Aster DM Healthcare, the biggest healthcare network in the GCC (and presence in India and the Middle East) sets up its first clinic in the Philippines, marking the medical conglomerate’s first location in Southeast Asia, and the entry of a strong global player in the healthcare industry.
“’The delivery of healthcare is a sacred responsibility. When people entrust us with their lives, it is our duty to see to it that they receive best possible care delivered by highly skilled professionals with the human touch and highest technology. As a healthcare provider, we believe it is very important to reach out to people across geographies and extend our services to those who really need it. . . . As an employer of choice to thousands of Filipino staff at DM healthcare, we wanted to give back to the community that is integral to our growth, success and quality,” said Dr. Azad Moopen, chairman and managing director of Aster DM Healthcare.
Founded in 1987 by Dr. Moopen, Aster DM Healthcare began as a small clinic outside of Dubai. Over 28 years, the company has been steadily expanding in India and throughout the Gulf Region.
Headquartered in Dubai, the group’s over 290 establishments dot the maps of India, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Oman, with the number set to double by 2017.
Included in this network are 14 hospitals, 14 hospitals, 75 medical centers, a medical university and nearly 175 pharmacies across the GCC region and India. One of the group’s biggest projects is the landmark Aster MediCity, a sprawling hospital complex in Kerala, India composed of nine different medical establishments.
“We have made an initial investment of Php250M (USD5.3M) in the Philippines to build a network of ambulatory clinics that will be synonymous with quality, affordability and accessibility. Keeping in mind the growing need for hospital facilities in the Philippines, especially for cardiac diseases and cancer care, we hope to be able to extend our network from primary care facilities to secondary and tertiary care facilities in the future,” states Alisha Moopen, Aster DM Healthcare Executive Director and Group CEO for Hospitals and Clinics.
With plans for widespread expansion in the Philippines, Aster DM Healthcare inaugurates its first facility in the country the Aster Medical and Diagnostic Clinic at St. Francis Square, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City, offering quality healthcare and services at an affordable price.
While the clinic is Aster DM Healthcare’s first business venture in the Philippines, the group is no stranger to the Philippines. As early as 2013, Aster DM Healthcare’s charity arm, the Dr. Moopen (DM) Foundation, had already launched Save the Little Hearts program, which granted surgeries for children born with congenital heart defects.
“We have been in the Philippines for the last three years giving free heart surgeries to underprivileged children. What started as a way of giving back to the Filipino community paved the way for an opportunity to see what is missing and where we can provide help in an organized manner. Setting up clinics and hospitals is something that we have been doing in the past 28 years across the GCC region, Middle East, and India, and we are hoping to do the same in the Philippines,” states Country Manager Joyce Socao-Alumno.
With the formal establishment of the Aster DM Healthcare in the Philippines, more Filipinos are set to benefit, not only with the quality of service it will provide the communities it serves, but also for the employment opportunities it creates for healthcare professionals.
“Right now there are about 3,000 Filipinos in our network, and we see that growing exponentially in the coming years,” reveals Alumno.
Alumno notes that with the group’s long experience across the healthcare spectrum, it takes pride in services, practices, and technology that are all at par with global standards.
“Almost three decades of experience serves as our backbone and foundation. We would like to contribute to upgrading the healthcare standards in the Philippines by instilling the best practices and culture in the organization,” Alumno elaborates. “We have 1500 doctors within our organization and we have deep expertise running healthcare units from ambulatory care clinic format to the finest quaternary facilities with the most advanced technologies available such as the Da Vinci robot, the Linear Accelerator, and advanced centres of excellence for all specialties of medicine between our various hospitals.”
Moopen affirms that the healthcare industry in the Philippines faces similar challenges to India.
“The interplay between poverty and disease compounded by the burgeoning population and exodus of healthcare workers in the country creates a gap between the medical requirements and the availability of facilities to address these needs,” observes Moopen. “We are here to provide healthcare service to the underserved communities. It is our mission to offer healthcare at the right price in every geographical location that we serve.”
Advancements in technology has brought some very interesting changes in the field of healthcare, Moopen further states.
“The aim and the hope is to reach a much wider segment of the population at lower cost. If we are able to reach people without spending large capital outlays in setting up units, we are able to keep the costs low, making it more affordable to the patients,” Moopen asserts. “With the Philippines’ unique geographical layout with thousands of islands in the archipelago, the populationwill also benefit greatly if we are able to bring healthcare into more homes for routine visits and basic medical needs. Aster is committed to staying at the forefront of such shifts in the delivery of healthcare.”
At the present site, the Aster Medical and Diagnostic Clinic is at the heart of the Ortigas Central Business District, right in the BPO hub.
“We will be catering to the mid segment of the population who are typically employed and have some form of HMO coverage. In UAE, we are able to cater to different markets under different brands, which we eventually hope to do in the Philippines,” Alumno explains.
“We are hopeful of being a preferred healthcare provider in the hearts and minds of the Filipinos, “concludes Moopen. “We reiterate our commitment to bring together strong medical teams which are always managed with good systems, process, protocols and standards. We hope that in the next five years, we will slowly and gradually evolve from primary to tertiary care.”