The story of GP West’s Director and CEO, Dr. Kiran Puttappa, is notable on several fronts. As an immigrant entrepreneur, his story is a tale of ingenuity that other immigrants trying to make their fortune in the medical field can emulate. From the perspective of a healthcare professional, his story is an indicator of possibilities for the healthcare industry in the future. Through his contributions to the MediPortal AI tool, he has set both GP West and the entirety of Australia’s healthcare system on a course for continued innovation and evolution. His journey is an example of the ways forward-thinking healthcare professionals are reshaping health and medicine in West Australia .
Born in the city of Mysore in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, Dr. Puttappa completed his initial medical training at JSS Medical College. He came to the U.K. in 2001, where he accumulated more medical training before eventually immigrating to Australia in 2003, where he is currently based. After gaining more experience in Australia’s healthcare industry, including co-founding organizations like PK Dental and NIA Pharmaceuticals, he became known as a thought leader in medicine. His appointment as the President of the Australian Indian Medical Association and a board member of RACGP-WA Faculty is a testimony to his commitments to the health industry. Dr. Puttappa also founded GP West, where he continues to oversee 19 medical centers across Perth. He has also been involved in medical real estate ventures, in which he has aimed to find the ideal combinations between properties, their infrastructure, and the medical professionals who can make the best use of them.
While these achievements are already commendable within the field of healthcare, it is Dr. Puttappa’s long-term vision for the use of AI in healthcare has made him one to watch in the field. Dr. Puttappa conceived of the idea for MediPortal after witnessing gaps in healthcare accessibility, particularly for elderly and rural patients, during his time as a primary care physician. Issues such as long patient wait times and inefficiencies in chronic disease management led Dr. Puttappa to seek the answers in AI-powered solutions. Although some healthcare professionals were skeptical and hesitant to accept the use of AI in the field, Dr. Puttappa’s focus on perseverance and collaboration eventually allowed him to implement MediPortal’s cloud-based ERP platform. Through the solutions MediPortal has developed, healthcare operations can be streamlined, resulting in improved workflows for doctors and improved patient outcomes.
Looking towards the future, Dr. Puttappa plans to continue serving as an advocate for healthcare accessibility and innovative solutions that can make healthcare more accessible to all segments of the population in Australia.. One of the advocacy efforts he is most passionate about is supporting international medical graduates to address Australia’s current doctor shortage. Dr. Puttappa also has donated to several charitable organizations, including Save the Children, Destiny Rescue, and Perth Children’s Hospital, as well as charity initiatives related to social issues such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, and mental health awareness through AIMA. At the end of the day, Dr. Puttappa says his career’s goal is not simply professional success but driving meaningful change in healthcare. His commitment to innovation, community health, and patient care is evidence of his passion for the industry and his care for every medical professional fulfilling their mission to help and heal their patients. With this ethos, he hopes to be a mentor to new medical professionals, especially those who are coming to Australia overseas.