Pathfinder Health India Pvt Ltd. is a primary healthcare business set up with social intent by an alliance of social entrepreneurs many of whom are clinical practitioners from the United Kingdom and India who are passionate to redesign primary healthcare in India and take GP practice to the pan India. It is establishing holistic family practice, under the name of ‘Health India” focusing on reviving age old Family Medicine and strengthening GP practice in India. The venture expects to set up around 145 centres across India by 2015.

Cascading to tier 2, 3, 4 level cities, the set up will be through a hub and spoke model of satellite healthcare units supported by primary healthcare centres located within easy travelling distance to enable outreach to the surrounding poorly served rural and semi rural communities. The Primary Healthcare Centres will serve a patient population of 10,000 to 20,000 each and are designed to support 5 rising to 10 clinics DIBs (docs in boxes) per healthcare centre. The 10 DIBs will, in turn, effectively serve a much larger patient population of approximately 80,000 to 120,000. The DIBs run out into the poorer communities and the HUBs serve the existing community where they are strategically placed both as economic engines and a crucial community service.

Pathfinder’s hub and spoke model benefits patients as they do not have to travel as far to get treatment.Aspiring Urban communities will ‘pay as you go’ at Pathfinder’s healthcare centres. Health India is working with interested insurance companies to provide a solution for insurance cover. Below poverty line patients will potentially be partially supported by government backed Insurance schemes.

Family medicine ensures that people are not over medicated and quality healthcare is developed as a system. Pathfinder has been set up to give excellence in primary medical care and to generate awareness about the concept of family medicine. The model will encourage GP practices and help in try out new ways of providing healthcare services by focusing on hard-to-reach communities and breaking down the barriers to essential services. It offers a stimulating working environment for clinical and non-clinical staff, who can develop specialist skills and services.

The healthcare centres will also focus on key areas such as immunisation, cervical screening, minor surgery, family planning, integrated health ayurveda, homeopathy, palliative care, district nursing, health messaging, early health interventions, diagnostics, community awareness and engagement.