Aravind Eye Hospital 1
HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL CASE STUDY
The Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, India In Service for Sight
Professor V. Kasturi Rangan Rev: June 7, 1993
Harvard Business School
N9- 593- 098
Rev June 7, 1993
The Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, India: In Service for Sight
I (the casewriter) arrived early at 7.00 a.m. at the outpatient department of the Aravind Eye Hospital at Madurai, India. My sponsor, Thulasi (R.D. Thulasiraj, hospital administrator) was expecting me at 8.00 o’clock, but I came early to observe the patient flow. More than 100 people formed two lines. Two young women, assisted by a third, were briskly registering the patients at the reception counter. They asked a few key questions: “Which village do you come from?” “Where do you live?” “What’s your age?” and a few more, but it all took less than two minutes per patient. The women seemed very comfortable with the computer and its data-entry procedures. Their supervisor, a somewhat elderly man with grey hair, was hunched over, gently nudging and helping them along with the registration process. He looked up and spotted me. I was the only man in that crowd who wore western-style trousers and shoes. The rest wore the traditional South Indian garment (“dhoti” or “veshti”), and many were barefooted they could not afford “slippers”. The old man hobbled from the registration desk and made his way towards me. The 50-foot distance must have taken him 10 minutes to make because he paused every now and then to answer a question here or help a patient there. I took a step forward, introduced myself, and asked to be guided to Thulasi’s office. “Yes, we were expecting you” he said with an impish smile and walked me to the right wing of the hospital where all the administrative offices were. He ushered me into his office and pointed me to the couch across from his desk. It was only when I noticed his crippled fingers that I realized this grand old man was Dr. Venkataswamy himself, the 74-years-old ophthalmic
The Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, India In Service for Sight
Professor V. Kasturi Rangan Rev: June 7, 1993
Harvard Business School
N9- 593- 098
Rev June 7, 1993
The Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai, India: In Service for Sight
I (the casewriter) arrived early at 7.00 a.m. at the outpatient department of the Aravind Eye Hospital at Madurai, India. My sponsor, Thulasi (R.D. Thulasiraj, hospital administrator) was expecting me at 8.00 o’clock, but I came early to observe the patient flow. More than 100 people formed two lines. Two young women, assisted by a third, were briskly registering the patients at the reception counter. They asked a few key questions: “Which village do you come from?” “Where do you live?” “What’s your age?” and a few more, but it all took less than two minutes per patient. The women seemed very comfortable with the computer and its data-entry procedures. Their supervisor, a somewhat elderly man with grey hair, was hunched over, gently nudging and helping them along with the registration process. He looked up and spotted me. I was the only man in that crowd who wore western-style trousers and shoes. The rest wore the traditional South Indian garment (“dhoti” or “veshti”), and many were barefooted they could not afford “slippers”. The old man hobbled from the registration desk and made his way towards me. The 50-foot distance must have taken him 10 minutes to make because he paused every now and then to answer a question here or help a patient there. I took a step forward, introduced myself, and asked to be guided to Thulasi’s office. “Yes, we were expecting you” he said with an impish smile and walked me to the right wing of the hospital where all the administrative offices were. He ushered me into his office and pointed me to the couch across from his desk. It was only when I noticed his crippled fingers that I realized this grand old man was Dr. Venkataswamy himself, the 74-years-old ophthalmic