Johns Hopkins Medicine International (JHI) and India-based Bharat Family Clinic Pvt. Ltd. (BFC) have signed a first-of-its-kind Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a large network of outpatient primary care clinics across India.

BFC will open its flagship clinic in sector 54 Gurgaon, near the Delhi-NCR region, in November 2012.

Under the affiliation agreement with BFC, Johns Hopkins faculty and experts will advise Bharat Family Clinics on the development of clinical programs and assist with the facility design and operation of the new chain of primary and secondary care clinics across India. A network of nationwide clinics will be launched over a 10-year period with the first one scheduled to open in November.

“This initiative is an important step toward transforming primary health care services in India. We believe that this can be best accomplished through the delivery of quality medical and wellness services in an environment of compassion, comfort and care. We are planning to open 60 to 70 clinics in next 4-5 year with investment of Rs.150 to 200 crore,” said Pradeep Handa, MD and chairman of Bharat Family Clinic.

The new facilities will adopt the outpatient primary care procedures and protocols of Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, and will feature state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and highly trained teams of health care providers. Patient-centered service excellence, standardized treatment protocols, advanced information technology and modern medical equipment will allow for seamless operations and efficient knowledge transfer across the network of new clinics. The BFC clinics will offer consultations with physicians and will provide diagnostic, laboratory testing, and pharmacy and ambulatory care services. Areas of specialty will include general internal medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics, dermatology, endocrinology, gastroenterology and otolaryngology.

“As part of Hopkins’ historic mission, we strive to improve global health care by sharing our knowledge and expertise through partnerships with health systems around the world. We will be able to share our expertise through this unique project. We also hope that this project will make significant impact on the delivery of preventive and primary care in India and beyond,” said Steven J Thompson, chief executive officer, Johns Hopkins Medicine International.”