In Essence

Peru’s healthcare sector has been underserved for many years. Clinica Delgado, your most recent project, is unique as it includes funding from several investors. Can you talk about what Group Auna represents for the sector in Peru?

At Auna, we have more than 2,000 people who are really inspired and committed to working in a different way to make our vision a reality, i.e. transforming the healthcare experience in Peru. We are proud to have Delgado Clinic as our flagship, not only because it is our most important project, but also because it represents the essence of thought and philosophy of our founders and shareholders, who aspire to delivering higher quality healthcare services to Peruvian citizens. This means offering Peruvians the highest possible level of patient security, integrated processes, medical technology, and professionalism of medical doctors and clinical staff, all of these in a world class healthcare facility. These offerings exceed the standards we have seen in the country until now. For us, Delgado Clinic is a tipping point in the evolution of private healthcare services in Peru and it should stimulate competition and that is very good for Peruvian families. We have noticed that this is already happening, and some of our competitors have already invested in improving their facilities and are now claim to offer better services. We believe we have started a chain reaction in healthcare here in Peru. This in turn is leading to a transformation in relationships between hospitals and medical doctors, the interactions between insurance companies and healthcare providers, and the way in which the general population is being introduced to medical services.

One of the topics of frequent discussion in our markets is access to capital, which is difficult for nearly every sector in an emerging market, but you found innovative solutions here. How did these investors influence the final outcome of the Clinica Delgado project?

In a market in which there is a deficit of private health services, Auna has developed a value proposition for our patients that is attractive for different international stakeholders. The expectation of our international stakeholders has influenced Delgado Clinic in providing the patient and his family a world-class experience. As a result, this hospital was designed by Gresham, Smith & Partners from Tampa and built by San Jose and JG, Spanish companies that specialize in hospital construction and engineering. Our technology is entirely state of the art. These standards also apply to our environmental impact. Our facility has been awarded a LEED HEALTHCARE certification, confirming its low environmental impact. We have paid close attention to the details, such as energy conserving windows.

Group Auna runs a successful Oncology program, Oncosalud. What impact has that business had on the sector in Peru, and on the quality of available cancer care?

Oncosalud has 720,000 members in its pre-paid cancer program. We are the largest provider in the prepaid cancer service sector. This scale allows us to invest in scientific research, prevention centers, and clinics specializing in cancer treatment, as well as being a center to attract the best doctors and nurses in the country. Over these last 25 years, Oncosalud has developed a vast expertise in cancer protection, not just in terms of financial security, but also in medical coverage. We offer our affiliates early prevention programs and opportune treatment. We can proudly say that two out of three patients at Oncosalud go into remission, or are cured after five years. Over time, Oncosalud has come to set the benchmarks for quality in cancer prevention and private treatment in the country. We remain the market leader in cancer protection. Our strategy is to expand our coverage and services in the provinces, where there is still much work to be done.

Only around 30% of the country’s population lives in Lima. What are your plans to expand outside the capital?

Auna’s challenge is to develop an offer providing value healthcare to as many people as possible. Some provincial cities are growing rapidly, driven by mining, agriculture, retail, and tourism. Convinced that this represents an opportunity, we have developed clinics in Piura, Chiclayo, Trujillo, Arequipa, and Callao. There are cities near Lima that are demanding our services. These are areas that have seen impressive growth, and where people from around the country have been migrating for generations to find work in Lima’s rapidly growing service industry. These new facilities will be modern, but different from Clinica Delgado, where we offer a one-stop-shopping experience. The other clinics will meet a demand for primary outpatient services. Our facilities network will focus on the mainstream sector, while internationally accredited Clinica Delgado targets a different high income and international patient sector. However, Auna intends to have province facilities services such as radiology linked and informed centrally from Clinica Delgado in Lima. This telemedicine will help to provide second opinions and maximize the use of our professional resources. This integration also comes via the shared Electronic Medical Record, another first for the country.

© The Business Year – June 2015