A Ray of Hope

In 1990, he started a 60-bed nursing home at Somajiguda, Hyderabad. Today, he runs three full-fledged hospitals with a combined capacity of 1,100 beds

Dr G Surender Rao (57) Executive Director, Yashoda Group, Andhra Pradesh

Born in 1951 at Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh, he did MBBS from Osmania University in 1974 and PG in Paediatrics from Algernone Cranken Hospital in Austria.

Why an entrepreneur?

Like everyone else he wanted to become an entrepreneur to bring quality healthcare to the masses at affordable prices. "While growing up, I saw people suffer or die due to sheer negligence or lack of money and that exactly became Yashoda's motto: affordable healthcare for all and sensitising people about various diseases," he says. For instance, Yashoda Cancer Institute is gearing up for a rural camp wherein it will teach people about symptoms and treatments of breast cancer and prostrate cancer. Additionally, the opportunity to create employment avenues for others was another reason that he was drawn to entrepreneurship.

Before being an entrepreneur

After completing his MBBS, Dr Rao left to Iran in 1975 and worked as a doctor there till 1983. During his tenure of eight years in Iran, Dr Rao was exposed to management of large hospitals and had the opportunity to work with international medical experts.

After his PG in Paediatrics he came back to India and started his own private practice at Dilsukhnagar, Hyderabad. "Encouraged by the success in my practice, I planned my first venture at Yashoda Hospital at Somajiguda, Hyderabad," says he.

The first move

In 1990, he started a 60-bed nursing home at Somajiguda, Hyderabad. Funds to kick off the venture were pumped in from family ventures. "The land for the project was acquired by my brother Ravinder Rao when I was in the Middle East. We pooled in our earnings to buy that piece of land. Money for building the hospital came from family business of Yashoda Vacuum Industries and also Yashoda Special Metals," says he. Eventually, Dr Rao's younger brother Devender Rao also joined the project as Finance Director.

Over the years

The 60-bed nursing home was later scaled up to 300-bed super speciality hospital. "The hospital within the first few years generated substantial goodwill with its quality medical services and affordable costs. Through the 90's and beyond the hospital emerged as a super speciality institution and people in the fraternity sat up and noticed its arrival in the field,” says he.

The hospital is the first one to introduce open platform computer navigation system in Andhra Pradesh and 16 channel HDX MRI system in South Asia. "We have grown from having a single CT scan to being one of the world's few digital flat panel cath labs," says he.

As a part of the growth plan, Yashoda Super Speciality Hospitals, Malakpet, Hyderabad was conceived in 1995. This 250-bed hospital has become one of the best corporate hospitals in Hyderabad. Yashoda Hospital started its third branch in Secunderabad in 2003. This 450-bed hospital is considered the largest hospital in Andhra Pradesh. Thus the group has 1,000 beds at prime locations in Hyderabad, catering not only to the requirements of Andhra Pradesh but also neighbouring states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and North Eastern states.

"Today, Yashoda group is empowered by 600 qualified doctors, 1,100 dedicated nurses and a total combined team of 4,500-member family, including trained paramedical and other supporting staff to provide round-the-clock personalised attention and care leading to faster recovery of patient," says Dr Rao. Yashoda Group of Hospitals currently provides care in 60 specialties including cardiology, oncology, neurology, urology, nephrology, gastroenterology, emergency, orthopaedics, endocrinology, gynaecology, paediatrics, vascular surgery and many more. In healthcare education, it has started DNB programme in various specialities, nursing colleges and schools and paramedical courses.

Fears and apprehensions in starting on his own

“None,” says he.

Any formal degree in management?

No. But he adds, "One needs to have formal training in management as it will bring in a structured and systemised way of operations."

Overcoming roadblocks

Trained manpower.

Mistakes made and lessons learnt

Manpower management.

Tips for entrepreneurship

"Hard work and focus. There is no substitute for it. No sweat, no gain," he believes.

Way Ahead

The group is planning to start three hospitals in twin cities (Hyderabad and Secunderabad) of 100 beds each. It also plans to start 50-100 bed Hospitals in all the significant two-tier towns like Karim Nagar, Warangal, Khammam and Vizag in AP. Affordable healthcare for all, with emphasis on 'health insurance' is the long-term vision of the hospital. "Our objective is to provide superior healthcare services to every individual in all medical specialities," says Dr Rao.

The group is launching Yashoda Cancer Institute by the end of this year. Also planned is an expansion from 1,100 beds at present to 5,000 beds by 2012. They have plans charted out for five more hospitals in Hyderabad outskirts and one in each district in Andhra Pradesh. "Expansion is very much on the cards covering South India at the moment," says he.

An entrepreneur that he admires in healthcare

"Dr Prathap C Reddy. I admire his calculated risk-taking skills," he states.