Ruby Hall, the 525 bedded state -of-the-art hospital, one of the oldest in Pune city has drawn up major expansion plans to spread its operations to other cities of the state. Unwinding the plans Bomi Bhote, Chief Executive Officer of the hospital said, "We are planning to set up five hospitals in the city through some tie-ups with the existing hospitals and we also have plans to set up our own at some other locations in the city."

Ruby Hall plans to set up a multi-speciality hospital in Mumbai in collaboration with the Shapoorji and Palloonji group. "We have another Rs, 30 crore marked for this hospital. This will be a state-of-the -art multi-speciality hospital, which would specialise in Nephro, Cardiac, and neuro."

As per the latest figures from National PTCA Registry Records of India, Ruby Hall comes first in western India in Angiographies and Angioplasties and is classified as a high volume Institution in Cardiology. And it was here that the first Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) Implant (Medtronic Microjewel II) was performed for the first time in Pune by Ruby Hall Clinic on 15th January 1998. The implant was performed by Dr. M S Hiremath and his team.

Ruby Hall was again the first in the State to perform the first cadaver, outside Mumbai. The next major project the Hospital wants to take up is a Cancer Hospital with the investment of Rs. 25 crore. Elaborating on the cancer centre Dr. Sumit Basu, Incharge, Cancer Care Project said, "The work for the project would take off in the next few months and the Centre is expected to be completed by the year 2005.The centre not only aim at the treatment of newly diagnosed cases, but also comprises prevention by screening, diagnosis and post-treatment follow up and rehabilitation.''

According to Basu, the six-storeyed mega project would be similar to the reputed cancer centres in Mumbai and other places. Elaborating on the infrastructure of the centre, Basu said, "The new comprehensive centre would house all the diagnostic facilities, consulting rooms for medical, surgical and radiation oncologists, radiation therapy facilities, a day care centre and bone marrow transplant setup.''

Besides all this, the new generation treatment planning simulator and computerized treatment planning system will be installed for precise treatment of the disease. Medical oncology facilities will also be provided in the day care centre, with a 40-bedded unit for chemotherapeutic procedures on a day care basis. And keeping pace with the advances in the medical field and to help the patient efficiently, Ruby Hall also plans to open peripheral hospitals with the investment of Rs. 5-6 crore in four neighbouring districts viz. Karad, Nashik, Kolhapur and Jalgaon. According to Bhote, "We would open peripheral hospitals in the four districts where we will recruit doctors and the hospitals would be connected to the main cancer centre here at Ruby Hall. This kind of hubs would help the patient, as he would not have to travel to Pune for the treatment.''

Established in the year 1959 by Dr. Keki. Byramjee Grant with two beds and an X-ray machine and an adjoining lab has now every diagnostic and therapeutic facility under its roof. This is not all, Ruby Hall under the guidance of Dr. Grant have always aimed at giving more and more facilities to its patients. And in this endeavor the Clinic recently inaugurated the state-of -the art test tube baby centre with a strategic tie up agreement with the Australia based Sydney Invitro Fertilization (SIVF) center, to provide exclusive transfer of technology to Indian patients and doctors relating to all aspects of infertility, IVF and other assisted conception treatments.

Dr. D. Ghosh, Head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Ruby Hall Clinic said, "The exclusive agreement will help doctor's team and patients to have consultation through video conferencing twice a week for half an hour with experts panel of the SIVF center to discuss the various important cases at Ruby Hall IVF Center."

With the investment of around Rs. 1.5 crore, the centre has become first of its kind to be located in a large hospital. Noted endoscopist and Chief IVF Consultant Dr. Sunita Tandulwadkar said "SIVF will take the responsibility of the lab standards at Ruby Hall Clinic with constant up-gradation, so as to achieve success rate as comparable to international standards." In the list of new facilities also stands the GE DMR+ mammography unit. Dr. Varsha Hardas, Incharge of the mammography unit said that in future Ruby Hall also has plans to set up breast clinic along with breast surgeons, breast oncologist and breast histopathologist to give the complete set up for the breast cancer patients.

Another latest facility that Ruby Hall added was the emergency medical services and trauma centre facility to provide immediate help to the accident victims. But the services at Ruby Hall does not stop here it further goes on to successfully imparting training to the students. And a proof to that the Tehmi Grant School of Nursing would soon be shifting to a new building by 1st July built within the campus of the Clinic. Elucidates Bhote, "The building is constructed with the investment of Rs. eight crore and is spread on the area of 40,000 sq.ft. It will accommodate around 450 people including the students and the staff. HE further added, `` The aim of the school is to prepare the students for 'A' Grade training program in General Nursing and Midwifery, so as to meet the healthcare needs of the community.''

Ruby Hall Clinic is also recognized by the University of Poona as a teaching Institution for Postgraduate courses in Medicine (MD), General Surgery (MS), Obstetrics and Gynecology (MD), General Medicine (DNB), and General Surgery (DNB). The hospital is also recognized for DGO, DCH, DLO, DMRD, DORTH and DA courses by the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Mumbai. It is also recognized by the Indian Council of Medical Research for special research projects. The Hospital also imparts Certificate Course in Critical Care Medicine.

One more major plan that is on the list is the opening up of a medical college. Bhote revealed, "We have earmarked the budget of Rs. thirty to open a medical college at a distance of five kilometers from the hospital. The concept is still in initial stage as and the work would start as soon as we get the land as per our requirement.''