Tag: Medica Group of Hospitals

Health

Medica Super specialty Hospital conducts Eastern India’s first Artificial Heart Implant (LVAD)

Mar 25, 2021 by Neel Achary 0 Comments #Artificial Heart Device, #Medica Group of Hospitals

Hyderabad, 25th March, 2021: Medica Group of Hospitals, the largest private hospital chain in Eastern India, at its flagship facility Medica Superspecialty Hospital in Kolkata conducted a critical operation for around 6 hours to retrieve a 54 year old gentleman, from Chhattisgarh, and pioneered an ingenuous marvel in the treatment of heart implants by having the first LVAD ( Left Ventricular Assist Device ) – Artificial Heart implant in Eastern India, where the team of experienced doctors from departments of Cardiac Surgery, CTVS and Cardiology joined hands together for this unique case. The team put in their combined efforts under the leadership of Dr. Kunal Sarkar, Senior Vice Chairman, Director and Head of Cardiac Surgery at Medica Superspecialty Hospital who was ably supported by the Cardiology team led by Prof. Dr. Rabin Chakraborty, Senior Vice Chairman Medica Superspecialty Hospital, Dr. Dilip Kumar, Senior Consultant & Director Cath Lab Services, Department of Cardiology, Dr. Saptarshi Roy, Senior Consultant & Cardiac Surgeon, and experienced CTVS team, Dr. Arpan Chakraborty and Dr. Dipanjan Chatterjee helped achieve this momentous feat on 22nd March 2021. Having set benchmarks in patient care, Medica Superspecialty Hospital, which has a world-class comprehensive department for heart failure and heart transplant, at the facility, in Kolkata, is widely known for its excellence in cardiac care has now added another feather to its cap, after successfully completing Eastern India’s first comprehensive treatment by Artificial Heart Implant Program with extensive options for treatment and management of congestive heart failure.

Sudheer Kumar Singh (Name Changed) had sustained a severe heart attack 12 weeks ago which caused acute damage to his cardiac function.

/var/folders/8w/smrvb09j3qs11cd2g454n59w0000gn/T/com.microsoft.Word/Content.MSO/9E1B51AA.tmpDr. Kunal Sarkar, Senior Vice Chairman, Director and Head of Cardiac Surgery at Medica Superspecialty Hospital who led the team of surgeons said, “The patient had visited us in a critically ill state with a failing heart and rapidly deteriorating health. We had no recourse but advise to undergo a heart transplantation or artificial heart implant. Since this was the first of its kind in this part of the country, we were extra cautious and currently after a successful surgery, he is under constant monitoring of his implant.”

Dr. Sarkar further elaborated, “The Artificial Heart Device (Heartmate 2) is a cutting edge, titanium Impeller pump with ruby bearings, which pumps blood at 9000- 12000 revolutions per minute. It works on electric current and wearable batteries that needs to be recharged every 12 hours. They are mobile and once patients recover; they can be physically active. We aim to be one of the main South Asian Centers for Advanced Cardiopulmonary Support.”

Heart failure is a major health concern worldwide including in India. Twenty million people world-wide suffer from heart failure, out of which India witnesses two million new cases every year with at least a third of them requiring advanced therapy to survive. The mortality rate in heart failure patients is as high as 30-40%, within a year of diagnosis. In India, the treatment for heart failure is restricted to medical therapy, revascularization therapy (restoration/augmentation of blood supply to the heart), valvular surgeries and cardiac resynchronization (heart pacing) therapy.

Dr. Alok Roy, Chair FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals, stated, “Advances in science and medicine have made heart transplants safer and a real option in managing cases of end stage heart failure.

Cardiac care at Medica Superspecialty Hospital is well established and ranked amongst the finest in the country. Our goal is to provide the highest quality of patient-centered care, right here in India, utilizing our interdisciplinary approach, enormous talent and the multi-skilled resources within our team of highly accomplished doctors led by Dr. Kunal Sarkar. I on behalf of Medica applaud their feat of the first LVAD in Eastern India. I am sure we will be able to become the Centre of Excellence and will benefit many of our patients who will no longer have to seek treatment abroad for heart failure.”

This is a part of Medica’s Advanced Heart Lung Support program, which has performed more than 100 ECMO’s, numerous Heart transplants and now, the first Artificial Heart Implant

Health, News

UNION BUDGET EXPECTATIONS -Healthcare should be accorded ‘National Priority’ status

Jan 21, 2021 by Rekha Nair 0 Comments #Chair, #Dr Alok Roy, #FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, #Medica Group of Hospitals
  • Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals

Union Budget is a much anticipated event every year and more so in FY 21-22, as expectations are running much higher this time. The year that’s ending has been a year of pandemic disrupting lives & livelihoods & causing economic turmoil. From being one of the fastest growing economies, we are still battling with the pandemic gloom.

In 2021-22 budget, prioritization of Healthcare sector shall be of utmost importance. While India fought Covid 19 reasonably well and with vaccines just being rolled out, we must not forget the indomitable spirit of the private health sector which fought the pandemic alongside with the government despite severe financial losses in revenues.

Covid 19 has shown us all that Health is the new normal and going forward health shall be significantly measured by sanitation, hygiene and preventive healthcare. With a market size of 1.4 billion people government must look into attracting investments into these sectors via existing as well as start-ups.

Attracting investments in healthcare start-ups & “Atmanirbhar” in healthcare equipment

The key solution to address this gap in accessibility and affordability of healthcare is making homegrown technology-driven innovations that facilitate production and delivery of medical devices within the country, provided the policymakers use this opportunity to align the resources/budgets to ensure accessible, equitable, and quality healthcare for the citizens of India. The needs to be addressed in the budget this year with a specific allocation of the budget for healthcare delivery, healthcare personnel, infrastructural developments, and a special
focus on innovations in healthcare by supporting start-ups in this field. It is evident that this pandemic has fast-tracked the need and adoption of technology-driven solutions in healthcare and this trend is here to stay. Healthcare providers have embraced technology with virtual consultations, robot-assisted procedures, wearables (AI in medical equipment), and many more innovations that aid smooth delivery of healthcare. Government can consider putting healthcare start-ups under MSME category which will enable them to get the extended advantages. Banks to also consider flexibility in lending to such start-ups as these will add the much needed boost to not just the start ups but also to the healthcare industry.

Digitization of healthcare and the impetus required

2020 has been the year of pandemic and the new normal which have changed the way we look at healthcare. The healthcare sector has been quick enough to change and adapt to the digital transformation. Going forward such changes are all set to go to the next level ably supported by AI, Big Data & Analytics, Electronic Records &
Telemedicine. While we strive for seamless digitization we also have to work for protection against data breaches & safeguard all such data.

Expectations on taxation vis-a-vis healthcare

It is also crucial that the government provides appropriate fiscal incentives and creates sustainable public policy to encourage investment in private healthcare infrastructure. Hospitals should be included under the definition of ‘industrial undertaking’ u/s 72A of IT Act. This has been a long standing demand, critical to expedite private investment in healthcare capacity building and to ensure that healthcare is treated at par with other sectors.

Currently, the benefits of deduction for CAPEX are extended only to hospitals having a minimum capacity of 100 beds. No benefits are provided to encourage the setup of smaller hospitals/nursing homes in rural areas posing as an impediment for organizations to start chains of smaller hospitals. Given that there is an urgent need for expansion of healthcare facilities in smaller cities and rural areas, the benefits u/s 35AD of IT Act should be extended to hospitals having:

(i) min of 50 beds in tier II, III and IV cities and

(ii) min of 25 beds in rural areas

The pandemic has also substantiated that we cannot be over-dependent on only testing and treatment of diseases. Primary and preventive care is vital for a strong healthcare system. It is recommended that tax exemption on Preventive Health check-up be raised from the current Rs 5,000 per person (Rs 7,000 for senior citizens) to Rs 20,000 u/s 80-D of IT Act. This is an opportunity incentivizing health-oriented consumer behaviour for insulating individuals from effects of unanticipated healthcare spending and for institutionalising a Healthcare Savings Fund.

Further, while grappling with COVID-19, hospitals have had to make substantial capital expenditure towards making structural changes in the building layout, air-flows etc. and significant fresh investment in medical equipment, bringing in immense strain on hospital cash flow and operational sustenance. FICCI has recommended that some relief through weighted deduction on CAPEX u/s 35AD be provided to all hospitals who have made any capital expenditure for prevention and/ or treatment of COVID patients.

On the GST front, government need to consider zero rating of GST for healthcare services.

Healthcare Infrastructure investments.

The Finance Ministry has devised an inspiring INR 111 lakh crore National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) for 2020-25, which includes INR 1.69 lakh crores for infrastructure development projects for healthcare.

There is also a need to increase proportion of Health Research allocation in overall Health Expenditure to at least 6% of the funds allocated to MoHFW. The pandemic has ascertained that Health Research is a critical component for forging an effective healthcare response and it is also important for attaining SDG-3 goals.

Healthcare should be accorded ‘National Priority’ status, as was done for the IT sector, to bring in requisite attention and investment. Innovative long-term financing structures, special healthcare zones, subsidized cost for land and electricity, higher FSI for hospital buildings are some of the measures needed for enhancing infrastructure creation in healthcare.

Overall, Budget 2021 must focus on allocation of higher spending towards healthcare with special attention to preventive health and wellness segments.

Business World

FICCI announces its annual healthcare conference, FICCI HEAL 2020

Sep 16, 2020 by Gouri Achary 0 Comments #Boston Consulting Group, #Dr Alok Roy, #FICCI HEAL 2020, #Medica Group of Hospitals, #Ms Shobha Mishra Ghosh

New Delhi, 16TH September 2020 – FICCI recently announced its annual healthcare conference – FICCI HEAL 2020 from 29th September 2020 to 1st October 2020. The 14th edition of FICCI HEAL on the theme, “Post-COVID Healthcare World – The New Beginning” is scheduled on a virtual platform and will include Keynote Addresses, Panel Discussions as well as Plenary Sessions covering the entire spectrum of healthcare- public health, care delivery, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, medical devices, integration of traditional medicine as well as digital health.

FICCI HEAL 2020 will be inaugurated by Shri M Venkaiah Naidu, Hon’ble Vice President of India, and will be graced by esteemed Government and Industry Stalwarts like-

· Dr Harsh Vardhan, Hon’ble Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Government of India *

· Dr V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Government of India

· Dr Scot Atlas, Advisor-White House Coronavirus Task Force; Robert Wesson Senior Fellow in Scientific Philosophy and Public Policy at Stanford University

· Prof Richard C Horton FRCP FMedSci, Editor-in-Chief, The Lancet

· Prof Arvind Panagariya, Prof of Economics & Jagdish Bhagwati Prof- Indian Political Economy, Columbia University

· Prof Ashish Jha, Dean- Global Strategy, K.T. Li Professor of Global Health; Director, Harvard Global Health Institute

· Mr Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India

· Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade*

· Dr P D Vaghela, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, GoI*

· Dr Indu Bhushan, CEO, National Health Authority, Government of India

· Dr Tedros A Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organisation*

· Ms K K Shailaja, Minister for Health, Social Justice and Woman and Child Development, State of Kerala*

· Mr T V Mohandas Pai, Adviser, FICCI Skills Committee & Chairman, Manipal Global Education*

· Dr Mahesh Verma, Head- COVID-19 Advisory Body to Delhi Government and Vice-Chancellor of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University

· Mr Kieran Murphy, Global CEO, GE Healthcare

· Mr Jan Herzhoff, President- Global Health Markets, Elsevier

· Dr Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson & MD, Biocon Limited*

· Dr Sangita Reddy, President, FICCI and Joint MD, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd

· (Hony) Brig Dr Arvind Lal, Advisor- FICCI Health Services Committee and Executive Chairman, Dr Lal PathLabs

· Dr Ashutosh Raghuvanshi, MD & CEO, Fortis Healthcare

· Mr Narendra Varde, General Manager & Country Head, Abbott Diagnostics

· Dr G S K Velu, Chairman & Managing Director, Trivitron Healthcare

· Mr Vishal Dembla, Chief Business Officer, ConnectedLife Health

Speaking on the event, Dr Alok Roy, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Chairman, Medica Group of Hospitals said, “COVID-19 has highlighted the underlying inadequacies in our healthcare systems, specifically concerning an effective response to a pandemic. At the same time, it has opened up a plethora of opportunities for transforming our healthcare ecosystem to be future-ready. This calls for strengthening of stakeholder collaborations, rethinking of processes and policies, and adopting a more patient-centric as well as community-centric approach for healthcare delivery and we believe FICCI HEAL 2020 will provide a perfect platform for that.”

Adding to this, Dr Harsh Mahajan, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee & Founder & Chief Radiologist, Mahajan Imagingsaid, “FICCI HEAL 2020 is an endeavour to bring together all the relevant stakeholders to share their experiences and deliberate on the solutions and reforms for post-COVID healthcare. The conference would be a conglomeration of CEOs, policymakers, national and international leaders from healthcare and allied industries.”

The three-day-long event will have many insightful Business sessions on topics like Digital Revolution: Going Viral!; Changing landscape of Pharma Industry; Realizing Atmanirbhar Bharat through Make in India; Diagnostics- Pandemic & Beyond; Best Practices for Management of COVID-19; Home Healthcare; How the World will prepare for Post-COVID etc. Mr Gautam Khanna, Co-Chair, FICCI Healthservices Committee and CEO, P D Hinduja Hospital is also supporting the program development, along with Dr Harsh Mahajan and Dr Alok Roy.

The Scientific Sessions will bring together top Clinical experts from India and around the world to share the latest data, experiences, exciting developments, and best research findings in the ongoing battle against COVID-19. Some of the sessions are- Private Healthcare at the forefront of a battle with COVID-19: From Strategy to Frontline Trenches; COVID-19: Spectrum of clinical syndromes, complications; Therapies for COVID-19: Current therapies and their effectiveness; and more. Dr Arati Verma, Sr Vice President – Medical Quality, Max Healthcare and N Subramanian, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Director, Medical Services & Sr. Consultant- Urology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals are convening the Scientific Sessions.

Continuing the long legacy of recognizing the best practices in the industry, FICCI is also organizing the 12th edition of its much-awaited ‘Healthcare Excellence Awards’, on September 29, 2020, from 11:30, am to 12:15 pm on the Virtual Platform. The eminent Jury will be Chaired by Mr C K Mishra, Former Secretary, MoEFCC and MoHFW, GoI and the Awards Ceremony will be moderated by Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor, FICCI Health Services Committee; Former Chairman- NABH; Advisor-Medical Operations & Chairman- Fortis Medical Council, Fortis Healthcare Ltd.

This year in the backdrop of the COVID pandemic and to recognize the courage of healthcare workers, specific categories have been introduced. These categories are designed to recognize the efforts of the industry in ensuring the delivery of quality healthcare to the patients. Dr Y P Bhatia, Managing Director, Astron Hospital & Healthcare Consultants Pvt Ltd and Dr Ravi Gaur, Director & Chairman- Medical Strategy & Advisory Board, Oncquest Laboratories Ltd are the Chair and Co-Chair for the Awards. The awards are supported by Astron Healthcare and global consulting firm Ernst and Young LLB are the official tabulators

FICCI, in partnership with Boston Consulting Group, has also undertaken a study to lay out the contours of the Open Digital Health Ecosystem as envisioned in the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) announced by the honourable Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi on 15 August 2020. This report titled, “Ushering in the Digital Era for Healthcare Delivery in India”, will be released during the Inaugural Session of the Conference.

In addition, FICCI is also organising a Health Tech Innovation Bootcamp on Day 2 of the conference, that intends to bridge the existing gap between Indian Innovators and other key industry stakeholders by facilitating potential partnerships among them. The Bootcamp will be moderated by Mr Sashi Kumar, Co-Chair, FICCI Medical Devices Committee; Managing Director, Phoenix Medical Systems and Mr Shyam Vasudev Rao, Co-Chair, FICCI Medical Devices Committee; Founder & Director, Forus Health &Renalyx health systems

Ms Shobha Mishra Ghosh, Assistant Secretary-General, FICCI, further shared, FICCI has been organizing its annual healthcare conference, FICCI HEAL since 2007 supported by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, and recently by NITI Aayog, Government of India. Over the years, this has evolved as a landmark event and a credible platform for health industry stakeholders for sharing knowledge and best practices.

The registration for FICCI HEAL 2020 is now open. (www.ficci-heal.com)