Aster DM, a private hospital network operating in Hyderabad, India, has merged with another hospital chain, Quality Care India, making it one of the top three hospital chains in India.

The merger, known as Aster DM Quality Care Limited, is going to set up around 38 hospitals with more than 10,150 beds across 27 cities in India, making healthcare services accessible to people living in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.

Alisha Moopen, Deputy Managing Director, Aster, spoke to India Today Digital about how this huge healthcare mix can benefit Indians, especially in states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and the southern region.

Moopen said, “Through our combined network, we aim to bridge the rural-urban healthcare gap. We have already established a successful business model in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities like Kochi, Calicut, Kannur, Guntur, Vijayawada and Kolhapur. has made.”

He highlighted the company’s plans to expand services like teleradiology and teleICU to remote areas of the country.

Teleradiology involves transmitting radiological images such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs from one location to another, allowing radiologists to provide expertise remotely.

This is valuable when specialized radiologists, such as neuroradiologists or pediatric radiologists, are needed but are not readily available in small or rural areas.

TeleICU, on the other hand, is like a video call where doctors use cameras to help monitor and care for very sick people in remote hospitals. They can view patient information and talk to nurses, ensuring everyone gets the best care, even if there aren’t enough doctors nearby.

According to Moopen, health services in India are highly “under-penetrated”.

“Our strategy involves synergistic integration of specialties and services. Of the approximately 1,880 beds planned by 2027, more than 57% of beds will be added in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. Programs like mobile medical services and AI-driven diagnostics will ensure outreach For deprived areas,” she said.

Aster is also set to launch an app called ‘Aster Health’, which will help patients book appointments with doctors, laboratories, view medical records and order medicines online, among other services. This service is already running successfully in the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Another division called Aster Digital Health is set to partner with medium-sized hospitals with various critical care services in tier 2 and tier 3 cities across the country.

Moopen highlighted that the hospital service is also focused on preventive care with new technology such as IOERT, a new and far more effective radiation treatment for cancer patients.

With the setting up of more hospitals in different corners of the country, Aster will expand medical education and nursing education programs in these areas.

“Currently, each of our units works independently with a mix of permanent doctors and visiting doctors who travel between locations. This setup will remain the same, with doctors staying in their respective units and sharing clinical commitments There will be internal movements within the merged entity to maintain excellence,” Moopen added.

Amid the increasing number of cancer patients in India, Moopen said this new collaboration will leverage telemedicine and digital platforms to provide world-class oncology services to people regardless of location.

But how can this merger tackle the rise in non-communicable diseases in a cost-effective manner? “By combining our operations, we can operate at a larger scale and at a lower cost for patients,” Moopen said.

“This will help us focus more on preventive care and early detection, which are important to address the growing problem of non-communicable diseases (NCDs),” he said.

He also said that Aster and Quality Care India’s “shared experience” in primary and tertiary care will facilitate the development of comprehensive, integrated health care models, focusing on lifestyle management, screening and management of chronic diseases.

Aster DM Quality Care Limited is now not only opening a new door of healthcare services for the underprivileged but is also ensuring to be eco-friendly.

“Sourcing renewable energy, optimizing water use and implementing waste management systems have helped businesses become more sustainable. For example, Aster CMI Hospital and Aster RV Hospital in Bengaluru have 93% and 85% respectively Energy consumption was from renewable energy sources in 2023-2024,” Moopen said.