Discovery’s upcoming special, ‘The Max Effect: The Making of India’s Leading Healthcare Institution’, explores how India’s healthcare sector could help address the growing global demand for quality medical care, with Max Healthcare’s journey serving as the central focus.

Ageing populations, rising healthcare costs, shortages of doctors and limited clinical resources are putting increasing pressure on healthcare systems worldwide. Against this backdrop, India is emerging as a potential global healthcare hub, supported by its clinical talent, advanced infrastructure, technology, scale and cost competitiveness.

The special examines this opportunity through the growth of Max Healthcare, tracing its evolution from a single hospital into a major healthcare network and exploring how Indian institutions could contribute to meeting the world’s growing medical needs.

Speaking about the global healthcare challenge, Abhay Soi, Chairman and Managing Director of Max Healthcare, said India had an opportunity to build capacity at scale by combining talent, technology and infrastructure.

“The world is facing a growing healthcare challenge. How do we provide quality care to a rapidly ageing and expanding population when infrastructure, doctors and resources are limited?” Soi said.

He added that healthcare should not be viewed simply as a business but as a responsibility towards the nation and an opportunity to demonstrate what India can offer the world.

Tanaz Mehta, Executive Director – Advertising Revenues, South Asia, Skydance, said the special goes beyond the story of an individual healthcare institution to examine a broader transformation taking place in India.

“Through Max Healthcare’s journey, we wanted to explore how purpose, clinical excellence, technology and patient-centricity can come together to create a model that has relevance far beyond the organisation itself,” Mehta said.

Max Healthcare’s growth reflects the expansion of India’s healthcare infrastructure. The organisation currently operates 21 healthcare facilities, with more than 6,000 beds, over 6,000 clinicians and more than 40,000 employees. It is working towards increasing its capacity to nearly 10,000 beds over the next three years.

The special also highlights the organisation’s focus on clinical excellence, technology, emergency response and patient experience. Its “Chasing Zero” approach aims to reduce adverse events, while investments in education, clinical research, sustainability and community initiatives form part of its broader healthcare strategy.

As healthcare systems across the world grapple with rising expenditure and growing demand, India’s combination of medical expertise, infrastructure and cost efficiency could strengthen its position as a destination for global healthcare. The programme examines how institutions such as Max Healthcare could contribute to this shift by expanding capacity and developing the capabilities required to meet changing patient needs.

At its core, ‘The Max Effect’ raises a broader question: can India help address the global shortage of healthcare capacity? Through Max Healthcare’s journey, the special explores the potential of Indian healthcare institutions to play a greater role in the international medical ecosystem.

‘The Max Effect: The Making of India’s Leading Healthcare Institution’ is scheduled to air on Discovery and Discovery+ on October 12 at 7.30 pm.