#6 Thulsi Ravilla and Aravind EyeCare in India

Aravind EyeCare has been saving people in India from unnecessary blindness since the 1970s. Thulsi Ravilla, director, joins BRI's NexGenMed host John Flo to discuss how Aravind's business model is spreading throughout India, making quality eye care affordable for even the most indigent of India's population.

By copying the McDonald's business model of training people—in this case technicians and physician—to perform repetitive procedures consistently, Aravind has been saving people all over India from unnecessary blindness, mostly due to cataracts.

"Intelligence and capability are not enough. There must also be the joy of doing something beautiful. Being of service to God and humanity means going well beyond the sophistication of the best technology, to the humble demonstration of courtesy and compassion to each patient." ~Dr.G.Venkataswamy, Aravind Founder

According to Thulsi, healthcare prices don't necessarily reflect true costs, but rather reflect healthcare practice inefficiencies. Streamlining efficiencies is just one way that Aravind provides free or low-cost eye surgeries to millions of people who otherwise would not even seek eye care.