DM Healthcare, a $300m group and one of the largest healthcare service providers in the region, introduced their new corporate brand identity ‘Aster’ today. The new brand identity was revealed by the Chairman Dr. Azad Moopen, in presence of H.H Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, officials of DM Healthcare and media.
The new brand identity aims at consolidating and spearheading the four key verticals of DM Healthcare as one cohesive Brand. Aster will be integrating the hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centres, and pharmacies of the Group, spread over 90 locations in 5 countries. Introduction of Aster will enable the group to leverage the overall strength of the brand to build more meaningful connections with their customers and promote affordable, quality healthcare with a human touch.
Commenting on the occasion, Dr. Azad Moopen, Chairman, D.M. Healthcare, said, “We dedicate ourselves to achieving excellence in healthcare, with a conviction that a society is as healthy as its people and its achievements as high as its aspirations. Aster will embody our core principles of quality, affordability and care. While recognizing the importance of constant technological upgradation, we lay great focus on the men behind the machines. We strongly believe that healthcare is all about loving care rendered with a warm human touch.”
Explaining the rationale behind the new identity he said, “The new identity reflects the company’s achievements over the last decade and heralds its ambitions for the coming years. Healthcare is now considered a sunshine sector, which has proved to be recession proof in turbulent times. The GCC and Indian healthcare markets together are projected to grow to a whopping $150bn by 2020 from the present $45bn. We are gearing up to become one among the leaders in this geography by 2015. Aster will be the key driver of the Group in the future constituting 80% of our customers. Strategically, this is considered the best route to become a global player.”
‘Aster’ is the Greek word for star, and is a popular flower associated with vibrancy, colour, popularity and abundance. The new identity embodies these attributes and the Group’s promise to enrich life with love and care. Aster will bring alive the expertise, the value, the technology and best medical practices and emerge as a premier healthcare provider in the Middle East and India.
The Group envisions an expansion plan ‘Vision 2015’ aiming to become leader in the healthcare sector in the GCC and India. The Vision of the Group is to setup about 300 healthcare establishments with investments of $500m across Middle East and India.
DM Healthcare is one of the largest Healthcare Group’s in the UAE with a current investment adding up to $50m. An additional investment of $90m is envisaged in the near future.
The Vision 2015 in Oman includes 3 hospitals, 15 medical centres and 15 pharmacies under the Aster vertical with an additional investment of $27m.
In Qatar, DM Healthcare is all set for a major expansion. The plan is to establish a 50 bed Aster Hospital, 5 Aster Medical Centres and 12 Aster Pharmacies at an investment of US $30m in major towns like Al Khor, Al Rayyan, Al Wakra as part of the vision 2015.
Investment of SR250m is planned in Saudi Arabia establishing 5 hospitals, 15 clinics and 15 pharmacies in the Kingdom. In Bahrain the Group plans to have 10 units at an investment of $15m. In Kuwait too the Group plans to roll out 10 units and will invest $5m as part of the Vision 2015.
Dr. Azad Moopen also announced a sizeable investment in a unique CRM initiative – Aster Citizen Team (ACT) for its existing and growing customer’s. ACT will seamlessly offer comprehensive healthcare through all Aster verticals. Benefits will include accessibility and convenience under one window- medical history, priority appointments & reminders, online chat with our consultants and online purchase of medicines. The ACT initiative is in keeping with the DM healthcare philosophy of bringing ‘Healthcare for all’ closer to our customers. It will also offer special privileges for patients needing tertiary care intervention in our high end hospitals in GCC and our associate hospitals in India.
DM Healthcare’s Growth in India will be primarily driven through the DM MedCity at Kochi, India, a green-field venture, with an investment of $300m when completed, will be attracting patients from the world over. DM Healthcare will establish clusters of ‘Hub and Spoke Hospitals’ in the Tier II and III cities, aiming to have about 4000 beds under its ownership by the year 2015 in India.
The Medical College at Wayanad is another major green-field project of the Group which will have a 500 bed hospital in 2 years.
The brand promise of D.M. Healthcare “Big on Care” is based on making a big difference. ‘Big on Care’ is a mantra, a mission, a commitment that takes ‘Care’ of all the aspects of healthcare across all segments of society, by a caring and compassionate team. Today the group treats 12000 patients per day but the care given is even bigger.
DM Healthcare has emerged as a gateway to good health with its various community good health programmes (CGHP) and other CSR initiatives like health camps, Breast cancer awareness campaigns etc. In partnership with the MIMS Charitable Trust, DM Healthcare has created the ‘Save the Little Hearts’ foundation, aimed at providing free surgical treatment for underprivileged children with congenital heart diseases in UAE and Kerala, India. Diabetes prevention and management will be another focused initiative by the Group across GCC countries. Aster vertical will continue to foster these initiatives and support philanthropic ventures