The Hindu Business Line : Devaki Hospital plans telemedicine facility

Chennai May 18 Devaki Hospital Ltd plans to set up a telemedicine facility, introduce new lines of treatment and modernise and upgrade existing facilities.

Mr A.N. Radhakrishnan, who took over recently as Chairman, Devaki Hospital, said the management is carrying out a feasibility study covering these projects and is likely to come out with a report in three months. "Only after that can we decide on the investment in these projects," he said. The hospital is unlikely to opt for a public issue or bring in more partners to fund these projects.

Mr Radhakrishnan, who holds a 46 per cent stake in Devaki Hospitals, in September 2006 bought a 24.33 per cent stake from the then promoters, Madras Medical Care and Health Centre Pvt Ltd, for Rs 3.27 crore at Rs 18 a share. He acquired an additional 11.34 per cent stake through an open offer, besides open market purchases and block deals.

A new management team led by Mr Radhakrishnan was put in place this month.

Training students

A telemedicine block is being planned at the hospital in Chennai to train students of Meenakshi Medical College and Research Institute, Kancheepuram, run by Mr Radhakrishnan. The facility would eventually be available to the public when patients from neighbouring districts can avail themselves of consultation from the doctors at Devaki Hospital.

Mr Radhakrishnan did not elaborate further on the telemedicine project saying, "it was too early to talk about it."

Improve existing facilities

The hospital plans to modernise the cardiology department to include the entire gamut of treatment and will hire consultants shortly. The hospital now specialises in renal treatment, apart from general surgery. "We also plan to upgrade the pharmacy in our premises," he said.

Last fiscal, the hospital had proposed plans to increase the number of beds. When asked if the expansion would be taken up this year, Mr Radhakrishnan replied in the negative. "We are thinking of increasing beds in the long-term, but as of now there are no specific plans."

In 2006-07, the hospital reported profits of about Rs 37 lakh. "We would like to see this increase this fiscal. But our primary aim, through the proposed projects, is to offer better and wide-ranging services to the local community," Mr Radhakrishnan said.

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