Over centuries a traditional medical system evolved in the subcontinent with village midwives and Ayurvedic practitioners in every village. This system was enhanced by missionary hospitals and further in post-Independence India when public health reached from district level hospitals down to paramedical health workers in villages.  This transformed primary health care, but failed to deliver specialized care for more complicated cases. In this scenario a parallel system of private practitioners emerged running small hospitals and clinics, lacking the scale to treat complicated cases.  Addressing these lacunae the Life Care Hospital was created by a dynamic social worker, merging the specialized practices of twelve participating doctors into a two hundred bedded, multi-specialty facility on three levels. The ground level includes a welcome lobby from where outpatient consultations and services, diagnostic facilities, a large dining area and courtyards for waiting can be reached. From a separate side entry a casualty clinic treats emergencies and links critical patients to operation theaters on the top level. From a third entry staff enter to changing areas. The middle level is utilized for wards and patient rooms, and the upper level for operation theaters, intensive care units, pediatric and perinatal care. Air-conditioning, water purification, and generators are located in a utility basement. Addressing the rural context, five courtyards accommodate the many relatives who accompany patients. There is an extra bed for every patient accommodating a relative.

Located in the rural center of Udgir in central India, the Life Care Hospital is evolving an outreach program with smaller hospitals, supported by a health care insurance scheme. This facility serves an agrarian catchment area of about million people.