Product Overview

The case explores the journey of Fernandez Hospital (FH) and its evolution from a small maternity clinic to a tertiary-level hospital for women and children with a focus on accessible and high-quality healthcare in the areas of obstetrics and gynecology. Dr. Evita Fernandez, CEO of FH, was a vocal advocate of natural birth, contrary to the trend towards Caesarean section (C-section) deliveries seen in most hospitals across India. The case is set in the year 2014 and deliberates on the options that Dr. Fernandez had at different stages of FH’s journey and the strategic decisions that she and her team made and implemented. It showcases the challenges FH faced in deciding what to do next while keeping its values intact. From studying the case, students will appreciate the need for organizations to develop a framework to help them analyze their current situation, establish priorities, identify opportunities, and make rational and well-informed decisions about the future. Dr. Fernandez had an expansive purpose of enabling safe deliveries in society at large. While an expansion of the existing hospitals may achieve this goal to the limited extent of enabling safe deliveries within her hospitals, it would not result in a much wider preference across the country for natural deliveries over C-section deliveries. The case ends with Dr. Fernandez and her team contemplating various options available to them.

Learning Objectives

To understand the business model of an organization, particularly in the healthcare space; To understand different strategic options for growth. To understand and choose from the three value-based strategies, namely, product leadership, customer intimacy and operational excellence. To understand the need for ambidexterity in an organization.