Apollo Hospitals Enterprises

Dear Members
 
 As we enter our twenty fifth year, I took time off to draw up a balance
 sheet of our achievements. Not just in terms of numbers, which has of
 course been growing year after year and which has made Apollo
 Hospitals, India's most valuable healthcare company, but more in terms
 of innovations and initiatives which result directly in improving the
 quality and delivery of healthcare.
 
 It reminds me of the Rubik Cube, where through a series of well thought
 out moves one attempts to bring a visible symmetry in a system which to
 begin with, seems to be in a state of disarray and filled with
 apparently unrelated elements. The trick lies in aligning individual
 pieces, without losing sight of every link it has and the effect each
 piece can have on every other piece.
 
 It gives me immense satisfaction to note that at Apollo Hospitals we
 have achieved a perfect orchestration of all the inputs. While we have
 created assets in every relevant field - technological,
 infrastructural, human and intellectual resources - we have also made
 sure that we have blended these and got results far more effective than
 what a simple sum of the individual constituents would have delivered.
 
 For example a judicial combination of our prowess in technology and
 manpower helped us maintain the highest standards. This in turn helped
 in four of our hospitals being awarded the JCI accreditation, giving us
 the distinction of being the only such hospital group in Asia. And more
 importantly, this recognition is actually acting as a powerful
 motivator for all our employees. A potent blend of two strong emotions,
 pride and responsibility that is perceptibly building a sense of
 ownership and loyalty. For the patients this has meant a demonstrable
 improvement in clinical outcome and safety. Very gratifyingly, this is
 true of the other hospitals too in our group which are not yet JCI
 accredited. All our new projects, for example the Bangalore hospital
 are designed keeping JCI compliance in mind.  JCI accreditation also
 means an assurance of international clinical standards and patient
 safety. And acceptance by overseas health insurance providers This has
 opened up enormous opportunities for us in terms of patients from other
 countries coming to Apollo Hospitals for advanced treatments.
 
 Many of our initiatives have been influenced by critical needs that
 have developed in the society. Several disease patterns are changing,
 affecting larger number of people and that too in populations hitherto
 considered safe. For instance, incidence of chest pain has grown
 alarmingly and many cases turn serious, as often timely medical help is
 not available. Apollo Hospitals' initiative in this area is indeed
 ambitious. It involves setting up a chain of Chest Pain Clinics all
 over the country. In the first year itself we are planning about 100
 clinics, some in association with partner hospitals. Making sure that
 the best of attention is available at a clinic close enough to render
 immediate assistance.
 
 The Health City, inaugurated few weeks back at Hyderabad is a first of
 the kind in Asia. Graduating from a hospital complex to a self
 contained health city. With centres of excellence in every medical
 discipline. Encompassing world class infrastructure to address every
 healthcare need from diagnosis to treatment to rehabilitation. And
 providing facilities for advanced research and education. This apart
 the Health City will also offer alternative and complementary medicine
 like ayurveda and homeopathy. In short a city designed to cover the
 entire healthcare spectrum.
 
 The standards that we maintain, the outcomes that we have achieved, the
 technologies that we use have all placed Apollo Hospitals among the
 most respected hospital groups. And our consultants are world renowned,
 acknowledged as experts and respected as fine doctors. Capable of
 adopting and adapting the latest and best technologies and
 demonstrating their dedication through clinical outcomes matching
 global standards. Honours have been heaped upon them. This year too, a
 few of my colleagues have joined our long roll of National Awardees.
 Proving once again what I always believe in do your duty and the
 fruits will follow.
 
 Medical insurance is one area where though there is some development,
 India has a long way to go. The situation is quite poignant with, on
 the one hand, the penetration of insurance being very low and, on the
 other, the cost of quality treatment not being affordable for most
 people. The answer very obviously is preventive health checks, which
 help in two ways, avoiding the high cost of treatment at later stages
 and preventing the likely complications, if timely treatment is not
 provided. And here, your Company has done yeoman work. The concept of
 health check packages pioneered by us continues to be one of our major
 focus areas and has also become the standard that numerous hospitals
 across the country follow. At the same time, we also have plans to
 promote health insurance in association with some leaders in the field.
 
 You will be happy to know that your Company continued its efforts in
 social causes. SACH (Save A Child's Heart) did exemplary work in
 screening and treating several children with congenital heart diseases.
 And so did SAHI, bringing succour to numerous patients with hearing
 impairment.
 
 Among the several reasons for Apollo Hospitals' success are two that
 are of paramount importance. One, the support and encouragement I have
 consistently received from all of you. And two, the unstinted efforts
 of every employee in our Group. Not sheer compliance with the duties
 assigned, but going beyond and driven by a passion to excel. It is
 these elements of individual expertise that have made Apollo Hospitals
 a giant edifice of excellence.  Positioning us firmly as the most
 valuable healthcare company in the country.
 
 Even as I look back at the last twenty five years with contentment, I
 am sure that the path and pace we have set for ourselves will see
 Apollo Hospitals climbing even greater heights in the next twenty five
 years.
 
 Dr. Prathap C Reddy