an aging population increases demand while the supply of primary care providers continues to shrink. At CES 2025, OnMed CEO Karthik Ganesh emphasized that the solution isn’t just better tech, but a new layer of easily deployable “healthcare access infrastructure”.

The Crisis of Medical Deserts

Ganesh highlights a sobering reality: 1 in 10 Americans live in a care desert, with roughly 83 million people lacking adequate access to primary care. Recent independent research supports these claims:

• Widespread Barriers: Approximately 83 million Americans live in areas with insufficient access to a primary care physician.
• The “Utility” Gap: Ganesh notes that 80% of U.S. counties are considered care deserts. External studies from 2025 confirm that 81% of U.S. counties—home to over 120 million people—lack proper access to at least one form of critical health infrastructure, such as pharmacies, primary care, or hospitals.
• The Cost of Care: Traditional brick-and-mortar clinics can cost $2 million to set up and over $500,000 annually to operate, making them nearly impossible to scale in low-density rural areas. Additionally, “46% of rural hospitals have a negative operating margin, and 432 are vulnerable to closure,” according to the 2025 Rural Health State of the State, report..

A Hybrid Solution: Telemedicine Meets Diagnostics

OnMed’s CareStation bridges the gap between traditional clinics and standard telehealth. Ganesh describes it as an 8-by-11-foot private space where patients can connect with a virtual clinician on a 65-inch screen.

Unlike a standard video chat, the station is equipped with medical-grade diagnostic tools:

• Biometrics: Captures height, weight, blood pressure, pulse oximetry, and temperature via thermal scanning.
• Physical Exams: High-definition cameras allow clinicians to inspect skin issues, while specialized stethoscopes let them listen to a patient’s heart and lungs in real-time.
• Outcome Data: According to Ganesh, 85% of OnMed patients are fully diagnosed without needing a specialist referral.

Connectivity, Safety, and Community Integration

One of the most significant barriers to rural healthcare is the “digital divide.” Ganesh cites the millions of Americans who lack broadband access, particularly in rural areas. To solve this, OnMed has integrated its stations with Starlink. This allows the CareStation to function anywhere there is a standard wall socket. It bypasses the need for local fiber or cable infrastructure, which is often lacking in their target locations.

Safety is managed through automated UVC (Ultraviolet C) lighting, which cleans 99.9% of all bacteria and viruses between every patient visit.

OnMed utilizes a subscription-based lease model rather than selling the units. This allows sponsors—including hospitals, universities, and rural health initiatives—to deploy care quickly, often in less than four weeks.

The Road Ahead

By the end of 2025, OnMed expects to be active in over 30 states. While current expansion focuses on the U.S., Ganesh sees a global market for this infrastructure starting in 2026.

[Note: the above text was directed and edited by the author, but written by Google’s Gemini].