The Hindu Business Line : MedPlus launching integrated health centres

In addition to the pharmacy, the centre will have a doctor (general physician) and a diagnostic lab. Each centre would cost around Rs 50 lakh in investment and MedPlus plans to launch 200 of these by March 2009.

Announcing the launch plans to newspersons here today, Dr. Madhukar Gangadi, CEO, MedPlus, said about 20 of these centres would be in Hyderabad. The funds would be mobilised through internal accruals and debt.

Expansion plans

MedPlus, launched in 2006, has 300 pharmacies spread in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. It plans to increase the number to 1,000, including in four more States — Gujarat, Kerala, Rajasthan and West Bengal, he said.

While not giving the details of the funding or turnover, Dr Madhukar said they were looking at a model involving 75 per cent franchisee and 25 per cent owned for the IHCs and stores.

The company is also in the process of putting in place standards and attaining quality certifications for the diagnostics.

Each IHC would be in the range of 1,200 to 2,000 sq. ft. Medical, nursing, lab and so on, would be on shared basis. “Our primary concern is to provide under one roof all these services and ease the pain of finding a good doctor,” said Mr Apu Gupta, COO, MedPlus.

Around 50 doctors have agreed to utilise the IHC. An extensive network for home delivery of medicines and collection of samples for the labs is being put in place.

MedPlus has also tied up with Bajaj Allianz Health Insurance to bring benefit to the customers. Similar arrangements are also being worked out with insurance companies and pharma to bring value to customers, he said.

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