LITTLE-known, one stop healthcare service provider, BP Healthcare Group, plans to invest RM300 million over the next two years to expand
     and upgrade its diagnostic centres.

     The 26-year-old Perak-based company operates 25 diagnostics centres and 44 laboratories. It also runs wholesale and retail pharmacy
     services, clinical information technology solutions and food and industrial testing.

     The company is also keen to own and manage hospitals.

     BP Healthcare is looking at doubling the number of its diagnostics centres to 50 by 2010 and upgrade some of the existing ones. A total of
     RM200 million will go towards this. "We are targeting to have 50 diagnostics centres by 2010 and upgrade some of our existing diagnostics
     centres to a specialist diagnostic centre," group managing director Poh Bee Kuan said.

     The diagnostics centres offer services like digital x-ray, biopsy, audiometry and ultrasound imaging. A specialist diagnostics centre will
     provide more specialised services.

     It will also open a new operational headquarters in Glenmarie, Selangor, in the first quarter of 2009.

     "The cost of the building and equipment is around RM40 million. It will be a state-of-the-art facility with centralised laboratories, a wholesale
     pharmacy, a training centre for staff and a research and development unit," Poh said.

     Another RM50 million has been allocated for the expansion of its existing facility in Ipoh.

     The RM300 million investment, however, does not include its expansion into hospitals.

     "We are also looking at buying medical centres or hospitals ... we prefer to buy to grow our business faster, as building a hospital could
     take years,"she said.

     Asked if the group had earmarked any date to move into the business, she said: "As soon as there is a potential."

     BP Healthcare was founded in 1982 by Datuk Beh Chu Chuan in Ipoh, Perak. The Ipoh headquarters includes a diagnostics centre and a
     laboratory spreading over 0.4ha land.