CARE Hospitals is a for-profit entity, evolving as integrated and networked healthcare delivery model, both horizontally and vertically, that suits the needs of the population across geographic (rural and urban) and social (low to high income groups) spectra. Care was found in 1997 by Dr. B. Soma Raju and has since grown rapidly from 100 beds to 1500 beds and from one unit to thirteen units within a span of decade, currently serving a million patients in the out-patients and around fifty thousand admissions annually, of which cardiac volumes constitute half of the patient load.
Within service delivery, Care has 3 focus areas: the hospital, primary health clinics, and villiage "health guides" outfited with Point of Care diagnostics and who perform education, data-collection, and provide basic care within the community.
While achieving the clinical outcomes on par with international standards, CARE has been able to perform advanced procedures at a fraction of international costs, thereby contributing substantial share in promoting India as a destination for medical tourists. Care Hospitals’ philosophy revolves around cost control. The costs of single procedures are monitored, accurate diagnosis and recommendations to minimize costs are emphasized, and clinical processes have been developed to mitigate unnecessary expensive invasive procedures.
To help finance care, the hospital is starting a micro-insurance product that will cover a basic primary care package, including some medicines, for $10/year for a family of 4. This product is being developed to complement the RSBY government insurance, which covers care in the hospital.
The core of the strategy is a team-based approach with highly skilled physicians committed to Care’s methods and processes. Care Hospitals aims to create an environment of continued learning; research is encouraged and the teams of doctors meet regularly to share experiences. This promotes discussion and knowledge transfer.
Care Hospitals also has a not-for-profit society [CARE Foundation] which works in the domains of innovations in medical education and training, healthcare research, channelizing charity to poor patients, and adopting technology to reach to people in communities – both rural and urban. It operates in a network environment with various public and private institutions.
CARE Rural Health Mission, supported by the CARE Foundation, is carrying out telemedicine programs in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
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