"It's a case of doctors reaching out to patients," Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals managing-director RK Takkar told The Financial Express.The company has already invited proposals for setting up such satellite clinics, which will be finalised soon, Mr Takkar said.

The first such satellite clinic will be coming up shortly in Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, and another five are expected to come up over the next six to eight months. Although these outpatient (OPDs)/satellite clinics will be operated by the franchisees, professional back-up and services will be provided by Apollo consultants, he said. All investments, including the property and management, will be of the partner or the franchisee who will run the OPD or the satellite clinic, said the managing-director.

Apollo will not charge any thing, but the move is aimed to generate more admissions to the hospital through these OPDs. These clinics will provide high-quality services, which will be at par with the services provided at Apollo hospital, and will provide all basic back-up emergency services aimed at providing post-treatment facilities to Apollo hospital's patients by going to their doorsteps.

It is a patient friendly measure, which will help them get high-quality medical attention near their doorstep, Mr Takkar added. They will be inter-connected with each other and will also have linkage with the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital through satellite. `Apollo satellite clinics' will be equipped with all modern equipment, and `Apollo certified' doctors and clinic will have at least three to four doctors and around 25 consultants on a regular basis.

Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi is owned by Indraprastha Medical Corporation Ltd, part of the Chennai-based Apollo Hospitals group. Besides Chennai, the group is presently running a hospital in Hyderabad and new hospitals are coming up in Ahmedabad, Ludhiana, Lucknow, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.