300 Primary Healthcare Clinics To be Opened By Family Doctor

A chain of clinics in select cities across the country will have holistic primary healthcare at affordable cost and it is to be set up the Silicon Valley Bank.

A chain of clinics in select cities across the country will have holistic primary healthcare at affordable cost and it is to be set up the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB)- funded venture Modern Family Doctor (MFD).

"We plan to open about 300 outlets pan-India during the next three years for taking healthcare to a patient's doorstep. About 50 outlets will be set up in Pune, Chennai and New Delhi this year on the lines of a dozen others in Bangalore," MFD director Naresh Malhotra told reporters here Wednesday.

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With Rs.10-crore seed capital from SVB, a California bank subsidiary headed by non-resident Indian (NRI) Ash Lilani, MFD has unveiled 11 outlets across this technology hub in a pilot phase during the past year under the brand name "Family Doctor".

"About 70 percent of medical cases can be initially addressed by a primary care physician and primary healthcare accounts for 60 percent of the overall healthcare delivery market in India. Only a certain percentage of these would require referral to specialty care facilities," Malhotra observed.

As a primary healthcare centre, each clinic offers consulting, diagnostics, treatment and medication, all under one roof.

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The healthcare sector in India has huge potential for growth, and for bridging the demand-supply gap. Lilani pointed out that, "Though the current spending is around 4.5 percent of the GDP (gross domestic product), there is scope for a three-fold increase in the coming years."

The healthcare company is also in talks with corporate offices, apartment complexes and other establishments to set up Family Doctor outlets at their premises for wider coverage of the facility.

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MFD has also tied up with Lal Pathlabs to provide laboratory investigation support, and with Narayana Hridayalaya for on-line ECG (electro-cardiogram) services to all its clinics.

The aim is to address the early stages of health problems through consultations, diagnostics and medication services at one location, creating a feel good experience," Malhotra added.

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Source-IANS