Dr (Maj) Satish S Jeevannavar, founder and CEO of Ai Health Highway (AiSteth), is redefining how doctors and healthcare workers detect heart and lung conditions. AiSteth, India's first AI-powered digital stethoscope, combines the familiarity of a traditional stethoscope with advanced digital capabilities. In analogue mode, it functions just like a conventional stethoscope. In digital mode, it records heart and lung sounds, visualises them as waveforms and uses AI algorithms to detect abnormalities. Doctors can instantly share this data with colleagues for second opinions, making healthcare smarter, faster and more collaborative.
Satish S Jeevannavar is a physician and former Army Medical Corps officer, and an alumnus of IIM Bangalore. He has over 20 years of experience in primary healthcare, mHealth, pharmaceuticals, and life sciences strategy across India, the APAC region, and emerging markets. He has launched mHealth services with a leading telecom partner across 23 circles, reaching more than 180 million customers (2015-16), and scaled primary care clinics from zero to 60 across five states. He was also involved in launching India's first OPD insurance product and a senior citizen independent home project in Bengaluru (2010-15). Dr Jeevannavar holds an MBA from IIM Bangalore and a certification in mHealth from Stanford University. He is a member of the Healthcare Council at GLG and specialises in healthcare innovation, market entry strategy, cross-industry partnerships, and policy. He is currently the Founder and CEO of Ai Health Highway, a MedTech startup incubated at FSID, IISc. Founded in 2018, the company has won Leap to Unicorn Season 2, the PHC Tech Challenge 2021, and was selected among 27 startups for Amazon's AWS ML Elevate 2022 programme.
Dr Jeevannavar says he noticed a fundamental gap in clinical examinations. While most medical tests like ECGs or chest X-rays come with detailed reports, the stethoscope, which is a core tool for doctors, “was subjective all these years because the doctor's diagnosis was just based on the acoustic input.” He explains even if three cardiologists examined the same patient, “all three might have a different opinion.” To address this, Dr Jeevannavar and his team developed a way to convert acoustic heart and lung sounds into a visual signature pattern. “What you might miss hearing, you can see that. So, we combined acoustics with the visual report,” he says. Beyond its technological innovation, AiSteth has a real-world impact. “"AiSteth is India's first AI-enabled smart stethoscope,” Dr Jeevannavar says, adding that it is being used not just by doctors and nurses but also by ASHA workers in Maharashtra, who take it door-to-door to screen patients.
In Satara district, rural life is defined by tall mountains, rivers splitting villages and winding roads. For many residents, reaching even a primary healthcare centre (PHC) can be a huge challenge. As such, preventive healthcare and early detection remain major challenges. AiSteth has become a game-changer in these regions. With Dr Jeevannavar's AiSteth, healthcare workers can detect abnormal heart sounds in the field, share reports directly through smartphones and consult doctors remotely. The doctor can listen to the recordings and advise whether the patient needs a referral to the PHC. Thus, the AI-powered stethoscope ensures timely intervention, transforming healthcare delivery in underserved communities.
Designed with user-friendliness in mind, Dr Jeevannavar's AiSteth is easily deployable even in the most remote locations. Its ability to record, store and share data empowers healthcare workers to act proactively, marking a significant step towards preventive healthcare and early detection. Through technology and social commitment, Dr Jeevannavar and AiSteth are ensuring that rural India no longer has to compromise on quality healthcare.
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