FRONTIER LIFELINE & DR. K. M. CHERIAN HEART FOUNDATION
PRESENT
FRONTIER MEDIVILLE
(A fully integrated state-of-the-art Medical Village)

Introduction

In the world of medicine as in other industries, technology is changing at a rapid pace; given India’s large pool of trained manpower in medicine, healthcare, life sciences and clinical data, it has been recognized that a single venue, which will bring together the combined and coordinated efforts of various branches of scientific research and medicine, is of paramount importance.

A unique brainchild of world renowned cardiac surgeon Dr. K.M. Cherian, Frontier Mediville is the definitive dream of the dedicated doctor, on a mission to provide the ultimate medical destination to every global citizen. This medical village is to be established in a 360 acre campus in Elavur Village (Tada), a rural setup, close to Chennai city and within 45 min drive from the Chennai International Airport or the centre of the city.

The Genesis of Frontier Mediville

Various medi-cities are mushrooming all over India, aggressively promoted by big players in the corporate world. This corporate culture invasion of the healthcare sector is driven with a keen eye on the bottom line; however Dr Cherian firmly stands by his belief that “Healthcare is an industry, but care of the sick is NOT an industry.”

This philosophy which is often reiterated by him, has evolved from 37 years of personal experience and practice in our country, in a super-specialty such as cardiology and cardiac surgery. His vast experience covers the painstaking efforts of setting-up at least 4 institutions, starting with a hospital in the government sector, then progressing to the private sector where he even established a medical college.

PROPOSED FRONTIER MEDIVILLE

Dr. Cherian aims to promote a medical climate offering the best medical treatment, services and infrastructure to all sectors of society, regardless of language, religion, race or nationality from any economic background. This vision will be well supported by cutting-edge technology based upon a strong foundation in basic sciences. Frontier Lifeline has steadily built up this expertise with its continued focus on research in basic sciences.

Frontier Mediville – The Ultimate Medical Destination for every Global Citizen Approach

Frontier Mediville will be established in a 360 acre campus in Elavur Village, a rural setup, 45 kms from Chennai city and within 50 min drive from the Chennai International Airport or the centre of the city. It is strategically situated at the border of Tamilnadu and Andhra Pradesh, thus promoting further opportunities for cooperation and collaboration with our neighbors. A helipad, railway station and bus terminus will enhance accessibility to Frontier Mediville, which also abuts NH 5. Under the Public Private Partnership initiative, the Railways Ministry has agreed in principle to allow us to “adopt” the Elavur Village Station.

National Medical Science Park

Most “medicities” usually commence with a hospital as their first project; however as a natural progression to our expertise, Frontier Lifeline proposes a National Medical Science Park as its maiden venture, which will be the first of its kind in India and this part of Asia. It will provide a platform for professionals to not only keep pace with global changes in medical research, but also to conduct basic and applied research with special relevance to diseases in the region, and also help commercialize research with a view to create appropriate products and services for the benefit of a large number of people in India and its neighborhood. We realize the paramount importance of technology which is intrinsically woven into the fabric of all the major advancements in today’s world. Technology means Knowledge and that alone will take Science forward. Our commitment to the synergy of healthcare and technology supersedes a purely profit-oriented outlook to provide the best of healthcare to the common man.

The National Medical Science Park will be a hub for research, training and treatment with specific focus on regenerative medicine. This will also be distinctively beneficial for a proposed 1000 bed multi-specialty “Bio-Hospital”; an emerging concept combining present day clinical medicine with regenerative medicine and basic sciences enhanced with holistic therapy.

Bio-Hospital

This unique hospital would provide state-of-the-art tertiary care in all sub-specialties of medicine supported by modern basic sciences such as stem cell technology, tissue engineering, nanotechnology and “neurIT” etc.

There will be 18 Bio-Hospitals in the world by 2010; 5 in the US, 5 in European nations and the rest scattered in countries such as Japan, South Korea etc. The Bio-Hospital in Frontier Mediville will be the first of its kind in India and seeks to harness India’s traditional and alternate medicinal technologies such as ayurveda, naturopathy, and siddha. With the benefit of ancient treatment modalities that have been well-documented, we are uniquely qualified to offer the best of both worlds, supported by state-of-the-art technology.

Herbarium

One of the many unique offerings of Frontier Mediville will be a Herbarium, which will be designed in technical collaboration and developed in consultation with the Asia Pacific Bio-Resources Consortium in an area of 50 acres. This is an alliance comprising of scientific companies from South Korea, Singapore, Japan and China as its members and India will become the next member of this scientific conglomerate, through this collaboration. The Herbarium will house and develop genetically engineered plants and medicinal plants, from which molecules responsible for therapeutic treatment will be extracted.

Medical University / Research & Training Centre

A comprehensive Medical University with medical research and experimental surgical facilities incorporating a Regional Centre for Nurse and Paramedic Training (in collaboration with Sir Edward Dunlop Health Foundation, Australia) will offer the best combination of medical expertise and experience to enhance the integrated academic offerings. This is but a natural extension to the concept of establishing Frontier Mediville as a single stop destination to any medically-related requirement.

Sterile Bio-Medical Corridor

Frontier Mediville will also have a “Sterile Biomedical Corridor” to facilitate manufacture of consumables, disposables, pharmaceutical products etc required at the hospital and research laboratories. Strengthened by our steady success in developing tissue engineered products and stem cells, we are now moving into the research and application of nano-technology and bio-informatics.

Medical Tourism

This Mediville has the explosive potential to develop into a world class tourism centre within a few short years and will serve as a catalyst in the development of Medical Science and the Health Tourism Industry, in Tamilnadu and the entire region. Over the last two decades, India has evolved and is now globally recognized as a leading medical destination, and has been attracting foreign patients from many countries, especially its neighbors. This “medical tourism” has gained tremendous momentum in India over the recent past, a trend emphasized by India’s high-quality healthcare, providing the same international quality of services at a fraction of the cost overseas. Approximately 180,000 patients arrived in India by 2004 from across the globe for medical treatment. The medical tourism market in India, estimated at US$ 330 million in 2004, grew by about 25% and is predicted to become a US$2 billion-a-year business opportunity by 2012. This will become the definitive hub for medical treatment, holistic healing and innovations in the biomedical field for all the SAARC countries.

Foreign patients seeking treatment abroad are looking for a holistic healing experience which reaches beyond clinical hospital treatment and care. An exotic location offers the promise of discovering the unknown, a unique life experience which they can take back with them as indelible memories when they return home. What can offer a more diverse and richer experience than India… the very mention brings about a riot of colours, flavours and scents to the mind’s eye. The possibility of juxtaposing the healing touch of cutting-edge medicine with an exotic adventure of a lifetime is too tempting to pass over. That impression is the biggest draw of India and maintaining that perceived charm is its biggest challenge as well. The prevailing infrastructure needs to be improved drastically to meet these expectations. This can be done in a smaller scale at Frontier Mediville which can then serve as a model to be emulated in the other major states of India.

Other Features

Apart from the medical aspect of Frontier Mediville’s offerings, other supportive facilities are also planned such as

• an Elders’ Enclave which may also act as a think-tank comprising of retired academicians, scientists and doctors;
• residential quarters for the staff and students;
• Holistic Therapy Centre involving yoga, mediation and a spiritual enclave for prayer and quiet contemplation; relaxation for nature lovers who can observe the migratory patterns of birds clustering at nearby Pulikad Lake and also the soothing therapy of watching a myriad of colorful fresh-water fish in the extensive water course, dotted with varieties of colorful lotus extending over 80 acres of fresh water lake.
• a 5-star hotel; shopping malls with recreational facilities;
• an indoor stadium;
• an 18-hole golf course;
• water sports facilities which can be offered at the 80 acre water course, which is part of the land procured.

An entirely new concept which would appeal to the burgeoning industry of medical equipments and related services will be an exclusive “Vendors’ Park”. Thus there is something for everyone at this new medical destination.

Social & Economic Benefits

• Direct and indirect employment opportunities for our craft-gifted villagers when it attains commercial viability.
• Reduction of rural poverty
  Imported valves from US and Germany use Chinese girls brought over on a temporary visa to suture these valves. Our in-house valves will utilize the handicraft skills of the girls in and around this project, who can be trained and given gainful employment. Total mechanization of industries will decrease the number of jobs available. However our products will offer sustainable employment opportunities as it can benefit from our abundant “human technology”. The total investment of 450 crores for this project has the potential to generate 3000 jobs. Whereas industrialization which may incur an investment of even 3000 crores may only generate up to 500 jobs.
• Promotion of Education – Basic, University, Postgraduate

Foreign Collaborations in Force

• Asahi Institute, Japan
• KRIBB, Korea
• Sir Edward Dunlop Health Foundation, Australia
• Asia Pacific Bio Resources Consortium
• Sewon Cellontech Co. Ltd., Korea.

Conclusion

Realizing the need of the hour, an MOU has been signed with TIDCO (Tamilnadu Industrial Development Corporation) in the presence of the Honourable Chief Minister of Tamilnadu, Kalaignar Dr. M. Karunanidhi for the purpose of transforming this dream into reality. In the long run, Frontier Mediville is expected to elevate India’s presence on the global map of bioscience research and development, and will serve as a means to create affordable world-class healthcare solutions through appropriate and applied research, which will in turn add great value to the economic and social development of India.