How To Start A Polyclinic Business In India | SkillsAndTech

Polyclinic or specialty clinics are gaining rapid popularity in India. These clinics are popular in metro cities and small towns. The object of crafting this article is to provide an in-depth guide on how to start a polyclinic in India.

Generally, a polyclinic provides services like examination, consultation, the prescription to outpatients including dispensing of medicines by a single/general practitioner/ specialist doctor /super-specialist doctor. Also, the clinic can perform a few minor procedures like dressing and administering injections, etc. However, the procedures must not require observation or a short stay.

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What Type of Services You Can Offer from a Polyclinic

A polyclinic can deliver the following health care services of rehabilitative nature:

• Gen Physician
• Cardiology
• Cardiothoracic surgery
•  Dermatology
• ENT
• Endocrinology
• Gastroenterology
• Internal Medicine Gen Surgery
• GI –Surgery
• Gynecology & Obstetrics
• Medical/Surgical Oncology
• Nephrology
• Neurosurgery
• Neurology
• Ophthalmology
• Orthopedics
• Pediatrics/pediatric surgery
• Psychiatry
• Rheumatology
• Thoracic surgery
• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Disease
• Urology

Polyclinic Market Potential In India

Lifestyle diseases like stress, infertility, and diabetes are rapidly increasing in India. So, urban people are visiting doctors more often than a serious medical issues. And urban people prefer visiting a Trichology, Allergy, Nephrocare than visiting a super specialty hospital offering similar kinds of services. Because everyone wants dedicated services for their health issues without wasting much time.

The polyclinics save the time and pain of traveling to crowded and far distanced big hospitals. And thus it has received a good response from consumers over the years. In a polyclinic, people get medical attention from experts under one roof whereas in a hospital they need to keep running from one department to another.

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In addition, increasing disposable income and health awareness among the population is creating big opportunities for polyclinic business in India.

Basic Infrastructure of a Polyclinic

There are certain rules and regulations for providing infrastructure in the clinic. There are:

• First of all, you will need to develop and maintain to provide the physical facility in a safe and secure environment for patients, their families, staff, and visitors.
• You must provide a place having clean surroundings and shall comply with local bylaws in force if any from time to time.
• In addition, you must provide the minimum space requirement for carrying out the basic functions of the facility.
• Choose proper accounting software for carrying out daily transactions.
• You must provide adequate water supply, ventilation, and cleanliness on the premise.
• You must hang a prominent board/signage displaying the name of the clinic in a local language at the gate or on the building of the clinic.

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Finally, you must display the following things:

• Name of the doctors with the registration number.
• Fee structure of the various doctors/ specialist
• Timings of the clinics (For example – from 8 am -2 pm)
• Services are provided within the Facility.

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Furthermore, the clinic must have the furniture and fixtures in accordance with the activities and the workload of the Clinic/polyclinic.

Legal & Statutory Requirement For Polyclinic

Name Of The License	Licensing Body
Trade License	Local Municipal Authority
Registration of medical doctor with Central/State Medical Council	MCI/State Medical Council as applicable
Biomedical Management & Handling Rules, 1998	State pollution control Board
Provisional registration of the Clinic	State Council

Equipment & Drugs For Polyclinic

You must keep some of the essential and emergency equipment. the list includes a stethoscope, thermometer, Torch (flashlights), Sphygmomanometer(B.P. Apparatus), weighing scale, etc. In addition, you must provide adequate space for the storage of equipment and medicines.

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Also, you will need to provide some basic minimal drugs and medicines. You will need to provide the healthcare support staff to meet the care treatment and service needs of the patient. However, numbers may vary according to the workload and scope of the services.

Administration & Operation Of Polyclinic

In running and operating the clinic, you must follow several rules and guidelines. Here, we put some of the basics.

• Maintain medical records of patients treated by the clinic and health information and statistics in respect of national programs. And furnish the same to the district authorities in the form of quarterly reports.
• Keep all the copies, records, and statistics with the clinical establishment concerned for at least 3 or 5 years or in accordance with CEA act rules.
• You will need to submit the information and statistics in the time of emergency or disaster or epidemic situation or as required from time to time by National Council CEA 2010.
• In addition, you must maintain a register for every patient visiting the clinic.
• Every patient shall undergo assessment, during the course of the assessment. You must maintain the documentation of patient findings, medications, and investigations. However, you must keep the documents with the signature of the consultant/ Specialist/super Specialist with the date and time.

Starting and operating a polyclinic is not everyone’s cup of tea. It needs the right knowledge, dedication, and of course substantial capital investment. However, there are immense scopes and opportunities for starting a small polyclinic.

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Furthermore, you can also start with a small space. And expand the clinic as it grows. Concentrate on providing the right services according to the local demand. In addition, provide quality equipment. Polyclinic operations are huge. It is advisable to use the right software and quality manpower for smooth operation.