The Hindu Business Line : Diagnostic laboratories sprouting all over AP

The development of diagnostics is showing two trends in the State. First, the big corporates that have come up recently, such as the Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Global Hospitals, CARE, Yashoda and Kamineni to name a few, have equipped themselves with sophisticated testing facilities, which they claim as their strengths. Some, such as Apollo and CDR Hospitals, have set up their own separatediagnostic centres

Secondly, from the conventional pathological laboratories, independent diagnostic centres are emerging as the in-thing. Pioneered by Medinova Diagnostics and followed closely by Vijaya Diagnostics, the recent entrant is Elbit Medical Diagnostics Ltd, and promising to set up a unit in Hyderabad is Metropolis Healthcare of Mumbai, with plans of providing high-end testing.

The focus of these new type of diagnostics is to emerge as referral to big hospitals, undertake independent and reliable testing and finally to do a bit of research.

Mr M.P. Chary, Chairman of Elbit says, the per capita usage of medical equipment in India is still low, hence the potential exists. Started as a 50:50 joint venture with Elbit of Israel a few years ago in Bangalore, the diagnostic centre has now set up two units in Bangalore and one in Hyderabad. It has also bought out the stake of the Israeli company, after it decided to exit, Mr Chary told Business Line.

Having invested nearly Rs 25 crore in its present ventures in Bangalore and Hyderabad, Elbit is planning to expand to a couple of more cities in the near future. Boasting of a 3 Tesla MRI, which it claims to be the best in the country, Elbit wants to position itself as a "World-class diagnostics service provider at Indian prices."

It is working on a new initiative of Tele-Radiology to ensure affordable imaging services to rural people, atleast in major towns. In Hyderabad, through its city centre, it wants to link seven towns. Similar efforts are on in Bangalore as well, said Mr V.V.S. Kashyap, Managing Director.

Another interesting feature that is developing in diagnostics is the concept of maintenance and operation of lab facilities of big hospitals by specialised diagnostic labs. For example, Metropolis is doing it in Bangalore for Ramaiah Hospitals and similar example exists in Chennai too. While, the growth of independent diagnostic labs can take the load off conventional hospitals and give rise to new entrepreneurship, the big question is the quality standards. The National Accreditation Board Ltd (NABL) has undertaken the task of reviewing the facilities and providing the quality certification.

Interestingly, the refurbished Government hospitals like Gandhi Hospital, now in an all together new look facilities at a new location in the city, the soon to be upgraded Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) and the King Kothi hospital are providing tough competition to the large number of corporate hospitals in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad with fine diagnostic facilities.

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