Orthopaedic problems can change a person’s life overnight. But for many patients, the biggest challenge is not just the injury or pain. It is the high cost of treatment, the fear of unnecessary surgery, and the difficulty of finding a doctor who puts their health before hospital targets. Today, access to affordable, trustworthy healthcare has become more important than ever.
Dr. Bharath Raj, Managing Director of Mithra Multispeciality Hospital, is working to change that.
He is an orthopaedic surgeon who believes patients should receive the right treatment, right time by the right doctor, not just a mere treatment for the present symptoms. His focus is on providing affordable, high-quality care, encouraging natural recovery whenever possible, and recommending surgery only when it is truly needed.
With his support and contributions, Mithra Multispeciality Hospital has grown from one hospital to three branches while staying true to its patient-first values. The hospital has earned ISO 9001 certification and NABH accreditation, serves around 1,500 to 2,000 outpatients every month, and has built a strong reputation for compassionate, ethical, and affordable healthcare.
A Vision Born from Financial Burden
Dr. Bharath Raj started his medical career after his MBBS in St. John’s Medical College, by working in rural setups in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Vallakadavu in Kerala. Here, he saw the ground-level problems of people having difficulty in affording basic medical care.
He began his orthopaedic career at Sparsh Hospital in Bangalore, where he treated many complex surgical cases with the orthopaedic team. As the hospital expanded, he also saw a growing problem. The cost of surgeries in corporate hospitals continued to rise, making quality treatment difficult for many patients to afford.
His vision took shape in 2010 after witnessing how accident-related surgeries placed a heavy financial burden on families. To broaden his understanding, he worked and visited hospitals in the UK, including Llandough Hospital and Cardiff and Vale university, where he observed a more patient-focused approach to care. After returning to India, he worked as a freelance orthopaedic surgeon with several small and medium-sized hospitals to better understand how healthcare could reach more people.
These experiences eventually led to the creation of Mithra Multispeciality Hospital, where patients can receive the same quality treatment, using the same implants and safety standards as many corporate hospitals, at a much lower cost.
Ethics Before Corporate Goals
A major turning point in Dr. Bharath’s career came when he observed how corporate hospitals often function under performance targets. Medical decisions were sometimes influenced by numbers rather than patient needs.
This changed his entire approach to medicine.
His guiding principles include:
- Medical need always comes before financial targets
- Treatment decisions must remain independent of business pressure
- Healthcare should focus on outcomes, not procedure volume
- Medical knowledge should be shared and improved through real practice
He also believes that many treatments are overused in the system. For example, he observes that robotic knee replacement is often promoted as superior, even though conventional methods can offer similar long-term results for many patients.
At Mithra Multispeciality Hospital, the focus is on delivering safe, effective, and affordable care without unnecessary financial burden.
Dr. Bharath Raj’s Whole-Patient Philosophy
Dr. Bharath’s approach is built on treating the patient as a whole, not just a single symptom or sign. He focuses on long-term outcomes rather than immediate surgical intervention.
At Mithra Multispeciality Hospital, treatment typically follows:
- Physiotherapy and rehabilitation
- Medication and pain management
- Exercise-based recovery programs
- Surgery only when non-surgical methods fail
This approach reduces unnecessary surgeries and helps patients recover more naturally and confidently.
Most Memorable Case
One of the hospital’s most memorable cases involved an auto-rickshaw driver who had suffered a serious accident. Before arriving at Mithra Multispeciality Hospital, the patient had already undergone seven to eight surgeries over several months, including ring fixation and plating. Despite these procedures, the limb condition remained critical, and few treatment options were left.
Dr. Bharath Raj and his team decided to perform a vascularized fibular graft, a specialized procedure that uses a section of bone from the patient’s other leg, along with its blood supply, to rebuild the damaged bone. Within three months, the patient was able to walk again. He later returned to driving his auto-rickshaw and regained his independence. The successful outcome strengthened the hospital’s expertise in handling complex orthopaedic cases.
The hospital’s commitment to patient care extends beyond orthopedics. In collaboration with its plastic surgery and maxillofacial teams, Mithra Multispeciality Hospital has provided free cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries for patients from financially weaker backgrounds. With support from educational conferences, sponsors, donors, and medical companies that supplied implants at reduced or no cost, the hospital has helped many patients receive life-changing treatment free of charge. These efforts reflect its ongoing commitment to making quality healthcare accessible to those who need it most.
Preserving Natural Health Through Smarter Treatment
Healthcare is constantly changing, and new research is helping doctors make better treatment decisions. At Mithra Multispeciality Hospital, the focus is on adopting these advances while keeping one goal in mind: preserving the body’s natural structures whenever possible instead of removing or replacing them too early.
For example, damaged knee menisci were once commonly excised. Today, the hospital gives priority to repairing them, performing meniscus transplants, and using reconstructive procedures whenever they are suitable. The approach to knee replacement has also changed.
Rather than recommending surgery at an early stage, the team helps patients preserve their natural knee for as long as possible. Since an artificial knee usually lasts 15 to 20 years, delaying surgery when it is medically safe can reduce the need for another operation later in life.
This philosophy extends beyond orthopedics. The plastic surgery team performs procedures that preserve joints and restore function by doing vascularised fibula graft for a vascular necrosis of hip ( a condition where there is loss of blood supply to the head of the femur(thigh) bone), while the gynecology team follows organ-preserving treatments whenever possible. For example, during a hysterectomy, the ovaries are preserved whenever medically appropriate so patients can experience natural menopause instead of surgical menopause.
Across every department, Mithra Multispecialty Hospital continues to adapt to changing healthcare practices by combining modern medical advancements with thoughtful treatment decisions. The priority is always to preserve the body’s natural function and recommend surgery only when it offers the best outcome for the patient.
Milestones in Healthcare Quality and Patient Safety
Since its establishment in December 2020, Mithra Multispeciality Hospital has earned several recognitions that reflect its commitment to quality healthcare and patient safety. The hospital received its first ISO 9001 certification in 2022 and has successfully maintained it through regular audits. It has also achieved NABH accreditation, demonstrating that it meets high standards of patient care, safety, and clinical quality.
The hospital continues to strengthen its services through regular quality reviews and continuous improvement. It has also been recognized by various healthcare magazines and professional associations for its contribution to patient care. In addition, Mithra Multispeciality Hospital has built strong partnerships with around 35 companies, 8 schools, and several educational institutions. These collaborations have helped the hospital expand its reach, strengthen community engagement, and continue providing reliable, compassionate, and high-quality healthcare.
Serves Around 1,500 To 2,000 Outpatients Every Month
Mithra Multispeciality Hospital now serves around 1,500 to 2,000 outpatients every month, and the number of patients continues to grow each year. This steady growth reflects the hospital’s commitment to patient-first care and its belief that medical decisions should always be based on a patient’s needs rather than treatment targets.
Over the years, the hospital’s guiding principle has also evolved. What began as “Friendly Care for Health and Wellbeing” has grown into “Care, Compassion, and Care.” This philosophy means caring for every patient, treating them with compassion, and supporting them throughout their recovery.
Patient feedback plays an important role in maintaining these standards. The hospital regularly collects feedback from outpatients and inpatients, carefully reviews every concern, and takes prompt action to improve its services. This process also supports its ISO and NABH quality standards.
For Dr. Bharath Raj and his team, success is not measured by the number of surgeries performed. It is measured by ensuring that every surgery is truly necessary and that every patient receives the most appropriate treatment for their condition.
Life Before and After Stepping Into an Entrepreneurial Role
Life Before Becoming an Entrepreneur
- Worked at leading hospitals, including Apollo, Sparsh Hospital and Ramakrishna Hospital.
- Faced constant pressure to perform to reach targets.
- Worked in a system where business goals often influenced medical decisions.
- Saw how rising healthcare costs made quality treatment difficult for many patients.
Life After Establishing Mithra Multispeciality Hospital
- Built a patient-first hospital where treatment decisions are based on medical need rather than financial targets.
- Performs surgeries only when they are truly necessary and encourages conservative treatment whenever possible.
- Finds greater satisfaction in helping patients recover through honest and ethical medical care.
- Expanded Mithra Multispeciality Hospital from one center to three branches because patients trusted its approach to compassionate healthcare.
- Continues to focus on providing affordable, high-quality treatment while staying true to the ethics of medicine
Advice For Aspiring Healthcare Leaders
Dr. Bharath advises aspiring healthcare professionals to never chase targets over patient care. He encourages them to follow their passion and always choose what is best for the patient, where surgery should never be the first option and conservative treatments should be explored first.
He believes good healthcare starts with listening. He recalls a patient who had visited multiple doctors but said it was the first time someone truly listened, examined him properly, and used a stethoscope instead of only relying on reports. For him, this reflects the importance of time, attention, and basic clinical care.
His message to future healthcare leaders is simple: stay true to the values of medicine. A successful hospital is built not just on infrastructure, but on honesty, compassion, and respect. When doctors see patients as people, trust grows and outcomes improve.
Dr. Bharath Raj’s 5 Impactful Business Mantras
- Put people before profits.
- Choose the right treatment, not the most expensive one.
- Build trust through honesty and compassion.
- Make quality healthcare affordable and accessible.
- Success is measured by patient outcomes, not numbers.
