National Capital Region Becomes A Hot Destination For New Hospitals

Gargantuan projects like the Escorts MediCity, Artemis Hospital (Apollo Tyres group) and Paras Healthcare might change the health map of Gurgaon, says Sapna Dogra.

After Delhi, it is now the turn of the National Capital Region (NCR), which includes Gurgaon, Noida and Faridabad to undergo a dramatic makeover in healthcare delivery. The satellite towns around Delhi have been witnessing a spectacular growth in terms of infrastructure and employment, propelled by MNCs which have set up state-of-the-art offices here, thus bringing in a cosmopolitan culture.

However, as far as healthcare facilities are concerned the situation is not very satisfactory, barring a couple of hospitals in Noida and Faridabad. For instance in Gurgaon, which has been touted as the millennium city, there are no proper large hospitals to cater to the needs of the growing population and no proper healthcare.

Most of the populace from NCR still rush to Delhi to consult well-known doctors. However, the future may not be so dismal because the scene is set to change with corporate hospitals making a foray into these areas. Gargantuan projects like the Escorts MediCity, Artemis Hospital (Apollo Tyres group) and Paras Healthcare might change the health map of Gurgaon. Besides these big projects, there are small and mid-size hospital projects coming up in the region to cater to the rising demands of the patients.

Influx In NCR

According to Deepak Bhandari, President, EPOS India, “Undoubtedly, the NCR has a huge potential because patients from as far as J&K and other states in Northern and Central India flock to Delhi. NCR hospitals can tap these patients.”

"The NCR is expanding in its perimeter and the burgeoning population needs the best healthcare facilities, which hitherto were not present here," says Dr Anita Kochchar, CEO, Ask Management Consultants and adds that the corporates have realised the actual potential of the region and want to cash in on it.

"As of now, Gurgaon, which is fast emerging as an ultramodern city doesn't have a single large healthcare facility," laments Dr Kochchar. "Of course there are small 40-50 bed hospitals and small nursing homes, however, they are not sufficient and well-equipped. This paucity of good hospitals has prompted corporate and big hospitals to set up facilities here," Kochchar adds.

"If one wants to be in today's market and tomorrow's as well, then a health delivery system is the best from both domestic as well as international perspectives," Somnath Chakravorty, the Chief Operating Officer (Gurgaon Hospital), Artemis Health Institute concedes. The medical tourism is another area that can be tapped from Gurgaon due to its proximity to the international airport, Chakravorty adds.

Notwithstanding the number of hospitals which are in the offing, Bhandari rues that the healthcare delivery scene in Delhi and NCR is still not up to the mark if one compares with Kolkata, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka etc. "The governments in the Southern region have lapped up the opportunities of medical tourism by clearing projects worth Rs 600 crore whereas in Delhi and NCR, the plans are announced with aplomb but they fail to take off in most cases," says Bhandari.

The the biggest constraint is from the state governments who are not acting as enabling partners and are slow in giving clearances for land acquisitions because they have not yet woken up to the healthcare demands and do not understand the opportunities, he opines.

New Players

Artemis Health Institute

"The 500-bed multi-specialty tertiary level hospital is likely to be commissioned in the middle of 2007" - Somnath Chakravorty CEO, Artemis Health Institute

Apollo Tyres has forayed into the healthcare business with the launch of its Rs 250 crore project Artemis Health Institute in Gurgaon. "The 500-bed multi-specialty tertiary level hospital is likely to be commissioned in the middle of 2007. It will be a multicity model with multi-specialty hospitals in 20 cities across the country. The hospital will focus on three main specialties viz cardiology, oncology (medical, surgical and radiation) and orthopaedics," informs Somnath Chakravorty, CEO, Artemis Health Institute.

"Talks are on with two universities in the US for forging an alliance/collaboration at medical and functional levels; there might be exchange programmes, technology transfer, etc," reveals Chakravorty. He adds that Artemis Health Sciences (AHS) seeks to transform India into a healthcare hub and mark its presence in 25 cities of India by 2015.

AHS has four verticals, which include healthcare delivery (under which the 500- bed hospital is being constructed), research and development, medical education (both medical and paramedical education institutes) and manufacturing medical equipment.

"It is the first corporate hospital with a gamut of healthcare segments," claims Chakravorty.

Paras Healthcare

The Paras group has also ventured into healthcare with Paras Healthcare and in the first week of May the group is all set to launch Paras Hospitals, a state-of-the-art 250-bedded, multi-specialty tertiary care facility with super specialty in neuro-surgery, trauma, orthopaedics, and mother & child, in Sushant Lok, Gurgaon. The total cost of the hospital, which is spread over an area of three acres, is over Rs 100 crore.

Paras Hospitals also offer specialised care in cardiology, gastroenterology, nephrology, paediatrics, urology and gynaecology and obstetrics.

The seven-storey complex is spread over 2,50,000 sq ft and is slated to be one of the most sophisticated healthcare centres in the Southeast Asian region. Equipped with six state-of-the-art operation theatres, 48 critical care beds, special ICUs and NICUs, sophisticated diagnostics including a 1.5 Tesla MRI, and emergency, ambulance and pharmacy services, functioning round the clock.

According to Dr Dharmender Nagar, Managing Director, Paras Hospitals can cater to the healthcare needs not only of Gurgaon, but the entire NCR region. The hospital has roped in reputed experts like Dr Veer Singh Mehta (neurosciences) and Dr J Maheshwari (joint replacements and intricate orthopaedics).

“Gurgaon is our first hospital in the NCR , which has been designed by an architectural team RRP associates specialising in hospitals from Munich, Germany. Gurgaon is called the millennium city but lacks commiserate healthcare facilities. Hence, we felt that Paras could neatly fill this gap and came up with this facility first of its kind and size in Gurgaon,” says Dr Nagar.

Paras group’s foray into healthcare is a decision backed not by market perception about healthcare market growth alone but also part a long-held vision of group chairman late Sh Vedram Nagar. “We are led by a group of professionals working with at least 15 years of healthcare experience.” Dr Nagar adds.

MediCity

The prestigious Rs 650 crore 'MediCity' project, promoted by Dr Naresh Trehan of Escorts Hearts Institute, has already got off the ground with construction work in full swing. Named the Institute of Medical Sciences and Holistic Therapy, this hi-tech medical facility will be spread over 43 acres in Sector 38 and will see for the first time in medical history, different streams (Allopathy, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Naturopathy and Unani) amalgamating to find a holistic treatment solution for modern ailments.

Besides a state-of-the-art hospital, there will be research centres, residential areas and hotels. MediCity will have a 1,500-1,800-bed world-class hospital with 20 super-specialties, 40 hi-tech air-conditioned operation theatres equipped for robotic surgery and so on. There will be a medical college and a paramedical college along with a diagnostic and R&D facility in the MediCity campus. "Designed on the lines of the John Hopkins Institute and Mayo Clinic, MediCity is the beginning of a new era of medicine, which will find solutions to make healthcare affordable and reach the neglected sections of the society," says Dr Trehan.

The first phase of the medicity would be finished by the middle of next year. Dr Trehan wants to dedicate it to the nation on the August 15, 2007, India's 60th anniversary of independence.

Fortis Healthcare

There's yet another huge project by Fortis Healthcare worth over Rs 1,000 crore in Gurgaon for their comprehensive medical facility designed on the lines of MediCity. Named the Fortis Institute of Medical and Biosciences, this mega project will have two super-specialty hospitals focussing on oncology and other areas of excellence.

Rockland

The Rockland Hospital, which started off in 2004, has in its agenda five more hospitals in Delhi and the NCR within the next seven years. Already the group has acquired land plots of five acres each in Greater Noida and Gurgaon.

"The size of the each multi-specialty facility will be 250-300 beds and construction will start simultaneously in June-July this year," informs Dr Bidhan Das, Director, Operations, Rockland Hospital. Funding for these projects is through a consortium of banks and the hospital has also collected funds by external commercial borrowing, adds Dr Das. The hospitals are likely to be operational by 2008.

Healers Hospital

The 150-bed multi-specialty hospital in Gurgaon will be ready in June-July this year. According to Subhash Khanna, MD, Healers Hospital, "It is a rust-free, dust-free centrally air-conditioned, very high-tech hospital with most modern laparoscopic equipment. The total cost incurred on this is to the tune of Rs 12-13 crore." The USP of this hospital would be providing customised care at a reasonable cost, says Dr Khanna.

Central Hospital Research Centre

A group of doctors conceptualised the idea of Central Hospital Research Centre, Faridabad. The 150-bedded hospital will focus on neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, informs Dr Lalit Hasija, one of the promoters. Over Rs 30 crore has been invested in the hospital, which will be ready for the public by June 15.

A Medical Tourism Hub

With so many hospitals coming up in Gurgaon, it won't be imprudent to say that Gurgaon is all set to emerge as a health city of the future. These hospitals will no doubt create stiff competition; however, the winner would be the one who would provide the best healthcare facilities maintaining international standards and medical outcomes. Gurgaon will be a big medical tourism destination with people from all over the globe coming to the super-specialty hospitals.

ehm@expresshealthcaremgmt.com