Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai

Inspired by the teachings of Sri Aurobindo, Aravind Eye Hospital (AEH), run by Govel trust, made its humble beginning in Madurai in a rented house with 11 beds in 1976. Today, with the capacity to accommodate 1400 patients, AEH has marked its firm presence as the leader in providing quality and cost effective ophthalmic services to the masses with a blend of technology and service.

Significant Achievements in the Last One Year

AEH has established new plant in 'Aurolab'— a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility to take care of manufacturing affordable eye-care supplies to cater to the needs of eye-care in developing countries. A dedicated research infrastructure is being developed to enable to participate in both clinical and basic research. In recognition to serving the underprivileged, AEH received the $1 million Gates Award for Global Health for 2008 from the Melinda Gates foundation.

New Initiatives

AEH has established Aravind Managed Eye Care Services (AMECS) to take eye-care to every part of the country in collaboration with prospective partners. The Hospital has established a tertiary eye-care facility in Lucknow which is its second project in Uttar Pradesh, in partnership with Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust. AMECS has two hospitals in Uttar Pradesh and one each in West Bengal and Gujarat.

Biggest Challenges

"Our community out-reach programmes for the past thirty years has been able to make a significant impact in the lives of people from Tamil Nadu" - Dr S Aravind, Administrator Aravind Eye Hospital

Changing expectation of both employees and patients poses an interesting challenge to AEH and the Hospital strives to achieve it by constantly analysing feedback and suggestions. The Hospital has set various metrics and benchmarks to be met in each department and this leads to continuously improve the quality of work. The Hospital is further aiming to develop leadership at the execution level.

Productivity and Output

AEH is committed to work constantly using the lean principles to reduce the waiting time and enhance the throughput of the Hospital. "AEH is open to adopt technology that allows us to increase the productivity," says Dr S Aravind, Administrator, AEH.

Long term Fiscal viability

"Our new hospitals are expected to break-even by end of six months for operating expenditures. We expect to take about seven to eight years for payback of the capital investment," says Dr P Namperumalsamy, Chairman, AEH.

CSR

Nearly 70 per cent of patients are treated free of cost at the Hospital. AEH conducts regular screening camps free of cost to the rural population. The Hospital has pioneered a community based eye-care project by establishing 25 vision centers in rural Tamil Nadu. Each center provides comprehensive eye-care to a population of 50,000 people. LAICO (Lions Aravind Institute of Community Ophthalmology), a community inititative by AEH, shares the AEH way of working with 230 other hospitals within and outside the country to enhance the eye-care provided by them. "Our community out-reach programmes for the past thirty years has been able to make a significant impact in the lives of people from Tamil Nadu," says Dr S Aravind.

Long-Term Vision

The aim of the Hospital is to provide high quality treatment at affordable costs. "We serve the population towards the bottom of the so-called economic pyramid. AECS works on core principles of reaching the people with efficient community based eye-care services, with aid of technology, keeping up its mission of eradication of needless blindness," says Dr Namperumalsamy.