How To Open A Pathology Lab In India

Thinking about how to open a pathology lab in India? Read the article to know about the business and what it takes to start it.

The healthcare industry in India is one of the fastest growing. With every passing day, people are becoming more and more conscious about their health. India today is home to some of the best and a large number of advanced hospitals and very high-end diagnostic centres.

And since all treatments depend on reports, the pathology business has also grown extensively. This has become a lucrative business and especially so if you are already in this the medical sector. 

But setting up a pathology lab is not an easy job as one would require a lot of research, effort, and investment. 

Let us tell you how to open a pathology lab in India and everything else about it.

What is Pathology?

Pathology is a branch of medical science which is the study and diagnosis of disease through the examination of surgically removed organs, tissues (biopsy samples), bodily fluids, and in some cases the whole body (autopsy). 

Now let us know what is a pathology lab. A Pathology lab is where these tests happen. Patients can to these labs and get numerous tests done asked by their doctors depending on blood, urine, ultrasound etc.

Types of Pathology

The different types or branches of pathology are:

Anatomic pathology – The study of tissues, organs, and tumours.

Cytopathology – The study of cellular changes and everything related to cells.

Forensic pathology – Doing autopsies and legal pathology tests.

Molecular pathology – The study of DNA and RNA sequencing, genes, and genetics.

Also Read:

Top eCommerce Business Ideas that you can consider today
Difference Between eCommerce and eBusiness

Pathology Lab Equipment List

Here’s a list of equipment that you would require to set up your pathology lab are:

1. Haematology Analyser / Cell Counter
2. Biochemistry Analyser
3. Electrolyte Analyser
4. Urine Analyser
5. Coagulometer
6. HB1Ac machine
7. Eliza Plate Washer & Reader
8. Immunoassay Analyser
9. ESR Analyser
10. Serum protein analyzer
11. Microscope
12. Incubator
13. Centrifuge
14. Tissue Diagnostics
    • Microtome
    • Paraffin wax bath
    • Grossing work station
    • Tissue floatation Bath
    • Tissue processor
15. Microbiology
    • Automated Microbiology System
    • Water Bath
    • Hot Air Oven
    • Drying oven
    • BOD Incubator
    • Humidity Cabinet
    • Bio-Safety cabinet
    • Laminar Airflow
16. Freezer/ Refrigerator
17. Autoclave
18. Lab balance, mixers, shakers, stirrers, pipettes

Steps on How To Open A Pathology Lab In India

Here is how you can open a pathology lab in India with simple steps.

Location

When deciding on a location to start your business, you must look for an ideal place. An area which is very convenient to reach, easy to find and has a lot of footfall. It should not be a place which is difficult for people to find and reach.

Go and explore the areas and shortlist some of them. Ask about these places from the locals as well as internet research. Know their accessibility from other parts of the city, nearby hospitals, transport facilities in the area and the category of people living nearby.

The place should consist of ample space so that patient seating, instruments, future developments, and infrastructure changes can all be done without any trouble. You should also consider old age patients, pregnant women and people with disabilities. 

Investment

Investment is very crucial when it comes to opening a pathology lab in India. You would require investment at different phases and for different purposes. Let’s understand expenses through the following pointers.

• Rent or buy the cost of the space for the path lab.
• Requirements for machinery, maintenance, and repair. 
• Need for software for diagnosis results, functioning, etc. 
• Utility bills such as electricity, water, cooking gas, broadband connection, etc.
• Staff for maintaining the lab, patients and your schedule, etc. Their payments are another category of expenses. 

Importance of adequate investment

The investment should be enough and from time to time so that your equipment is modern and updated so that you are able to offer the best services to your customers. 

Licenses and qualifications

The pathology business needs proper authentication from hospitals and the government. Below are listed all the required documents and qualifications to be eligible for opening a pathology lab.

List of licenses & certificates

1. Accreditation from Good Clinical Practices
2. The license of the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories
3. Registration with Shops and Establishments Act
4. Registration with Clinical Establishment Act
5. Registration with biomedical waste disposal body
6. Approval from the pollution control board
7. NOC from the municipal corporation and fire department.

Qualification For The Path Lab Business In India

1. You need to be a certified pathologist.
2. The owner needs a license for practice from the Medical Council of India.
3. You also require an assistant pathologist, microbiologist, and biochemist. It depends on the scale and services of the business.
4. Your lab technician must have a bachelor’s degree or diploma in medical lab technology.

Equipment and tools

Equipment and tools are the lifeblood of the pathology business. They are required for everything like diagnosis, scheduling, report and all the major operational requirements. Hence make sure that all your equipment is certified and from trustworthy suppliers. 

Keep the latest machinery and software to get more patients for diverse diagnosis needs. Contact doctors and hospitals and ask them to refer your lab to their patients.

Employees

To run a successful path lab business in India, you would have to hire a lot of staff for different positions like receptionists, pathologists, lab technicians, assistants, cleaners, etc.

You must interview each one of them rigorously and have practice tests. They should know about treatments and diagnoses. They should be aware of the machines and how to operate them. Prefer somebody with prior experience.

Give proper training for cleaning staff and keep observant always.

Also Read:

BUSINESS IDEAS IN KERALA
BUSINESS IDEAS IN TAMIL NADU
MOST PROFITABLE BUSINESS IDEAS IN JAIPUR
BEST BUSINESS IDEAS IN KASHMIR
BEST BUSINESS IDEAS IN PUNJAB

Marketing and Branding

Marketing is an important step and must be done actively. A not visible business would not survive for long, which is the business world’s reality. You can find dozens of path labs in any given city, hence marketing becomes all the more important for your business so that people get to know about you. You need to do innovative marketing to stay ahead of the competition.

Billing and accounting

You must keep accounts and bills transparent. Track all receivables and payables through advanced modern-day apps such as Lio and maintain a ledger from one dashboard hassle-free.

How Lio Can Help You Start Your Pathology Lab

Lio centralizes all of your documents in one place, permitting you to access them from your smartphone at any time and from any location.

The most essential advantage of using Lio to manage data within a company is that it saves time and money. A well-organized professional will invest lesser time in clarifying mistakes, looking for more information, and decluttering.

It gives managers a complete view of the company’s strategy, operations, and finances, which helps them make choices.

Entrepreneurs may adopt Lio to maintain a tally of a variety of information, such as employee data, news, and corporate notes.

In a business’s information portfolio, Lio helps in deciphering the facts and minimizing the chaos, which is a crucial action motivator in any issue impacting the organization.

Lio is definitely for the win and using it for your business is only going to make your journey smooth and easy to track.

Step 1: Select the Language you want to work on. Lio on Android

Step 2: Create your account using your Phone Number or Email Id.

Verify the OTP and you are good to go.

Step 3: Select a template in which you want to add your data.

Add your Data with our Free Cloud Storage.

Step 4: All Done? Share and Collaborate with your contacts.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

Conclusion

Pathology labs in India are one of the most lucrative and profitable ventures. It is going to give you great returns given the demands for diagnostic services in the country.

Before starting, go down to basics, prepare a to-do list as per the steps mentioned above and make a proper strategy. Your business must have a strong financial backup, an efficient workforce, upgraded machinery, software, and a smart accounting system to be successful.