Hyderabad based MedPlus Healthcare Services, the chain of full service pharmacies, is gearing up to stretch out its clinical arm, the Integrated Health Centres, across the country. This is further to its expansion plan of pharmacy chain with 10,000 outlets in next five years.

With this growth projection, MedPlus will establish an all India presence to make a sea change in the healthcare sector of the country with its novel healthcare network.

The Integrated Health Centres comprise a family clinic, one diagnostic lab and a pharmacy outlet. The family clinic, which is attached to one pharmacy store, will have a physician, one paediatrician and a gynaecologist. Currently MedPlus operates 20 family clinics, 15 in Hyderabad and 5 in Kerala, Apu Gupta, chief marketing officer, MedPlus Health Services told Pharmabiz.

The retail pharma chain that launched in February 2006 has within three years time established its base in eight states, including Tamil Nadu, with over 600 outlets and serves more than 45,000 customers everyday. The CEO, without setting a time frame, said the company is proposing for setting up ten thousand outlets across the country in a few years. But the immediate attention is given for launching the health centres in some metros and in some tier 2 and tier 3 locations.

"MedPlus operates neighbourhood pharmacy outlets and community clinics so that we may be as close as possible to the doorsteps of our customers. Our outlets carry a wide range of medicines making it possible for customers to find everything they are looking for in one place. Our pharmacies also provide 10 per cent discount on medicines and 5 per cent discount on other health and hygiene related items. MedPlus also stores its medicines in ideal conditions to ensure that the medicines reach the consumers as fresh as the day they were manufactured", Apu Gupta said.

He said MedPlus has been present in Kerala since November 2008, where it offers its Integrated Health Centres that combine experienced doctors, state-of-the-art pathological lab testing facilities, and quality medicines outlets under one roof.

While speaking on quality aspect he said MedPlus is taking great pains to ensure that its medicines are of the highest quality. The company sells medicines that are supplied by reputed manufacturers who are following strict quality standards.

When asked whether these chain stores would pose threat to the traditional retail stores in the country, he said his company is not against any system or trader community and added MedPlus has over 4000 staff at present and the strength would increase as the chain spreads. He said he is also having membership with some national trader organizations.

Apu Gupta further said recently MedPlus has tied up with Wockhardt Hospitals to help consumers access to quality cardiac care services in MedPlus Clinics in Hyderabad. With this facility, the customers can make use of the expertise of Wockhardt Hospital at a family clinic of MedPlus near their home.

MedPlus healthcare and Lifetime Healthcare Ltd are the two major companies that run chain of pharmacy stores in Chennai and in Bangalore. Lifetime health care runs its pharma outlets under the brand name, Life Ken'.