Ambitious plans

INTERVIEW: Dr A M Arun

'We want to develop a pan-Asian presence'

Dr A M Arun is chairman of the Vasan Healthcare Group, which consists of Vasan Eye Care Hospitals, Vasan Medical Halls, Vasan Medical Centres, and Multi-specialty Hospitals.He is looking at leadership positions in all the segments in which the group is present. He wants to establish 50 super specialty eye hospitals and take the group's turnover to Rs 500 crore in three years and Rs 1,000 crore in five years.

How many different medical entities does the Vasan Healthcare Group consist of?

Primarily, Vasan Healthcare Group is comprised of four distinct divisions "" Vasan Eye Care Hospitals, Vasan Medical Halls, Vasan Medical Centres, and Multi-specialty Hospitals.

Which of them are you associated with, and in what capacity?

I have been associated with all the four divisions since inception, in the capacity of Chairman.

Where you a doctor before turning into entrepreneur? If so, what difficulties did you encounter in turning from a doctor to entrepreneur?  

Yes I was initially a medical doctor before I ventured into the above sectors. I look at difficulties as challenges and they were very few, like understanding and grasping management basics and techniques, understanding limits and boundaries of healthcare businesses, and innovative techniques of team building and leadership.

What are the different milestones that the Vasan Group has crossed in its entrepreneurial journey?

The Vasan group has touched several milestones during its journey, like operating the largest pharmacy retail chain with 10,000 foot falls per day in a semi-urban town like Trichy by mainly excelling in customer centricity. The group also runs the largest and fastest growing eye hospital chain in India with the highest number of outpatient visits, procedures and surgeries in the corporate eye care segment.

Some of the clinical breakthroughs in ophthalmology contributed by Vasan Eye Care include administration of macugen injections for retina patients; implanting the highest number of implantable contact lenses (ICLs); and the largest number of Zyoptix laser surgeries for patients with refractive errors.

What are some of your future plans and where do you see the Vasan Group three to five years from now?

We have ambitious growth plans and are looking at leadership positions in all the segments mentioned above. Currently we are keen to establish 50 super specialty eye hospitals across the length and breadth of the country, including four 'centres of excellence' in major metros for ophthalmic advancement, research and education.

We want to develop a pan-Asian presence in the eye care space within the next five years. We also want to expand the pharmacy retail chain in 10 other small and medium towns of Tamil Nadu, establishing 25 pharmacy retail stores in Chennai alone; and expand the multispecialty hospital into a 300-bed super specialty cardiac care facility. We want to develop many more health clinics in various other tier-II towns and finally, take the group turnover to Rs 500 crore in three years and Rs 1,000 crore in five years' time.

---

'Currently we are keen to establish 50 super specialty eye hospitals'
Dr A M Arun
Chairman, Vasan Healthcare Group