Bangalore seeing spurt in organised family clinics

The good old family doctor is getting resuscitated in a completely new avatar. Gone are the nondescript 220 sq ft clinics located at the end of some shabby street with a stubby compounder doling out medicines.

Springing up in their place are swanky branded centres measuring 600-1,200 sq ft being set up with investments of Rs20-25 lakh, and boasting of a couple of general practitioners, a paediatrician, nurse and pharmacist each.

Charging Rs150-250 per GP consultation, these branded clinics are targeting the rising migrant population that has an adequate paying capacity. Currently, there are 36 branded family doctor clinics in the city, with 100 more expected by December. Newer areas like Kanakapura, Bellandur, Whitefield, Hebbal, Outer Ring Road and Sarjapura would be key for establishing such centres.

“We will focus on office complexes, apartment blocks and factories apart from neighbourhoods,” says Naresh Malhotra, director at Indiranagar-based Modern Family Doctor, which has 18 clinics.

A concept propelled by doctors themselves, branded clinics work on the fact that in the last few years, with the growing influence of specialists and super-specialists, the family doctor has tapered out in importance.

Moreover, as several people have migrated to Bangalore from other places, the absence of the family GP who knew the medical profiles and histories of every member of the household, becomes another reason for running to hospitals and specialists, say experts.

Banker Kirti Shah, who had been in living near Bannerghatta Road for three years, says as she has left behind her family physician in her hometown Mumbai, the only place she tends to go when her son falls ill is the nearest hospital. “And in hospitals often it means paying specialists even for minor problems like fever or injuries sustained while playing,” she points out.

Experts say about 70-80 per cent of all medical cases can be addressed by the family doctor. But in reality, 75 per cent patients end up running to specialists or hospitals doing endless tests, apart from the time and money involved.

“We are trying to reinstate the importance of the GP,” says Santanu Chattopadhyay, a doctor and founder of NationWide Primary Healthcare Services which runs 18 clinics in the city. Chattopadhyay says he had witnessed a healthy demand for branded clinics in the newer parts of Bangalore where services are yet to grow sufficiently.