Wockhardt Hospital, an associate of Harvard Medical International, has become the first hospital in South Asia to get accreditation from the US-based Joint Commission International (JCI).

"Wockhardt Hospital, specialising in cardiac care and orthopaedics, joined the exclusive group of 71 hospitals worldwide that have passed JCI's stringent clinical standards," Habil Khorakiwala, chairman of Wockhardt group, said.

JCI is the international arm of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organisations, which evaluates quality standards of US hospitals.

Khorakiwala said that Wockhardt is planning to invest Rs 500 crore in the next three years to establish ultra super-speciality clinics in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata.

"We would invest Rs 500 crore in the four greenfield projects coming up in the next three years," Khorakiwala said.

The 400-bed Bangalore project was expected to be operational in the next six months, Khorakiwala said, adding it would also go for obtaining JCI recognition.