Building a wider network for timely care

The medical value travel programme has been in operation for some time

Aster DM Healthcare is all about care and offering timely treatment. To add expertise to its growing spread of medical facilities, we are tying up with various hospitals in the peripheries, and taking over their existing Emergency Departments.
The idea is to spruce up these centres and bring them on par with our existing facilities in terms of design, look and feel, instruments and manpower. Normally, there is a casualty department with two to three beds and to attend to emergency cases and is not well organised.
With the wider network, we can ensure timely delivery of care. However, if patients require high-end treatment they are then sent to Aster MIMS.
Aster DM Healthcare is also tying up with Intensive Care Units (ICUs) of different hospitals. This is a challenge because of the dearth of trained intensive care specialists or intensivists as we call them.
Peripheral hospitals, which are usually private hospitals, employ MBBS doctors to handle the ICUs.

Dr Rahul R. Menon, CEO, Aster MIMS Calicut
However, we want to improve this and introduce MD physicians who can handle very high-end ICUs or connect through video conferencing. This will benefit patients immensely.
As for medical value travel, we have been running this programme for a long time. A large percentage of our international patients are from Oman. It is worth noting that we do not do large-scale promotions, but get referred mostly by word of mouth.
Patients have faith in Aster MIMS; in our treatment and facility. We have further improvised our facilities to meet the requirements of patients. We have a new in-patient care unit; cafeterias, restaurants, and separate waiting room lounge for ladies.
We plan to dedicate a floor to a new wellness centre for overseas clients in the proposed third tower. Besides, we already have packages for routine health check-ups, ultrasound, and lab investigations see around 2,000 to 2,500 patients every day.  
- As told to Suchitra Steven Samuel