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Faster Higher Stronger

With its hold now over the regional market, Wellspring aims to go overseas and emerge as the numero uno in the market, reports Nayantara Som

Wellspring Diagnostics and Pathlabs at Mumbai

Every Industry has its role model. This one's for lab' exclaims one of the taglines for Wellspring, a chain of pathology laboratories and diagnostic centres managed by NPIL Laboratories and Diagnostics Private Ltd and a subsidiary of Nicholas Piramal India Limited (NPIL).

Over the years, Wellspring has jumped strides to establish itself as a leading brand name in the field of pathology and the diagnostic market. It is spread across 35 regional locations in the country with over 70 processing labs, performing around four million pathology tests.

It offers a comprehensive range of tests in pathology covering biochemistry, immunology, haematology, histopathology and microbiology and an unparalleled range of esoteric tests in the areas of histopathology and immunohistochemistry, cytogenetics, flow cytometry and molecular biology. It also habours supporting diagnostic facilities encompassing X-Ray, sonography, echo cardiography, colour doppler, stress test, pulmonary function test, body mass composition test, ECG and audiometry. Specialist medical consultations, physiotherapy and dental clinics are offered at most of its centres.

Genesis

"We believe in caring for the people by giving them first-class quality service" - Girish Mehta Vice President and SBU Head Path Wellspring

The conceptualisation of Wellspring, as experts from the Group opine was primarily the 'vision of Dr Swati Piramal who saw things way ahead of her times’. Remeniniscing the genesis, Girish Mehta, Vice President and SBU Head Path, Wellspring, recalls, "The venture was initiated by NPIL way back in 1999. The main aim was to channelise and streamline operations and make them more systematic, all under a corporate banner. It was a venture for NPIL to integrate things together."

Following the experimental phase, it was only in 2003 that a brand by the name of Wellspring came up in the market which offered pathological and diagnostic services. Between, the transition period of 1999-2003, NPIL was testing its waters in the market for diagnostics, but Mehta asserts, "In 2003, I realised that there was a huge potential for this venture to grow as a brand in the market. I wanted to make it a scalable model by putting in my 100 per cent. I convinced the top management that in the next three to four years I would make this name grow in the market. They were convinced and gave me the freedom to follow my strategies which I had chalked down."

The Brand

Over a span of four years, the organisation has grown by 40 per cent, that is, four times of its original growth since 2003. The reason for this phenomenal growth is attributed to it emerging as a name which is patient friendly and a brand where 'people are perceived more than just a sample of blood'. "Our tagline, 'Someone who cares' says it all. We believe in caring for the people who come in, giving them first class quality service, care for their time, money and the overall well-being," opines Mehta. This he believes, is one of the contributing factors for the brand name to attract hoards of patients to the centre over the years. Over the years, there has been careful branding and marketing strategies formulated.

Wellspring does not believe in advertising. Over the years, the team has stuck to a formulated strategic plan, which has been its main forte over the years. Its latest branding venture is the introduction of a unique plan in preventive healthcare called the Medivan, a 35-feet long air conditioned mobile diagnostic centre designed by medical experts to conduct advanced tests on workers and employees both from corporates and factories. "We want to reach out to people at their doorstep. In this situation, employees, due to their hectic schedules, fail to get a check done or sometimes do not get leave for their check-ups. The Medivan will go right to the doorstep of offices and factories to conduct the requisite tests," informs Mehta. The Medivan has all the available tests on site. The entire set-up follows guidelines as set by the National Accreditation Board For Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) to ensure accurate results.

Talking about reaching out to the masses, another strategy devised to woo patients is the home collection services. A service where experts from the centre go to the doorstep of the patient, collect their blood samples and again deliver their reports without the patient having to travel all the way to the centre. Apart from these, medical camps are conducted in various cities and in doctors camps to provide on site medical help to the masses.

Forte

So what has been the forte for Wellspring for its wide network of centres? Reflects Mehta, "It is the quality of our team of experts and the expertise which has helped in spreading its network. Our Director, Dr Swati Pirmal enjoy the goodwill of the market. Experts like Dr Anita M Borges, a leading cancer pathologist, is a name to reckon with. Doctors from other parts of the country send in samples to her for second opinion. Ultimately, it is the team which helps in the growth process."

Wellspring would shortly open its centers in Coimbatore, Chennai, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Indore, Lucknow, Chandigarh and Pune. One would be mistaken if they assumed that Wellspring was yet another venture catering only to the urban and semi urban cities. For instance, in the state of Kerala alone, Wellspring has set up centres in 20 locations out of which only four locations are in metroes alone! "Before venturing out to a city we study its population, their buying power and the law and order. We want to be a part of that population and basically in cities which are strategically important," adds Mehta.

Quality

Wellspring puts immense priority on quality. All its centres in all its location follow NABL guidelines though not all the centres are NABL accredited. "Some centres are too small to venture into accreditation," adds Mehta.

At present, four centres are accredited, with four centres more in the pipeline. In fact, Wellspring also has an internal quality department. Here a quality expert, ensures that all the labs and testing procedures follow the set guidelines and there is uniform documentation to prevent medical and clinical errors from taking place. Centers are equipped with the most modern, fully automated equipment and are used in a fully computerised environment. Each center is always managed by a full-time pathologist and is staffed with well-trained and skilled people. Also there is a software installed which measures and subsequently minimises errors which are likely to take place.

Future Plans

At present, future plans include going overseas and establishing centres in East Africa and the Gulf. Wellspring is open to any global partnerships and collaborations, which comes in its way. However, for the moment the Group is focusing only in regionalisation and catering to key cities in the country.

Also, another main task as Mehta foresees is to emerge as the undisputable numero uno in the market. "At present, we are neck-in-neck with Ranbaxy, but few years down the line we would like to emerge as the number one brand, adding to the vibrancy of the organisation."

nayantara.som@expressindia.com