LifeSpring Hospitals: a social innovation in Indian healthcare
Publication date: 1 January 2011
Abstract
Subject area
Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP); social innovation and business modeling.
Study level/applicability
Undergraduate and graduate level management/business school students. It can be taught in marketing management and entrepreneurship/innovation courses.
Case overview
LifeSpring Hospitals Pvt. Ltd is an expanding chain of hospitals that provide high quality health care to lower-income women and children across Andhra Pradesh. It is a 50-50 equity partnership between Hindustan Latex Ltd and the Acumen Fund. LifeSpring has demonstrated exceptional management principles, some of them being the most innovative and attractive ones. The entire focus of LifeSpring is on one particular niche: maternal care. Some argue about its strategy of not adopting diversification, but LifeSpring has proved its point by actually turning out to be a profitable business. The strategy of focusing on one niche has led to reduction in cost in terms of specialized doctors and the range of equipment needed to serve. Adding to the strategic strength of LifeSpring, its operations (management) is perfectly aligned with the organization's vision and quality is achieved via highly standardized procedures for maternal care service.
Expected learning outcomes
This case will cover two important aspects of BOP and social innovation. MBA students will investigate an innovative business model and apply their analytical skills to analyse the sustainability of the model.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes and exercise for class-based discussion.
Keywords
Citation
Nanath, K. (2011), "LifeSpring Hospitals: a social innovation in Indian healthcare", , Vol. 1 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/20450621111123362
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited