BEST OF 5 GYNECOLOGY & MATERNITY HOSPITALS IN INDIA
2021 VOL.-05 ISSUE-03
Providing Comprehensive Care for Women and Children
Dr. Sangita Reddy
Managing Director Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited & Joint Managing Director Apollo Hospitals Group
Editor’s Note I
ANGELS IN APRONS
t is said that women’s health is nation’s health and that a healthy mother means a healthy family. But to create, she needs to have optimal health care. If she is the creator, gynaecologists and obstetricians are the saviours of that creation. They ensure the safety of the mother and the progeny from conception to delivery and post-partum period.
A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform. - Diane Mariechild
Today women’s health has assumed magnanimous importance and is improving steadily over the years. India has indeed come a long way since the time when midwives delivered babies at home. In less than half a century, the Indian gynaecological sector has taken a gigantic leap towards modern healthcare for women including technological advancements in their treatment procedures. There was a time when women’s health and childbirth were taken for granted. It was medical professionals in general, and gynaecologists and obstetricians in particular, who propagated the need to focus on women’s health which gradually had an impact on the society. Studies indicate that even in the late 19th century women’s health was grossly neglected and their lifespan was between
Sumita Sarkar Editor-in-Chief
sumita@insightssuccess.com
32-40 years, mainly due to maternal mortality. Anaemia and malnourishment were also rampant, besides other health conditions. Women’s health began attracting attention due to social activists and medical professionals who gave a voice to the problems and insisted on solutions. The topic began to be discussed extensively and collaboratively on many platforms. Gradually, the government’s policies and its focus on women health aided in the cause of the activists and medical professionals. Even today, in both developed and developing countries pregnancy and childbirth are risk to women’s lives. The responsibility is on the shoulders of gynaecologists and obstetricians to ensure health and safety of the patient and the child. The World Health Organisation (WHO) emphasised on improving maternal health in its millennium development goals (MDG) announced in year 2000. Many states in the country have achieved them while others are in the process of achieving them. This would not have been possible without the relentless efforts and services of the gynaecology and obstetrics sector.
Today gynaecologists and obstetricians are offering the best care, excellence in maternity and neonatal care, incorporating technological advancements and innovations, smart data analytic tools in their treatment process. The novel corona virus pandemic has only posed bigger challenge for gynaecologists and obstetricians as they have to deal with the health of two lives, mitigate risk for both patients and medical practitioners. Besides, due to the pandemic, access to healthcare is limited and hence the challenge is even greater for both the practitioners and the patients. Nevertheless, whatever the challenges may be, gynaecology and maternity hospitals are doing their duty of putting the patient first. We, at Insights Success, came across some such hospitals that are doing justice to their professions and patients. As a tribute to these hospitals, we have featured them in our latest edition – Best of 5 Gynaecology and Maternity Hospitals in India. Have a great read!
Cover Story
08
Providing Comprehensive Care for Women and Children
Article
40
Med-tech Dynamics Telemedicine and Remote Healthcare Services Impacting Modern Maternity Care
CONTENTS
Special Profiles
20
30
BRAND OF THE MONTH
MATERNITY EXPERTS
Kovai Medical Center and Hospitals: One of the Prominent Corporate Hospitals in the Country
Lifelline Medicare: Disrupting the Maternity Space with Technology, Skills, and Compassion Altogether
CXO
26
46
36
Health-tech Insights
Exclusive Profile
Bangalore Baptist Hospital
Dynamics of Upcoming Technologies and Safe Maternal Healthcare Delivery
URLife’s Upasana Kamineni launches post-COVID19 care rehabilitation program
A One-Stop Multi-Specialty Centre for your Holistic Care
42 Shree Krishna Hospital Upholding Healthcare while O ering Solace to the Su ering
Editor-in-Chief Sumita Sarkar Managing Editor Darshan Parmar
sales@insightssuccess.com
Assisting Editor Ananda Kamal Das
MAY, 2021
Contributing Writer Ashish Chandgude
Corporate Offices:
Chief Designer Asha Bange Designing Head Deepanjali Jena Co-designers Vivek Mane
Operations Head Megha Mishra Business Development Manager Nandan Deshpande
Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd. Off. No. 22, Rainbow Plaza, Shivar Chowk, Pimple Saudagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411017 Phone - India: +91 7410079881/ 82/ 83/ 84/ 85 Email: info@insightssuccess.in For Subscription: www.insightssuccess.in
Asst. Manager Ashwini Pahurkar Business Development Lead Tejswini Whaval Business Development Executive kajol karale
Technical Head Pratiksha Patil Technical Specialist Amar Sawant
Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin, OH 43017, United States Phone - (614)-602-1754 Email: info@insightssuccess.com For Subscription: www.insightssuccess.com
Digital Marketing Manager Amol Wadekar SME-SMO Executive Atul Dhoran Circulation Manager Tanaji
Cover Price : RS. 150/Follow us on :
www.facebook.com/insightssuccess/
https://twitter.com/insightssuccess
We are also available on Copyright © 2021 Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd., All rights reserved. The content and images used in this magazine should not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd. Reprint rights remain solely with Insights Success. Printed and Published by Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd. RNI NUMBER: MAHENG/2018/75953
5 Gynecology Best of
&
Maternity Hospitals in India
Company Name
Management
Brief
Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited
Dr. Sangita Reddy Managing Director Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited & Joint Managing Director Apollo Hospitals Group
The Apollo Group of Hospitals and its subsidiary companies has successfully served patients for over 3.7 decades.
BBH
Dr. Naveen Thomas Director and CEO
Bangalore Baptist Hospital (BBH) an 80-bed general hospital was formally opened on 15 January 1973.
Kovai Medical Center and Hospitals
Dr Nalla G Palaniswami, Dr Arun N Palaniswami Chairman, Executive Director
KMCH is the most trusted multispecialty hospital in the southern city of Coimbatore.
Lifelline Medicare Hospital
Dr. Shilpa Ambekar Gynecologist
Lifelline Medicare Hospital has been at the forefront of healthcare for a decade.
Shree Krishna Hospital
Dr. H.M. Patel Founder
Shree Krishna Hospital is an ideal environment for rest and recovery.
Dr. Sangita Reddy
Managing Director Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited & Joint Managing Director Apollo Hospitals Group
C O V
Providing Comprehensive Care for Women and Children
“
We offer patients the highest quality care and the most advanced treatment
“
V E R S T O R Y
I
n today’s age, healthcare has emerged as one of the prime concerns for everyone. Moreover, the global pandemic has intensified things, putting lives at risk. During such testing times, the leading hospitals and healthcare institutions have emerged as saviours. They are protecting lives and constantly researching to eradicate lethal viruses. A prominent name in the healthcare and hospital sectors is Apollo Group of Hospitals. The Apollo Group of Hospitals and its subsidiary companies have successfully served patients for over 3.7 decades. Established in 2000, Apollo Health and Lifestyles Ltd. was founded by Dr. Prathap C Reddy, who envisioned world class healthcare for all Indians, to fulfil his mission of ‘Touching a billion lives’. About the Founder Chairman Apollo Hospitals Group A renowned cardiologist known for his intuitive diagnostic abilities, Dr. Prathap C Reddy was just turning 50 when he launched Apollo Hospitals and took his place in history as the visionary architect of modern Indian healthcare. Dr Prathap C Reddy founder Chairman Apollo Hospitals group is also the Chairman of Apollo Hospital’s subsidiary Company Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited which in-turn is the Holding Company of Apollo Specialty Hospitals Private Limited under which Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospitals are managed. Apollo Cradle & Children’s hospital has achieved tremendous success in advanced paediatric and maternity care. Revolutionizing healthcare in India at a time when ordinary citizens of the country faced difficulties in accessing affordable quality healthcare, Dr. Reddy pushed the boundaries to take quality healthcare to every individual in the country and bring international standards of healthcare to India. Today, Apollo Hospitals Group is one of the world’s leading centres
for quaternary healthcare. Under his leadership, its culture of intrinsic ethics in business and governance has earned the trust of over 150 million patients from over 140 countries including India. Deeply concerned about the impending tsunami of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), Dr. Reddy introduced Annual Preventive Health Checks with over 15 million health checks performed by the group. He was in India Today’s list of India’s 50 most powerful people in 2017. Recipient of innumerable Lifetime Achievement awards, Dr. Reddy was honoured with the ‘Padma Vibhushan’ by the Government of India, in recognition of his untiring pursuit of excellence in healthcare. About the Managing Director Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited & Joint Managing Director Apollo Hospitals Group Dr. Sangita Reddy, Managing Director Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited & Joint Managing Director Apollo Hospitals Group - Asia’s largest and most trusted healthcare Leader, Indian Entrepreneur and
Passionately committed to transforming the healthcare system through technological advancements, she is accelerating positive transformation for effective service delivery across the healthcare ecosystem. She has been conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by Macquarie University Australia, in recognition of her untiring efforts and resolute commitment to bringing transformative changes in healthcare, development of Health IT, and championing manifold initiatives both in India and abroad. Influencing Global Healthcare - As a policy influencer and reformist, she is actively engaged with governments and industry bodies on aspects of public health and policy development. She has advocated and influenced policy reforms and is an acclaimed policy influencer on various global healthcare forums around the world, including the World Health Congress. An Entrepreneur Promoting Affordable and Sustainable Social Initiatives -
“
YOUR SAFETY IS OUR TOP PRIORITY
“
H
umanitarian. She is also the immediate Past President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).
Committed to building a more inclusive public and private sector healthcare ecosystem of the nation, one of her initiatives has been Apollo Clinics, which aims to build a string of tech enabled primary care clinics across urban and rural India. Dr. Sangita Reddy is also the Chairperson at Apollo Knowledge, an education initiative focused on shaping healthcare human capital for tomorrow. She has been an advocate for creating and executing tech enabled new age systems for the upliftment of the healthcare Eco-space. It is under her leadership that the world’s 1st Telemedicine Centre, at an altitude of 14,000 feet, has been successfully established by Apollo Telehealth, making healthcare accessible to the common man. Driving Humanitarian Initiatives - Dr. Sangita Reddy also heads Apollo Philanthropy, an umbrella entity encompassing ‘Save a Child’s Heart Initiative’, SAHI, CURE and the Billion Hearts Beating Foundation and Total Health – a unique, integrated rural health model with a focus on both public and private sectors. Committed to building a more inclusive healthcare ecosystems in the nation, one of the initiatives she has actively spearheaded is Apollo Reach, which aims to build a string of secondary care hospitals in rural areas across the country. Awards and Recognitions - Dr. Sangita Reddy has been a recipient of numerous prestigious awards for business and leadership. She ranks 32 on the INDIA TODAY group’s Top 50 Annual Power List for 2020. In 2019, she was presented with the “Best Female Healthcare Leader” Mediko award from the prestigious Indian
M
edical Association. She was acknowledged with the International Women Entrepreneur 2019 award from the IWEC Foundation & The Healthcare Transformation Leader Award’ for her exemplary role in India’s healthcare sector, at India's Biggest Event on Innovation in Healthcare – ‘Healthcare in today’s Digital India. Dr. Sangita Reddy has also been featured by LinkedIn in the “Top Voices 2019 India List” Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited (AHLL) is one of the largest players in the retail healthcare segment in India. Since its incorporation in 2000, AHLL has experienced significant growth and come a long way, not only in terms of its geographical footprint and number of centres, but also in the array of service delivery formats that it operates today. It functions primarily through its 8 core offerings viz. Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital, Apollo Fertility, Apollo Spectra, Apollo Clinic, Apollo Sugar, Apollo Dental, Apollo Diagnostics and Apollo Dialysis. About Apollo Cradle and Children’s Hospital
Apollo Cradle and Children’s Hospital (ACCH) has set up 15 centres in 6 cities - Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi NCR, Pune, and Amritsar, making it one of the largest integrated maternal and children’s hospital chains in India. Being a specialty hospital for Maternal, Neonatal and Pediatric care, it has earned its reputation as the pioneer of boutique birthing hospitals in India. Following the mantra of “The better the care, the safer the patients”, has ensured an impeccable safety record over the years, and helped Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital touch a milestone 1,75,000+ deliveries. Some babies require a little extra attention when they come into our world. At Apollo Cradle and Children’s Hospital, the team of experts ensure that the baby receives the best possible care. General Pediatrics, Immunization and NICU: Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital has its team of esteemed and well experienced pediatricians on board who provide appropriate care for general illnesses in otherwise healthy babies and children. The immunization practices and schedule followed are as per the
National Immunization schedule with availability of all the vaccines. One of the most advanced level 3 NICU, with an attached perinatal centre including fetal medicine and high-risk obstetrics under one roof. It provides technically revolutionized neonatal care and innovative treatments, which in terms of survival statistics show result at par with the best centres in the world. From saving a lowbirth-weight newborn to providing life-saving interventions in preterm and sick newborn, Cradle's NICU team offers world-class modalities and an eNICU that comes fully equipped with monitoring facilities and advanced incubators with features that ensure that the baby is well taken care of. Pediatric Surgery: Children require surgeons who have spent years operating on little ones with care and expertise. Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital experienced surgeons who operate on babies as small as newborns, as well as adolescents. The team is ready for emergency surgeries, along with planned ones for a whole array of diseases. Backed by a team of Pediatric Anesthetists, the surgical team at Cradle is ready for any challenge. Laboratory & Radiology Services: Apollo Cradle and Children's Hospital has a 24x7 laboratory equipped with standardized equipment, providing reliable and rapid results. The radiology department is equipped with x-ray, CT scan and Ultrasound services, and can perform all relevant pediatric imaging. Fetal Medicine and Safe Birthing: Apollo Cradle & Children's Hospital has been a strict advocate of the health of mother and baby, during the life-
successful expansion of the hospital chain over the past few years. We have set our sights on establishing a strong presence in the top 30 Indian cities. Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital’s journey of growth is inspired by the uncompromising standards upheld by the Apollo Hospitals Group.
Facilities: • Pediatric sub specialties • Advance Neonatal ICU • Advanced Labour and Delivery Rooms • Birthing Suites • Maternal ICU • 24x7 Laboratory • 24x7 Radiology with X-ray, CT, Ultrasound • Emergency Transport Services
Wide Variety of Services Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital delivers a wide variety of care packages and services to its clients. Some of these packages include: • Antenatal Packages This covers antenatal classes that are interactive and help a mother-to-be to focus on her pregnancy journey, and the forthcoming labour and birth. These sessions include yoga, Lamaze exercises, labour positions, stress management, nutritional advice, and counselling. • Preggo - Preggo is a holistic program specially designed for all mothers-to-be by India’s leading maternity health experts to help transition parents-to-be into strong and confident parents. • Baby Care Package - This includes doctor consultations, health check (growth and BMI) and the first 12
Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital has brought on board some of the most renowned doctors, surgeons, and specialists in neonatal, maternal, and pediatric care to ensure that every mother and child has access to only the best facilities. Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital is always committed to offering the bestin-class care. This has supported the
months’ vaccinations for the baby. • Back to Shape - A complete postnatal care program (Postnatal Mother Care Package, Postnatal Baby Care Package) • Customized Health Check-up Packages for Women of all ages (Teens, Twenties, Thirties, Forties and Fifties) Addressing the Challenges Throughout its illustrious journey, Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital has overcome numerous challenges and has achieved various landmarks. The hospital has made noteworthy achievements which include the following: a. Apollo was a pioneer in the country to usher in the concept of dedicated women & children’s hospitals, with its first centre in 2002. Till such time that the Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital Concept was introduced, gynecology, obstetrics, neonatology, and pediatric services in the private sector were largely delivered by the small nursing homes or large multispecialty tertiary care hospitals. b. Apollo recognized the fact that maternity was to be celebrated and
“
We aim to bring healthcare of international standards within the reach of every individual
“
p
rovides the highest level of care, compassion, and medical expertise to the would-be mothers. The division of Fetal Medicine provides the expertise towards detecting and managing the issues identified before birth, in a timely manner.
s
Best of 5 Gynecology & Maternity Hospitals in India pace of a hospital setup, with other associated specialties.
c. The initial team faced the challenge of building this concept with the gynecologists and the patients. For gynecologists, the key question was the backup of allied specialties and services to be able to handle the entire spectrum under one roof and for the patients. It was a mindset shift to look at dedicated maternity homes for delivery and gynecology surgeries, instead of looking at large hospitals. Exploring the Horizon Team Apollo Cradle & Children’s
Hospital believes that the world is increasingly becoming more and more consumer centric. The same is applicable to the healthcare sector. As the new age consumers (patients) seek more services digitally, they expect some aspects of healthcare delivery and experience also to be available on the same media. At the same time, doctors are embracing new technology in the space of clinical care and providing minimal invasive options to the patients. “As providers, our aim is to provide both to our key stakeholders – the patients and the doctors”, states team ACCH.
This means that it is imperative on the part of the hospitals to remain technologically relevant (and not just the latest), to provide the right clinical care at the right price, and also at the same time make enough of its services and touchpoints available for the end consumer on a digital platform and drive automation. With Covid-19 pandemic, patients have been anxious about contracting the virus, so we began offering most services online. “At Apollo Cradle & Children's Hospital, we deployed a custom-built platform - APOLLO ADMISSION ASSIST which allows to-be-mothers to sit in the comfort of their home and see our facilities through a virtual tour, & book the room as well. This module also includes a 360- degree view of different room categories and other amenities,” explains the team of ACCH. In four simple steps the parents-to-be /patient can choose the facility. All they have to do is: • Fill in the due date • Choose preferred room • Review facility and amenities • Receive immediate Delivery estimate The parent-to-be can choose to connect with the care manager in case of any doubts. Also, the Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital App ensures that expert guidance right from antenatal care to delivery, post-delivery & child-care. A mother-to-be can connect with the doctor and her care manager 24/7, making the entire process connected and seamless. The patient data is maneuvered via a customized CRM, which allows the system to push reminder alerts for scan and follow up doctor appointments. This also provides trimester wise
w
hich helps them to prepare for the natural delivery, and also sends out baby vaccination alerts and reminders, post-delivery. This has really helped us connect & engage with our patients.
“At Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital, we provide complete care for mother and child till s/he turns 18 years of age. Patients can rest assured that, when they choose Apollo, both mother and child will be in safe hands,” states the team of Apollo Cradle and Children’s Hospital..
Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital also intends to be the choice of employer for its doctors and employees. Furthermore, it plans to take on teaching and training programs in the sub-specialties. Inspiring Words Addressing the young doctors and healthcare enthusiasts, team Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital states, “Always work on a long-term sustainable model, and do not look at short term gains. Beyond the physical infrastructure and medical technology deployed, it will be the clinical and operational efficiency which will create a long-term sustenance of such formats”. Team Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital further states that it is good to remember that the customers (patients) often give the best advice to keep improving service standards, so one should be vigilant
“
We provide broad range of healthcare under one roof
“
A Promising Future A well-respected clinical and patient centric brand, Apollo Cradle & Children’s Hospital carrying the legacy of 37 years forward in the space of women and childcare. The hospital intends to expand the network to other key cities, where the format is not present and at the same time develop its existing centres with new sub-specialties and offerings for the patients.
A Multi-Speciality Spectrum by A
Apollo Diagnostics - Expertise. Empowering you Apollo Diagnostics, a unit of Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited (AHLL), upholds the group’s legacy of excellence. Today, Apollo Diagnostics has 100+ labs with 800+ collection centers across the country. We service 10,000 patients every day and conduct 4 million tests annually. We are India’s first pathology lab chain to have ISO certified logistics and home collection services, to ensure thermos ability protocol. “All our labs are NABL accredited and ISO Certified, with our National Reference Lab CAP Accredited. We offer reliable, zero-error diagnostics with the AAA+ promise - Apollo Trust, Assured Quality and Affordability - along with the convenience of free home collection,” says the team of Apollo Diagnostics.
Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited Apollo Spectra Hospitals SPECIALISTS IN SURGERY The Apollo Spectra specialty hospital offers expert and quality healthcare, in a patient-friendly and more accessible facility. There are world class surgical services and impeccable post-operative care for all patients, with access to advanced technologies, excellent infrastructure and the most qualified team of surgeons attending to patients. The Apollo Spectra has a network of 15 specialty hospitals across 11 cities – Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Gurugram, Jaipur, Kanpur, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Gwalior, Patna and Pune. Over 1,30,000+ successful surgeries and more than 900 leading doctors, have ensured that it continues to set new standards in healthcare services. Apollo Clinic It is an integrated multi-specialty clinic that offers Specialist Consultation, Diagnostics, Preventive Health Checks and Pharmacy, all under one roof. With state-of-the-art facilities, expert physicians, the latest in technology, as well as trained technicians and support staff, all Apollo Clinics are equipped to handle any medical eventuality. Apollo Clinics touches over 10,000 lives daily, from treating the smallest of wounds to simple out-patient procedures. This is made possible by the 1500+ qualified doctors who work out of over 150 facilities across the country. Apollo Sugar Clinics It was conceived with the idea of offering focused holistic care for diabetes patients. Set up within a soothing ambience with technological advancements, accurate and precise diagnostics
and evidence-based treatment protocols, each of these centres is equipped with experienced Diabetologists, Endocrinologists, Diabetes health coaches and Diet counsellors who have a proven track record. All patients receive 360degree healthcare and assistance, to ensure their well-being on the go. It touches over 4.2 lakh lives annually through treating their diabetes needs, which is made possible by the 100+ qualified Diabetologists and Endocrinologists, who work from 60+ branches, across 21 cities. Apollo Dental It is an integrated, multi-specialty dental clinic that offers Specialist Consultations and solutions to all generic and cosmetic dentistry needs, under one roof. With stateof-the-art facilities, expert dentists, the best-in-class technology, as well as trained technicians and support staff, Apollo Dental is equipped to handle any medical eventuality related to oral health. Patients can be always assured of complete professional assistance. Providing a comfortable and warm ambience, patients can benefit from technological advancement and evidence-based updated treatments, as each of these centres is equipped with the latest and most ergonomic Dental Chairs, LASERS, globally acclaimed Dental Implants, Digital X-rays, Dental microscopes, Crown machines from Germany, branded consumables and several other top-of-the-line equipment. This ensures continuous improvement of the quality of treatment delivery, which is strictly monitored with standardized protocols. Apollo Dental has spread over 3.9 lakh smiles, from treating basic dental needs to complete oral care
needs. It has been made possible by the 300+ qualified dentists, who work from 60+ branches across 21 cities. Apart from providing quality dental healthcare, Apollo Dental is also one of the most trusted chain of dental clinics in the country. Apollo Dialysis: India’s leading dialysis care and service network, Apollo Dialysis has been catering to the needs of kidney patients for 11 years. It entered the Indian healthcare sector with standalone centres in 2010, with a goal of transforming the industry while offering the best care to dialysis patients. There are more than 60 clinics in 50+ locations spread across 7 states, and 30 more are soon going to be launched. The expert nephrologists offer the best clinical outcomes for patients who need to undergo the procedure at least twice a week. It aims to offer patients quality medicare coupled with Accessibility, Affordability and Affectionate Care. The group has also collaborated with the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, and Bihar to offer free /low-cost procedures for patients who cannot afford the expenses. A pilot project to set up Home Hemodialysis units is also underway, which will enable patients to have dedicated units set up in their homes, to let them undergo the procedure from the comfort of their home, at their own convenience.
Subscribe Today Stay in touch.
Subscribe to Insightssuccess Get Insightssuccess Magazine in print, & digital on www.insightssuccess.in
www.insightssuccess.in
Cheque should be drawn in favour of : INSIGHTS SUCCESS MEDIA AND TECH PVT. LTD.
CORPORATE OFFICE Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd. Off No. 22 & 510, Rainbow Plaza, Shivar Chowk, Pimple Saudagar, Pune, Maharashtra 411017. Phone - India: 020- 7410079881/ 82/ 83/ 84/ 85 USA: 302-319-9947 Email: info@insightssuccess.in For Subscription : www.insightssuccess.in
Kovai Medical Center and Hospitals
One of the Prominent Corporate Hospitals in the Country
H
ospitals can provide a homely birth setting for the mother, baby, and extended family. A hospital is a kind of facility that increases the efficacy of all other facets of the health-care system by ensuring consistent access to treatment for both acute and chronic diseases. To respond effectively to public health needs, a hospital should focus its resources to maximize benefits to its patients throughout its healthcare network. KMCH (Kovai Medical Center and Hospitals) is the second oldest Corporate Hospital in the country. It was
20 | MAY 2021
founded in 1986 and opened its doors in Coimbatore in 1990. Since then, it has been steadily growing from its original multi-speciality 200-bed size to 1000 bed corporate hospital and 720-bed medical college hospital on a 25-acre campus with four peripheral centers. It is patient-focused and the cost sensitivities of the Tier two population of the city have been kept in mind. On the technical side, KMCH gradually built-up excellence in service. The hospital has a fetal medicine department, which does fetal MRI and is dedicated to trained fetal
www.insightssuccess.in
BRAND OF THE MONTH
“
The HOSPITAL has a fetal medicine department, which does fetal MRI and is dedicated to trained fetal medicine specialists capable of doing intrauterine procedures such as laser ablation, fetal reduction, etc.
“
www.insightssuccess.in
Dr Nalla G Palaniswami Chairman Kovai Medical Center and Hospital
Dr Arun N Palaniswami Executive Director Kovai Medical Center and Hospital
MAY 2021 | 21
“
Patient centricity is on the rise and a lot of customization will be required to keep up with changing demands
“
m
edicine specialists capable of doing intrauterine procedures such as laser ablation, fetal reduction, etc. It has a dedicated geneticist for counselling and is also a tertiary referral center for complex cases of dengue, haemorrhagic shock in pregnancy, uncontrolled postpartum bleeding requiring embolization. The hospital has also started handling COVID patients recently and set up a dedicated COVID positive maternity unit to handle COVID positive expectant mothers. It is a tertiary referral center for Neonatal ICU cases as well as 2 neonatal ICUs with combined 40 + beds. Cases of complex cardiac diseases discovered antenatally may be planned for cardiac surgery during the neonatal period. KMCH Dynamics When a pregnant patient first enters KMCH, they are sent to the OB & Gyn department. There the doctors focus on customer care and ease of service. Patients can have appointments with their selection of six OB & Gyn consultants. OB & GYN consulting rooms, Dietician Counselling, Cash counter, vaccination center, phlebotomy, NST testing, and Dedicated Pharmacy are located on one dedicated OPD area on the 3rd floor with Fetal medicine and genetic counselling are on the fifth floor with four dedicated USG rooms. This is separated from the rest of radiology. This is done so the patient does not have to
22 | MAY 2021
mingle with other sicker patients inside a multi-speciality hospital but having all those services available if necessary. Patients have a choice of three cafeterias (Veg, Non-veg and full-service higher-end AC rooftop restaurant) while they wait. In-house Maternity store is run by "Born Babies". The hospitals do not have to offer any Package per se, as charges are the same given to all patients who visit the corporate hospital. The main difference is in the Room tariff. KMCH has spacious deluxe suites which are quite popular. For very poor patients, KMCH has a medical college hospital that charges only Rs 30 for consultation and a delivery package for Rs 10,000 including three Ultrasounds and follow-up visits. The Vision for the hospital is to be a high-level tertiary referral center for all maternity and neonatal care. No one should leave Coimbatore to go to any part of the world for any procedure and their mission is to be a center of excellence in maternity and neonatal care. One with Technology During the Initial years in the 1990s, India as a whole was very behind in Equipment and trained staff and expertise in Neonatal care. On their inauguration day, KMCH was bagging a neonate with a probable cardiac dysfunction looking for a cardiologist and cardiothoracic surgeon to assess and intervene. There was no ventilator for neonates. KMCH has come a long way and now has equipment and personnel that are equal to the world. However, there is a hesitancy when KMCH takes on new responsibilities and tougher cases that others reject. Convincing patients for Genetic counselling is easier said
www.insightssuccess.in
t
han done. Willingness to take on complex fetal procedures in Antenatal mothers brings about new fears that if anything bad happens, let it be in some other place. However, the doctors have risen to the challenge and improved their skill levels to handle almost any challenge. A lot of technological advancements and innovation in the healthcare space has influenced the maternity hospital's daily operations. KMCH has adopted HIS systems from the 1990s. The team of KMCH has not adopted complete Electronic Medical Records, as it is not very cost-effective but will implement it in the coming years. It has smart data analytic tools which can mine data and target people who have missed appointments and vaccination. Past records are available in computer systems for emergency reference. Most of the benefits have been on the backend where doctors have high-efficiency administrative targets and goals are tracked. The data is then processed to suggest changes to patient flow. Like changing pharmacy shift times, arranging extra phlebotomists, rearranging Vaccination, etc. There are strategically driven plans to be implemented to enhance the efficiencies of the maternity hospital in the upcoming year. KMCH is focusing on bringing a lot of online content for expectant mothers. For example, in India, depending on what background or states patients are from, they have very different food habits. So dietary advice given in one printed format is completely useless to them. Patients need content, ideally in their language, which they can easily refer to and is relevant to them. This brings down the stress of normal pregnancy.
“
COMMUNICATION with the patient is highly critical to your success or failure as a DOCTOR
“
www.insightssuccess.in
Towards a Glorious Future Advice for young doctors: · Patient care is first. Never forget this. · Communication with the patient is highly critical to your success or failure as a doctor · You don't just treat patients, you treat families · Fancy equipment, marble floors, and airconditioned waiting halls can't make up for a bad doctor on your team. · Always improve yourself. The future looks bright for maternity hospitals in terms of growth and expansion. Patient centricity is on the rise and a lot of customization will be required to keep up with changing demands. Patient experience and customer journey through systems will be critical. This is extremely easier said than done as patient feedback and data collected may not represent what does a patient value. The Covid-19 pandemic has created a lot of workload for caregivers and ancillary healthcare service providers. There are problems being faced by maternity hospitals specifically in this ongoing pandemic. As a tertiary referral center that gets patients to form other states and districts, the patient flow was extremely restricted. COVID positive patients and attenders were constantly being picked up but only 70 % could be detected by RT-PCR meaning exposure to COVID was almost certain and a high amount of personnel protection and safety measures had to be taken. A dedicated COVID unit had to be set up as the hospital had a lot of long-standing patients with strong relationships, they did not want to break plus KMCH had a huge community responsibility. If they didn't do it, who would? Telemedicine will grow and help. But initially will be impact except for high-end niches where patients can access high-end advisory services like endocrine issues or low-end services, online diet counselling and yoga, antenatal classes from the comfort of their home. The volume of people using these services has increased, but still, a large section of patients need face-to-face contact. In places like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, there is a high doctorpatient ratio and the local Government service is good to handle all basic pregnancy care and the health data supports that. The only thing that makes them travel is a strong relationship and belief in their doctor. "Without relationship building, doctors will struggle to retain patients and our experience online is that it is hard to build these relationships online," concludes the team of KMCH.
MAY 2021 | 23
24 | MAY 2021
www.insightssuccess.in
Health-tech Insights
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Girija Wagh is an expert Gynecologist with 27 years of experience in clinical practice and teaching gynecology. As a renowned academician, she has many research papers published. She always keeps herself updated with the current knowledge and latest trends. Dr. Girija through her position in FOGSI has advocated for women’s health issues to the government. She has been a member of the CSB PCPNDT Act and national mentor under the LaQshiya initiative. She also specializes in complicated pregnancy conditions and infertility. Not limiting to just this, Dr. Girija is a compassionate doctor and counsellor.
Dr. Girija Wagh Gynecologist
26 | MAY 2021
www.insightssuccess.in
DYNAMICS OF UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND SAFE MATERNAL HEALTHCARE DELIVERY “Technology like art is a soaring exercise of the human imagination.” – Daniel Bell
T
he current climate in the practice of gynecology and obstetrics is much influenced by the COVID pandemic and the fact that access to health care is limited. Additionally, the stressful environment has made women vulnerable to be deprived of important preventive health care measures as well as be at risk of issues such as preterm births, preeclampsia (also called gestosis where blood pressure rises and is a severe pregnancy complication), foetal jeopardy and other complications. Technological advances are much into existence and through this write up I am going to discuss some such emerging advances which can help women’s health monitoring for a better outcome. Following are areas that are of prime importance for women’s health and the emerging technologies in context.
1. Prevention of preterm birth: As we know India has the topmost numbers of preterm deliveries globally increasing the burden on the health care system, challenging the health of the future generation, and causing huge financial and emotional stress. An interesting gadget designed by Pregnan Tech Company from Misgav, Israel which is a device that can be implanted over the cervix (opening of the womb) seems to have a promise. This device is called the LIONESS made up of silicon which is proposed to prevent the cascade of events that occur to cause the shortening and softening of the cervix and finally dilatation resulting in premature birth. This a nonsurgical, safe solution which is a silicon ring placed with a special carrier and keeps the cervix long and nonamenable till the patient is 9 months pregnant. The delay in the initiation of the biochemical
www.insightssuccess.in
cascade prevents collagen breakdown and thus preterm delivery. The device is tested for clinical safety usage in women undergoing hysterectomy and will be eventually tested in pregnant mothers to be used in clinical practice. 2. Home-Tele ultrasound a personal device to assess foetal well-being: With a lack of access to care and to prevent exposure to the covid infection this home-based device seems to offer a solution and is being created by PulseNmore, a firm from Israel. The device has an ultrasound transducer at the bottom and is a dock for a smartphone that can capture high-quality images that can be shared with the patients’ health care provider for interpretation and guidance. This certainly has a promise of providing optimal health care not only during the pandemic but beyond as conditions such as rupture of membranes, foetal jeopardy, amount of amniotic fluid, etc can be detected and immediate, apt action be taken. The makers consider this to be affordable and accessible and truly seems to be a major leap forwards in the digital system as it can be used with minimal training by the pregnant woman and her family. 3. Cordless electronic foetal monitors. Electronic foetal monitors used during labor have helped in closely monitoring the foetal condition during delivery and also providing documentary evidence of the entire duration if so desired. This has also helped in bringing about safety during delivery and an opportunity for early detection and timely intervention to deliver babies safely. The challenge however has been that the woman is bedbound and strapped to the machine and cannot ambulate during labor. Ambulation during labor has been proved to be beneficial as it provides good oxygenation and helps the mother to
MAY 2021 | 27
b
e in a comfortable position thus aiding improved delivery outcomes. Newer gadgets have now become available which offer remote monitoring during delivery with benefits such as comfort, mobility, and flexibility. Some transducers are attached to the mother’s womb and are remotely connected to the machine and these keep on recording the foetal condition as well as the uterine contractions. Also, the record can be sent on a smartphone to the consultant as in the diagram below:
Diagram 1: Screenshot of the report received by me on my smartphone depicting the foetal heart rate, presence of good accelerations, and foetal movements depicting good
foetal condition. 4. Glucose monitoring sensor: Diabetes is on the rise and more so in pregnancy. During pregnancy, nearly 1520 percent of mothers are affected with gestational diabetes which can cause maternal and foetal health complications. These can be avoided by stringent sugar levels and these need to be monitored regularly. Below is a record received from a patient with gestational diabetes who had a glucose sensor fitted which recorded her sugar levels. As we understand for optimal outcomes, we need to have stringent glucose levels, and this can be achieved by using the sensor which tracks the glucose levels helping the patient as well as the clinician. The picture below depicts the record received from a patient being treated for gestational diabetes.
setting. Thus, the woman when visits the facility then only the blood pressure is checked. Checking blood pressure at home can help early detection and proper management of hypertension in pregnancy. Women at risk or universally can be encouraged to do self-blood pressure measurement with the use of a smartphone, accelerometer, and a conventional blood pressure cuff. This has been created by workers in Purdue and is called the pressor testing system that allows consistent, reproducible evaluations of blood pressure. The woman can be guided to report to the facility in case of abnormal readings and the occurrence of other signs of gestosis. This has been studied in 25 pregnant mothers and the data is published and is soon expected to be available for commercial use. The technological advances and their implementation in medical practice are truly enthralling and the progress must go on. “Let’s go invent tomorrow instead of worrying about what happened yesterday.” – Steve Jobs
5. Home-self blood pressure monitoring: Preeclampsia Gestosis is common and a dangerous complication of pregnancy and the single pointer of diagnosing this condition is the blood pressure measurement in a clinical
28 | MAY 2021
www.insightssuccess.in
Lifelline Medicare Disrupting the Maternity Space with Technology, Skills, and Compassion Altogether
S
he works tirelessly to bring into the many cradles of cry and tears of joy.
She leaves her plate half-empty to deliver the bundle of joy safe into a mother's arms. A mother gives you life, but she has given hers to deliver thousands of lifelines.
An ode to Dr. Shilpa Ambekar and every other Gynaecologist who has truly spent their lives learning how to save others'. Maybe that's why Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Roman Philosopher had said, "People pay the doctor for his trouble; for his kindness, they still remain in his debt.” But, to express and live such kindness, one has to go through a hoard of struggles, to gain patients' trust, to manage and maintain hospital faculty and facility to ensure quality care, and to be always on toes to save lives. "Maintaining work-life balance and working tirelessly every day is tough," Dr. Shilpa Ambekar says, "But the joy we see on parents' faces when they for the first time cradle their baby and hold them close, it makes all the pain worth.” Dr. Shilpa Ambekar along with her team has been spreading joy every day
“
30 | MAY 2021
“
Dr. Shilpa Ambekar Gynecologist
Once the MOTHER accepts her CHILD irrespective of GENDER, no one can touch her HAPPINESS of WELCOMING another bundle of JOY
www.insightssuccess.in
a
t Lifelline Medicare Group of Hospitals for the past decade. Although she takes pride in helping bring a bundle of joy to the family, Shilpa also confessed the hardships she and the team had faced at the start. "When we started Lifelline Medicare in 2008, gaining trust in the community was a major challenge for us," Shilpa is also consultant at Bombay hospital, Breachcandy hospital & Surya hospital.
Dr. Shilpa's hard work and compassion along with her team's cordial and skilled efforts helped break the myth. However, Shilpa and her team had to deal with several more challenges to establish Lifelline Medicare as a trusted name in the gynecology and maternity space. Breaking the C-section myth Many patients believe doctors often recommend c-section even when there's a possibility of normal delivery. This was another challenge Dr. Shilpa and her team at Lifelline Medicare had
www.insightssuccess.in
MATERNITY EXPERTS
to deal with. Gaining patients' trust was tough but the skilled staff and caregivers at Lifelline Medicare made it possible. "The scare of c-section has completely vanished for all my patients," Dr. Shilpa says, "We try our best to conduct normal deliveries suggesting c-section only when at most indicated for mother and baby. The hospital has specialized facilities and advanced technologies to try to conduct painless delivery. The hydro
birth facility at the hospital has helped several mothers deliver with the least pain. The hospital is always on par with 24X7 care and observation by the doctors and skilled nurses, NICU incubator, and other facilities. This has helped patients build faith towards the doctors and the staff completely breaking the c-section myth for the patients at Lifelline Medicare. Doctor's life behind scrubs You won't know how deep the water is until you dive in. Before entering the
maternity space, Dr. Shilpa was unaware of the groundbreaking efforts the maternity space requires. With time Dr. Shilpa got the knack of the hectic schedule. She skillfully manages time in between her shifts by taking power naps and making time for other chores. While working in a maternity space is hectic and stressful, she agrees, the satisfaction of delivering happiness balances it all. "We have gone without brushing our teeth for 2-3 days." Dr. Shilpa shared her experience, "But when the baby is delivered and the joy we see on mom's face, sometimes even family members come and hug the doctors and team to share their joy and gratitude that gives me immense satisfaction.” Mission birth to beyond A gynecologist's job doesn't end with a new birth, it begins from there. Lifelline Medicare hospital reflects has reflected it in every place from its logo to the ground services. The hospital provides facilities for women from birth till menopause. This is another unique aspect of the hospital that has helped build a strong bond with its patients by providing all the quality care female patients need under one roof. Operating challenges with caution and care While society is moving forward with more acceptance towards feminism, the bitter truth of sexism followed by few communities can't be ignored. And the maternity space is where we experience gender discrimination the most. Dr. Shilpa and her team at Lifelline Medicare have been dealing with this challenge with caution and care. While welcoming new life to this world is extreme joy, the team also has to face the disappointment of the family's face on delivering a girl child, epically if it's
MAY 2021 | 31
“
My ADVICE to anyone wanting to enter the maternity space is to be PREPARED for LONG HOURS, NIGHT CALLS, and above all DELIVERING WITH DEVOTION
c
onfessed this experience as heartbreaking in the modern world.
When asked about how the hospital deals with such cases, Dr. Shilpa shared the approach, "For a mother her every child is equal. We try to induce this belief in mothers helping them see beyond the society's lenses of differentiating girl and boy. Once the mother accepts her child irrespective of gender, no one can touch her happiness of welcoming another bundle of joy.”
“
When both mother and father accept the baby with equal love and affection irrespective of gender, the family with time accepts the baby with equal joy. Innovation making pain manageable It is said that a woman who can tolerate labor pain can tolerate any pain in the world. However, technology and innovation have helped labor pains quite manageable. Lifelline Medicare Hospital has been using innovation to initiate painless labor, where the mothers don't feel 70% of pain and in many cases, they deliver with a smile. The latest technology like continuous fetal monitoring has also made fetus monitoring much easier during delivery. This portable machine is attached to the patient when she goes into labor to continuously monitor the baby's heartbeat and help doctors notice any issues during delivery. Dr. Shilpa agrees that this technology has made the team more confident in conducting healthy and normal deliveries. Telemedicine has also played its small part in connecting doctors to patients over phones to help them provide any care and medical advice to manage labor pain and other delivery issues. However, according to Dr. Shilpa, physical facilities and assistance are must to ensure the health of the mother and the fetus for safe deliveries. 32 | MAY 2021
www.insightssuccess.in
T
aking further her compassion and devotion towards her work, Dr. Shilpa also shared her hopes to see improvisation in laws and regulations regarding maternity and birth making them more lenient and practical to provide better services to patients. Delivering happiness during the pandemic COVID-19 pandemic has tested the healthcare industry throughout the world, including maternity space. Experiencing and aiding delivery cases of COVID-positive mothers was a new challenge Lifelline Medicare had to deal with during the pandemic. As this situation was very new to even the healthcare and maternity space, the professionals were unaware of how the coronavirus will be affecting the fetus. However, the team's skills and dedication made it possible for COVID positive mothers to deliver safely, which has been another milestone in the hospital's successful journey.
Dr. Shilpa also encourages aspiring doctors and caregivers wanting to enter the maternity space, "While the work is hectic it is extremely satisfying as well," she said, "My advice to anyone wanting to enter the maternity space is to be prepared for long hours, night calls, and above all delivering with devotion."
www.insightssuccess.in
“
Maintaining WORK-LIFE BALANCE and WORKING tirelessly every day is tough, but the joy we see on PARENTS' face when they first time cradle their BABY and hold them close, it makes all the PAIN WORTH
“
Extending lifeline of happiness Maternity care is among the facilities that patients prefer having close to their homes. Lifelline Medicare aims to extend its care and services by expanding in different neighborhoods. The hospital is also planning to increase occupancy and invest in mobile healthcare services to be able to provide quality healthcare to more patients in need.
MAY 2021 | 33
Bangalore Baptist Hospital A One-Stop Multi-Specialty Centre for your Holistic Care
H
ospitals complement and amplify the effectiveness of many other parts of the health system, providing continuous availability of services for acute and complex conditions. They concentrate scarce resources within well-planned referral networks to respond efficiently to population health needs. Hospitals are also an essential part of health system development. Currently, external pressures, health systems shortcomings, and hospital sector deficiencies are driving a new vision for hospitals in many parts of the world. Hospitals matter to people and often mark central points in their lives. They matter to health systems by being instrumental for care coordination and integration. They often provide a setting for the education of doctors, nurses, and other health-care professionals and are a critical base for clinical research. Bangalore Baptist Hospital is one of the trailblazers in this field. ‘Quality with Compassion’ embodies Bangalore Baptist Hospital. It is a not-for-profit institution with a strong vision to serve all people without discrimination of caste, color, or creed in the spirit of Jesus Christ. Below are the highlights of the BBH’s interview with Insights Success: Enlighten us with the journey of your hospital so far. The Bangalore Baptist Hospital (BBH) was formally opened on 15th January 1973 as an 80-bed general hospital. Presently BBH is governed by Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore. Baptist Hospital has evolved into a 340bed tertiary care facility that is renowned for a commitment
36 | MAY 2021
www.insightssuccess.in
t
o quality with compassion. Baptist Hospital is the first mission hospital in the country to have met national quality standards (NABH and NABL) of excellence in healthcare. With an experienced, highly qualified team of 120 doctors (a majority of these are full-time doctors) and a passionate workforce of more than 1,400 staff, BBH is committed to providing high-quality care using current novel technologies and medical advances. Post Graduate residency programs (Diplomate of National Board and Fellowship courses) in a broad range of 13 different specialties and multiple B.Sc., and Diploma programs (in Nursing and Allied Health Sciences under the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Science) are conducted. BBH is also a recipient of many awards and accolades. Give a detailed summary of the key personality(s) life before and after their entry into the gynecology and maternity services space. Since its inception, BBH has given much importance to maternal health and obstetrics care. BBH has the maximum number of deliveries compared to any other private hospitals in the state of Karnataka with an exception to the government hospitals. The approximate number of deliveries in a year is 3055. Dr. Naveen Thomas is the Director and CEO at Bangalore Baptist Hospital. Being a one-stop multi-specialty centre for women, our team of highly experienced specialists treat all obstetric and gynecological health issues from prepubescence to menopause. The team works in coordination with super-specialty services such as Foetal Medicine, Endocrinology, Oncology, and Reproductive Medicine to provide holistic care for women. Kindly talk about different care packages and services offered by your maternity hospital. Antenatal clinics – low and high-risk labour rooms and Birthing Suites, Foetal Medicine Clinic, Painless labour (epidural analgesia) Post-partum clinic, Antenatal physiotherapy, Diet counseling, Genetic counseling, Diabetic clinic, General gynecology, Cancer screening, Gynaec cancer surgery – minimal access (laparoscopy), Well Women clinic/menopause clinic, Gynecological surgeries for fibroid, prolapse, endometriosis, ovarian tumors, etc., Laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgeries, Contraception: Counseling, oral, injectable and intrauterine
www.insightssuccess.in
Dr. Naveen Thomas Director and CEO
devices, tubectomy, Adolescent reproductive health, Pre conceptional counseling, and Lactation counseling. BBH has a very large number of ‘painless labour’ (epidural analgesia for any hospital in the state). What is the vision and mission of your maternity hospital? To medically support the disadvantaged mothers and children to improve their quality of life. To provide both compassionate holistic care and high teach care to all with utmost professional excellence. The community health department serves as the hospital’s outreach arm with exemplary services to improve health and is serving approximately 1 million people in the rural areas and 1 million people in twelve urban slums, one of the largest slums being D J Halli. BBH aims to ensure every woman who comes to the hospital gets the best quality treatment at an affordable cost. What kind of challenges has your maternity hospital and its team faced at the time of its inception? The demand for care was more than what could be provided. A large number of patients meant that the medical facilities had to be upgraded rapidly.
MAY 2021 | 37
Best of 5 Gynecology & Maternity Hospitals in India
H
ow the technological advancements and innovation in the healthcare space has influenced your maternity hospital’s daily operations? BBH is one of the fewer institutions in the country which has a maximum number of labour epidural (painless deliveries). The BBH RMU team consists of qualified doctors, full-time in-house embryologists at the IVF lab, and well-trained nursing staff. The team constantly strives to ensure that your journey to parenthood is easy, seamless, and at an affordable cost. Taking you closer to your dreams of parenthood. Recently Spinal Muscular Atrophy or SMA, gene therapy is being offered for the first time in South India; and the second such center in India. (after AIIMS)
The community health department initiated the e-Mobile health clinics in all existing mobile clinics villages. The underprivileged and elderly can talk one to one with the doctors on mobile screen and get the appropriate medication with a printed report in their village/hometown. Most of the village folk are happy with the e-consultation. Additional significant features were created apart from the regular schedule which includes eConsultation, ‘Wings of Care’ is a program offering home care package for COVID positive patients with mild symptoms, Covid Vitals Monitoring, Video calling are some of the valuable features that BBH has been able to roll out. An in-house home sample collection initiative was introduced, which collects COVID samples from the Patients’ homes and offices ensuring the patient does not have to leave his home unless it is necessary.
What are your strategically driven plans to be implemented to enhance the efficiencies of your maternity hospital in the upcoming year? The new mother and child centre (Women’s and Children’s Healthcare and Research Centre) is under the final stages of construction. The new centre is expected to be ready by June this year. What does the future look like for your maternity hospital in terms of growth and expansion? Women and Children require highly specialized medical and surgical attention. A dedicated facility called Women’s and Children’s Healthcare and Research Center (WCHRC) is getting ready. We all know the Covid-19 pandemic has created a lot of workload for caregivers and ancillary healthcare service providers. But what problems your maternity hospital has faced specifically in this ongoing pandemic? Independent isolation and labour and delivery room had to be started for covid positive obstetric and pregnant ladies. Women’s empowerment has been a focus of the institution. In your opinion, how telemedicine and remote healthcare services are creating an impact in the modern maternity care system?
38 | MAY 2021
www.insightssuccess.in
TELEMEDICINE REMOTE HEALTHCARE SERVICES
and
Impacting Modern
MatCare ernity
40 | MAY 2021
www.insightssuccess.in
M
odern maternity and healthcare have witnessed massive transformations owing to the advent of cutting-edge technology. Today’s technological innovations have brought a facelift to maternity care at large. For any woman, pregnancy and the feeling that they will soon become a mother is an amazing experience. However, during this period, they may face numerous challenges. Mothers experience the unbearable symptoms of pregnancy and may also have to visit the doctors on multiple occasions during the gestation period. For many, it may be difficult to fulfill this requirement as they need to consult numerous specialists, they have busy schedules, and some also may face the problem of limited means of transportation as they may belong to remote locations. However, to ensure the safety of both the mother and the child, they are encouraged to attend all the pre-term doctors’ appointments so that they receive the extra care and the necessary monitoring of the child in the womb.
Telemedicine and Remote Healthcare Services enhance Maternity Care Many healthcare organizations and hospitals are implementing telemedicine and remote healthcare services. This ensures that all the expectant mothers receive the best care throughout their pregnancies. Telemedicine offers various advantages to maternity care, while ensuring the safety of the mothers. These advantages have been discussed below: • Swift and frequent Services without any Travelling: In today’s age, technology offers amazing options for pre-natal care. With the addition of telemedicine, these practices can
www.insightssuccess.in
Med-tech Dynamics become more effective and can be provided to many expectant mothers across far-off locations. Many of them might not be able to travel to a distant urban facility for care. In such case, healthcare providers can easily examine these patients through live ultrasound technology. This opens a new doorway towards carrying out prenatal check-ups wherein, the doctors can stream live ultrasound images directly to the patient during the checkup. Thanks to the telemedicine technology, mothers can share important data regarding their pregnancy with doctors, gynecologists, and other specialists in just a matter of seconds. Women who are expecting have to visit the doctor once a month until they reach the 28week mark post which, they have to see their physicians twice a week until the baby is born. For a mother, it might not be possible to make it to every appointment physically. However, with telemedicine technology, this problem is easily solved as the patients can consult the doctor at any convenient time and discuss their problems with ease. • Smooth Services where healthcare Specialists are Rarely Available: An expectant mother with high-risk pregnancy needs to see a doctor more often than any normal pregnant woman. In such circumstances, patients living in a rural location, or those who do not have the means to travel to the city may face difficulties in availing efficient healthcare facilities. This problem can be simplified with telemedicine solutions as it overcomes the limitations of time and distance, and doctors can reach out to the aid of expectant mothers at any time. Moreover, remote video consultations can save the lives of both the baby and the mother who is
carrying. This, in turn, improves the quality of healthcare services any hospital or healthcare organization provides. • Telemedicine promotes a FamilyCentric and Emotional Maternity care Model: For any woman, pregnancy is an exciting and unforgettable period of their life. Their family members should sure that this entire period should be empowering and positive. With innovative telehealth applications, lowrisk pregnant women can experience the joy of pregnancy. At the same time, telemedicine plays an imperative role in improving the efficiency of healthcare and in increasing the access to specialized care. Telemedicine procedures for expectant mothers not only embrace the emotional component of pregnancy, but also focus on a family-centric model. They also make sure that various pre-natal care goals such as detection, management, and correction of various complications when they arise are kept in top priority. Some other benefits of telemedicine in maternity care are low cost of care, increased control and reassurance, enhanced patient satisfaction, savings in facility management, and so on. In today’s advanced age, telemedicine and remote healthcare services have merged as a boon for expectant mothers and maternity care at large. Swift diagnosis, quick consultation, immediate feedback, and other such features have upgraded maternity care and the care of a mother’s health. With changing times and new innovations coming our way, we can expect more developments in this field in the times to come. - Ananda Kamal Das
MAY 2021 | 41
Best of 5 Gynecology & Maternity Hospitals in India
Shree Krishna Hospital Upholding Healthcare while Offering Solace to the Suffering
N
eonatal and post-natal healthcare is important to determine and improve the health and well-being of mothers and children. Gynaecology and maternity hospitals play an important role in ensuring that all the healthcare needs of a woman are fulfilled, and her child is safe and healthy. These hospitals play a pivotal role in improving the health of a woman and her child.
One such noteworthy hospital which is leading the healthcare sector is none other than Shree Krishna Hospital. From its humble origin in 1981, today it has become the first teaching hospital in the state to be accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH). From a 136-bed hospital nearly four decades back, it has grown to become a 1000 bed hospital today, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities rendering professional services of the highest order. About Charutar Arogya Mandal Charutar Arogya Mandal was established nearly five decades back as a venture of hope, to offer comprehensive, compassionate health care to everyone and anyone who needed it; an outcome of a dream cherished by the late Dr HM Patel, Former Union Home and Finance Minister. With missionary zeal and characteristic enthusiasm, he embarked on building an institution which he envisioned would fulfill the long-felt need for a faculty of medicine. The Charutar
42 | MAY 2021
Arogya Mandal was formed as a trust and society in 1972 to create an example of how the healthcare needs of the rural community can be met. Dedication towards Healthcare What defines the Mandal today, however, is not its infrastructure or its facilities. Over 5 lakh patients come to the hospital annually for outdoor consultations, largely from the villages of Charotar. Around 40,000 in-patients are admitted to its various indoor services, and over 9000 patients who undergo surgeries at the hospital, experience healthcare as it was always meant to be: humane, rational, efficient, and affordable. Patients are provided with uniform quality treatment along with those who can afford it. The hospital provides concessions and free ships worth more than Rs. 40 crores annually mainly to needy patients. Many of the patients treated would not have pursued treatment if they had not been supported by the Mandal and its donors. Upholding Hope, Women, and Child Care Authorities at Shree Krishna Hospital understand that becoming a mother is one of the biggest dreams for a woman. Its facilities for women and childcare are one of the best in the country. Aided by a group of experts and support staff, the hospital ensures that every aspect of a woman and
www.insightssuccess.in
“
We aim to provide and prepare resources for modern and professional healthcare to the community equitably
“
c
hild's health – from pregnancy to paediatric care to menopausal support – is looked after.
Exceptional Leadership The personality responsible for the tremendous success of Shree Krishna Hospital is Dr. H.M. Patel, the Founder. He is remembered for his remarkable services for the country, first as a bureaucrat and later as union minister. Dr, Patel has also played an important role in the fields of health and education. When he was the Chairman of Charutar Vidya Mandal, he established a number of teaching institutions affiliated to Sardar Patel University. Delivering a Plethora of Facilities With an experience of 40 years, Shree Krishna Hospital is the most dependable destination for healthcare. The hospital's comprehensive set-up ensures that patients do not have to move from pillar to post for any essential medical care required during treatment. The experienced team of experts and well-trained support staff makes sure that the patients receive care with steadfast dedication and warmth. Some of its excellent facilities include the following: · Team of experts include experienced gynaecologists : Dr. Smruti Vaishnav, Dr. Nitin Raithatha, Dr. Shilpa Sapre, Dr. Rumi Bhattacharjee · An experienced team of paediatricians: Dr. Somashekhar Nimbalkar, Dr. Krutika R Tandon, Dr.
www.insightssuccess.in
Dipen V Patel, Dr. Reshma Pujara, Dr. Jigar Thacker · Accredited diagnostic services · Accommodation from general to privilege categories · Support teams including physiotherapists, psychiatrists, psychologists and dieticians · Neonatal and paediatric Intensive Care Units · Obstetric ICU The hospital houses numerous specialty clinics, which have been mentioned below: Infertility Clinic: The clinic offers guidance and information to those couples who are having difficulty in conception or have infertility. Parenting Clinic: The clinic offers services before pregnancy, care during pregnancy and post- delivery care with a range of facilities which help to make parenthood a pleasant experience. Menopause Clinic: The clinic offers a holistic care to ensure a smooth transition from reproductive stage to menopause. Adolescent Clinic: The clinic offers all the services to help a child embrace the changes on the onset of his or her adulthood. Development Clinic: The clinic offers services for assessing and monitoring the physical and mental growth of children and intervening with appropriate solution wherever required. Shree Krishna Hospital handles many high-risk obstetrics
MAY 2021 | 43
Last year, the hospital treated nearly 2000 outpatients and 1000 in-patients of high-risk pregnancy. It conducted a total number of 1400 deliveries and it saved 60 maternal mortalities, near-miss obstetric cases, which have survived childbirth after a life-threatening and complicated pregnancy. Anemia during the pregnancy is one of the important factors associated with number of maternal and fetal complications. The Ministry of Health and family Welfare department of Government of Gujarat has given emphasis on prevent anemia. As a tertiary care hospital of the region, the Women and Child Care Department of Shree Krishna Hospital has transfused the blood to severe anemic pregnant women. It has also supported the government for the drive to eradicate anemia among women. Under the Government's Chiranjeevi Yojana scheme, the hospital provides institutional services for both normal and complicated delivery including C-Sections operation and blood transfusion to targeted group (Below Poverty Line).
(
PHC) and private hospital from surrounding areas of Anand and Kheda districts. The Gynecology Obstetrics centre also handles referred post-delivery cases with severe postpartum hemorrhage, sepsis, low birth babies, and preterm babies. Mothers without the pre-natal care and hospital registration are brought to emergency care with the complaint of labor pain and bleeding. Many of them are anemic having less than 7 gm hemoglobin. Owing to their critical condition, the hospital conducts complicated deliveries and carries out the blood transfusion process with its state-of-art facilities.
Screening for cancer is known to reduce maternal mortality by early detection and treatment. The Mother and Child Care Department of the hospital diagnoses and treats 50 cervical cancer patients on monthly basis. The hospital also creates awareness in the community about early diagnosis and treatment of cervical and breast cancer under the 'Cancer Prevention and Care Program'. Shree Krishna Hospital's Neo Natal Care Unit has advanced technology and trained healthcare professionals to give special care for the tiniest patients like preterm babies (born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) and have low birth weight (less than 1 Kg), or those who have a health condition that needs special care. The NICU team works together with the parents to create a plan of care for high-risk newborns.
The A. D Gorwala Blood Bank is an integral part of Shree Krishna Hospital. It works hard to meet the demand of blood transfusion for patients with high-risk pregnancy and anemic and postpartum hemorrhage, who are not in a position to replace blood. The Gynecology Obstetrics centre also handles referred post-delivery cases with severe postpartum hemorrhage, sepsis, low birth babies, and preterm babies.
Tackling the Pandemic with a Game Face The Mandal have been doing its bit to alleviate the suffering of hundreds. Shree Krishna Hospital has been functioning as a COVID Treatment Centre for Anand district since April 9, 2020. With myriad challenges, shortcomings, hurdles of the newest kinds, criticisms, and disappointments the hospital authorities were not disheartened and persevered; for that is what the foundation of Charutar Arogya Mandal is laid on, providing "Solace to the Suffering" and staying true to the vision laid down by the Founder Chairman Dr HM Patel.
Shree Krishna Hospital has state-of-the-art 150 ICU beds to treat high risk pregnancy i.e. severe anemia, severe hypertension, eclampsia, heart disease, renal disease, and all infectious diseases like HIV, Covid 19, dengue fever, antepartum and postpartum hemorrhage, very severe anemia (Hb <5gm%), preterm labour, rupture of uterus, etc.
Shree Krishna Hospital has treated more than 4500 patients till date. Not a single non-COVID patient came for emergency services was turned away without the treatment. All emergency services for non-COVID patients were provided with the effective implementation of safety protocols of ICMR, WHO, and CDC standards.
44 | MAY 2021
www.insightssuccess.in
Upasana Kamineni launches post-COVID19 care rehabilitation program
J
anuary 2021: Founder of URLife.co.in & Vice Chairperson-CSR, Apollo Hospitals Group, Upasana Kamieneni, has launched a new rehabilitation program addressing the current pressing need for postCOVID19 care, as part of the larger URLife platform. Highlighting the various symptoms and health issues that people may face post-experiencing COVID-19; it focuses on how one can take care of them both mentally and physically. The program includes daily live sessions on topics covering body, mind, and nutrition and heal led by a panel of trusted experts from the URLife team. Having commenced from 4th January and on until 31st March, one expert daily will discuss the different postCOVID19 related issues and how to recover from them in the quickest and most efficient way. To be held in English at 11 am, Hindi at 12 noon and Telugu at 6 pm IST on the URLife website, this program is completely available free of cost and targets a wide audience across the globe.
Speaking about the new program, Upasana Kamineni, Founder, URLife added, “Speaking about the new program, Upasana Kamineni, Founder, URLife added, “The initial fear based hysteria of COVID-19 seems to have settled. The situation seems to be slowly coming into control with growing medical innovation and awareness amongst people. We will always be indebted to our front-line health workers, especially the doctors and nurses who have tirelessly worked for us putting their own lives at risk at all times during this pandemic. The unprecedented nature of this virus is still a cause of concern; its impact on each patient has been different. This has deeply impacted them and their families.” Recently, my husband Ram Charan tested COVID-19 positive, being so close to home, I am personally aware of the numerous questions and concerns that immediately arise in one’s mind. This led me to realize the need for a platform of qualified experts to educate people, with an emphasis on the days post the initial two weeks of recovery. The numbers are in millions and I can only imagine the anxiety associated with COVID-19 they must be going through. From expert advice to live classes with various wellness and medical practitioners, we have content related to every aspect for their speedy recovery. We hope that our program can help them in all ways possible – answer their questions, have a sounding board to talk to and in general just bounce back stronger.” she added.
Kanika Kapoor, popular Indian singer, musician and also a COVID-19 survivor herself said, “Having witnessed the impacts of the COVID-19 virus first-hand, I totally understand the emotions involved in contracting it right from the test results to the entire treatment. It was mentally and physically taxing to go through this ordeal and more importantly to regain my prior health and wellbeing after all of it. I empathize with every other person who has had to undergo a similar experience and I’m glad that we have platforms like URLife that have introduced a post COVID19 rehabilitation program dedicated to helping and educating people dealing with peripheral issues once the virus leaves the body.”
46 | MAY 2021
www.insightssuccess.in
Exclusive Profile
T
he program comprises a curated collection of expert advice, health tips, nutrition suggestion, exercises and more. You can now enroll in the live classes here: https://urlife.co.in/covid-live-classes. About URLife: URLife is an all-in-one wellness platform founded by Upasana Kamineni Konidela, Vice Chairman of CSR Apollo Hospitals Group and Managing Director of URLife to inspire people to live life to the fullest by harnessing the power of technology to promote healthy lifestyle choices. Committed to helping people achieve good health through simple, creative and fun practices, it shares engaging content backed by trusted experts that is in sync with one’s mind, body and nutrition. The team of certified medical professionals, celebrity fitness experts and holistic nutritionists provide first-hand access to trending health tips, nutrition, expert videos, diet plans, lifestyle hacks, consultations, healthy recipes, fun DIY’s and personalised services that equip people to live a fit and wholesome life. Visit https://urlife.co.in/ to know more.
www.insightssuccess.in
Upasana Kamieneni
MAY 2021 | 47