Apollo plans clinic chain overseas

The next time you go abroad, you might take advantage of the 'branded' healthcare facilities of Apollo Hospital's clinics in London, Europe, Chicago, the Middle East, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Africa.

Apollo Hospital's domestic model of setting up clinics across the country is being replicated overseas, with its first foray having taken place at Doha, Qatar in January this year.

The demand-supply gap in London and the percentage of uninsured people in the US, especially Chicago, have triggered interest of possible franchisee partnerships in these countries among a host of others, said Ratan Jalan, CEO Apollo Health and Lifestyle. This is a wholly owned subsidiary of Apollo Hospital, which is setting up the country's only chain of franchised clinics in the country.

Apollo decided to adopt the clinic model to capture the domicile healthcare segment, which accounts for 68 per cent of the Rs 130,000 crore healthcare market.

"The day-to-day healthcare market is so huge and fragmented but under serviced. By bringing a branded healthcare offering which will ensure trust among patients, we hope to ensure uniformity and consistency of healthcare services," Jalan said.

Why Apollo is now eyeing an overseas foray follows the interest taken by prospective franchisees there.

"We have received some enquiries from Singapore. We are keenly looking at the Middle East region, and the Bangladesh clinic is in an advance stage of finalisation," Jalan added.

Apollo clinics hopes to bridge the demand-supply gap in healthcare facilities in Europe. "There is a long waiting period for healthcare services," he said.

In the US, places such as Chicago have a sizeable portion of uninsured population, which makes it attractive for Apollo to look at this market. As far as the Middle East healthcare market is concerned, it is just as fragmented as India, thereby providing Apollo an further opportunity to tap this space.

Apollo clinics, measuring about 4,000-square feet, offer a comprehensive range of services under a single roof. Walk into any of the existing 34 clinics in the country or the one at Doha, patients and their relatives will be welcomed by the same warm, hospitable ambience, unlike the cold atmosphere of a hospital. What's more Apollo decides on the tariff rates to be charged at the clinics.

"These are in keeping with the location of the clinic, but the differential between one from another across the country would not be very large," Jalan said. Even the doctors are selected by Apollo from its panel of 20-30 odd visiting consultants at each clinic.