Aster's 'Dil Se' scheme offers annual health packages for expats' families in India

Aster DM Healthcare has launched a new project that enables non-resident Indians (NRIs) to play an active role in the healthcare management of their families settled in India.

Aster’s 'Dil Se' project “ensures convenient and any-time access to quality healthcare services for patients and their families, breaking beyond geographical boundaries”.

This is done by creating a “connected circle of care”.

“With a large segment of the Malayalee population settled abroad, the project addresses a key issue faced by NRIs who want to ensure the health and well-being of their families in India, many of whom would be elderly parents who require regular care,” the group said in a Press statement.

By using the Aster Dil Se (https://www.asterdilse.com/) platform, an NRI can avail an annual package of Rs5,000 (Dh250) per family member.

It includes an initial health check-up for each family member enrolled, to ascertain their health status in the beginning.

The lab sample collection and basic medical tests will be done from home. Based on the results, the care path would be recommended by doctors in consultation with their family members based abroad.

They can also virtually participate in the first and follow-up doctor consultations. A dedicated 24/7 priority call center (+91 75 111 75 333) with care managers has been launched to support immediate needs, along with medical services at home and ambulance service.

In addition, the package would also entitle them to “significant discounts” on in-hospital services like surgeries, complex investigations, hospital stays etc.

Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare, said: “As expats, we are increasingly aware of the growing concern among NRIs about the health and welfare of their families based in India. This is especially because many of them have aging parents who live alone. This concern has been aggravated during the pandemic with enforced travel restrictions and lockdowns, preventing NRIs from visiting their families to take care of their parents’ healthcare needs.

"The Aster Dil Se project aims to provide a solution to this and is designed to act as an on-ground healthcare partner for NRIs to ensure the well-being of their families in India.”

Aster Dil Se would allow NRIs to join their family members during doctor consultation via an online platform and take an active part in the health management process.

The service would prove to be very effective for chronic disease management, mostly required by elderly family members. It would gradually evolve to an end-to-end at home solution involving close monitoring of health issues, monthly/quarterly doctor consultation, lab sample collection from home, medicine delivery and home visit. The service would also allow to seek second opinion from Aster doctors across the network.

The initiative has been launched in Kerala first and would gradually be extended to Aster Hospitals located in other states.

Aster DM Healthcare currently operates 14 hospitals across five states in India: Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana and Maharashtra.