Showing posts with label Indian Healthcare Sector. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indian Healthcare Sector. Show all posts

Sunday, December 10, 2017

Why India Need a Healthcare Regulatory Authority?

Why India needs a Healthcare Regulator?
Image result for Images of healthcare regulators

India, as the leadership and mainstream media claims is on the cusp of a metamorphosis from an under-developed to that of an emerging nation. While this is music to any citizen or People of Indian Origin trying to hoist the nationalistic feelings and fervor, all around, one need to see into the holistic state of affairs from a realistic point of view. Healthcare happens to be the backbone and a necessity for the masses and a country in order to be classified as a developed or even an emerging nation ought to put this sector in order, before moving into other verticals, so as to be labelled as a true emerging nation! Just a few sky scrapers across cities, minuscule portion of the citizen being millionaire, and handful few multinationals bagging international projects or a few brands here and there on the global marketplace, does not make the country an emerging nation, to rub shoulders with their global peers.
India definitely has improved by leaps and bounds when it comes to the healthcare sector and there are lot of talks going around of India being the destination for medical tourism. Some hospitals, notably, the corporate healthcare players are also able to rope in substantial number of foreign patients from South Asia and Middle-east, but does that really mean the sector has got the real facelift, in terms of quality and quantity, resulting in the citizens getting quality treatment from private and public sector healthcare players at the right cost?
On a personal note, yours truly who have worked in the pharmaceutical sector and had interacted closely with the healthcare players of all forms had seen it firsthand. The personal dealings with numerous small, medium and large healthcare players, both from the private and public sectors in Eastern, North-eastern, Southern, Western and Central Indian market, while seeking treatment of family members and acquaintances provided with instances galore that showcased the suffering a common Indian faces in the absence of a regulator in this vital sector. Add to it the high level of ignorance on the part of the patient or his dependents and you can very well understand the demi-god status given to the medicos and the paramedics.
Image result for Images of healthcare regulators

Probing a doctor deep by asking questions often puts some consultant or super-specialties look upon the patient or his dependents with creased foreheads and the moment, jargons are added, there is a common response coming out, are you a doctor? Moreover, at times these professionals think they should not be quizzed about the treatment or on allied areas, just because a layman is not supposed to understand the intricacies of medical science. The perfect topping in this quagmire happens to be the arrogant management of some healthcare players who are leveraging the poor state of affairs in the sector, the absence of a regulatory authority to their own benefit even if it means the end result for the end-user or the customer or the patient proves fatal! There are handful few from these suffering lot who knock the doors of the state governments or the central government, responsible for overseeing the affairs of the health of the citizens and the functioning of the sector, when things go wrong. Thanks to the bottle-necks and red tapes existing in the sector, such cases most of the time fall on deaf ears or partially listening ears, unless of course you are a VVIP or the matter has resonated big time in the national print and electronic media. The presence of a vibrant media though helps poor sufferer to some extent as gross negligence culminating into death or financial and mental harassment get published and circulated through social media and suddenly the so called regulators at the state and the government level turn proactive. However, this momentum continues only till the news is part of the headline and once it fades, so does the fate of the sufferer and the cascade of human suffering of the common India goes back to square one.
Image result for Images of healthcare regulators

Yours truly has handled this situation that resulted in the death of the patient owing to medical negligence, followed by unethical and unexplained billing by the hospital and then to top it up an arrogant hospital management displaying an attitude of caring a damn, till they have been rattled after the issues were escalated to the state and the central government. Periodical follow-up through emails, tweets to high profile ministers and bureaucrats at the state and the central level, political leaders, media are making the necessary noise, even though the general observation is that the mails are being forwarded to the right authorities with the customary messages, “For your necessary action” that has been continuing till the mid of December 2017, right from August 2017, when the showdown started with the death of the patient! The major reason for the case being active with the regulator is the proactive approach adopted by the sufferers, shouting loud for punishment to the culprits and compensation to the victims. The proactive follow-up, however is not easy and out of bound for a common citizen owing to the lack of resources like time, internet, and ability to search and write with evidences to the authorities concerned and then follows-up religiously being done on a periodical basis. To send emails to almost hundreds and thousands of stakeholder responsible for managing the healthcare sector with all evidences as attachments and trail mails, in addition to the related news that makes such instances common happenings all across the country is not a simple task by any standard whatsoever. One need to spend adequate time in researching, assimilating, analyzing, information and then consulting with other doctors and paramedical staff, collating the information and also communicate with the concerned healthcare player, responding to their vibes, requires lot of dedication, commitment and perseverance. The million dollar question is whether it is feasible for a common Indian to fight it out against powerful healthcare brands who wield tremendous influence on everyone, just on their past laurels?  
There were issues with the synchronization of the healthcare sector with that of the medical insurance services and the insurance sector related matters. However, the latter were resolved smoothly than the former, partly, due to the presence of Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDA). The hospital dealing with the patient could safely cover up their own malaise due to the absence of a healthcare regulatory authority and furthermore, pushed out everything related to insurance to the insurance company, even if meant wrong-doing on the part of the hospital and not the insurance company. The glaring face saving tool due to the absence of a healthcare regulator is evident on the part of the erring hospitals and nursing homes. The ignorant customer has nowhere to do even after his near and dear ones have been killed by the negligent medical treatment.
In the case happening with yours truly, it has helped the concerned hospital management to wake up from the deep slumber and take notice, understand the fact that not everybody can be treated in the same fashion and that not all Indian patients and their dependents are anymore ignorant to the healthcare related nuances. Furthermore, they have also understood the power of social media and internet to make such happenings viral within no time, thereby impacting the brand equity and accreditation received from prestigious authorities. At least a momentary respite for the patients in India as the healthcare players would be careful till the pressure is sustained by the sufferer. Whether the particular case like many others would lead to its logical end, where the culprits are penalized and the victims compensated, depends on the seriousness of the state and central government regulators! Only then India can truly classify herself as an emerging nation! Are the state level and central level healthcare regulators listening and willing to act in the interest of the common citizen?
The details of the patient, the family, the hospital, and the regulators at the state and the central level dealing with the case has been kept confidential. Should you wish to know the specifics with an intention to take this case to the logical end, so as to bring some respite to the suffering of a common Indian, and also voice out for the need of a healthcare regulator having representatives from all the stakeholders, directly and indirectly related to the sector, please feel free to email me at emailmanishankar@gmail.com  

A video on the need of Indian Healthcare Regulator can be seen by clicking on the link below-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKEyFWPpU4o&t=5s

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Thursday, August 18, 2016

Real life Case Study on Corporate Hospitals in India-Corporate Social Responsibility by serving the needy section of the Indian society

All those glitters are truly not gold, at least for the needy segment of the healthcare sector representing the Indian society. A viable business model cannot alone function solely on the basis of revenue, it also has to have an aspect of services towards the unfortunate masses of the society, who cannot afford the cost of treatment in corporate hospitals. This is true for a country like India, where the quality of basic treatment is still in the dark ages, especially when one considers the public sector. Service quality and cost should necessarily have a societal face to it, so as to make it a holistic one, for the private sector. A fixed percentage of the profits earned by the private healthcare service providers should necessarily go towards the welfare of the poor and the needy section of the Indian society. It is here that India feels the absence of  a regulatory body that can monitor the healthcare sector on a continuous basis. State and central governments are inadequate to oversee the happenings at the micro level, unless some major fiasco comes to the fore, courtesy the hyper active Indian media and the modern day social media. Yours truly had been closely observing the approaches and attitudes of various corporate hospitals in India, viz. Wockhardt, Nagpur, Fortis, Kolkata, Apollo, Chennai, Deenanath Mangeshkar, Pune, Escorts, New Delhi and Apollo Gleneagles, Kolkata to name a few. All the observations are being made minutely, while relative or acquaintance is seeking treatment in these hospitals. Furthermore, being a management professional at the global level, with active interest and understanding of many verticals, including that of the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector, it is not rocket science to understand, the actual understanding of the working of these hospitals. There are many case studies that are being written by yours truly, highlighting the good and unethical practices of these corporate hospitals in India, however, this blog presents two of the wonderful practices observed while being the patient's dependent in two hospitals of Eastern and Western India. There is no doubt that the emergence of these corporate hospitals has definitely raised the standard of the healthcare sector and there is a talk going around of India being the healthcare capital for the world, with health tourism bringing in lots of revenues. However, not all of these hospitals are within the reach of a lower middle class Indian or a third world citizen, unless off-course the patient has access to health insurance or the hospital itself does the treatment, either free of cost or at a special discounted cost. Off all the hospitals, mentioned above, yours truly can proudly vouch for the contributions of Apollo, through Dr. Prathap Reddy and Deenanath Mangeshkar through none other than the legendary Lata Mangeshkar, to have done substantial services towards the downtrodden of the Indian society. The fact that the top echelons of these hospitals are professionals having a close contact with yours truly, helped in deciphering the true intention of their services towards the human kind. Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital (DMH) is more of a family hospital for yours truly, and off late a wonderful experience meted out to a needy patient through Apollo Gleneagles, Kolkata, brought it closer to the heart. Kudos to Mr. Sachin, MD of DMH, Pune and Mr. D. Chakraborty, DGM, Apollo Gleneagles, Kolkata, for their empathetic approach and top class services to one and all, devoid of the economic status. Corporate hospitals all over India should try to imitate this model of corporate social responsibility and imbibe it in their professional processes.  It definitely goes a long way in enhancing the brand value, while it is blended with top class services.


Source- http://kolkata.apollohospitals.com/


Source- http://www.dmhospital.org/





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Tuesday, September 21, 2010

My Take on the Indian Healthcare Sector


Healthcare sector in India gave me a mixed feeling.My prior experience in the Indian pharmaceutical sector while based in India, coupled with my insights into the sector as management trainer, consultant and also as a customer(read as patient and their dependents)gave me lot of food for thought. I am sure this small note would activate the grey cells of many of my Indian friends so as to put forth their opinion on the topic which is of immense significance to all and sundry.Indian healthcare sector are broadly classified under the following heads(Manishankar's classification)-Organized chains of corporate hospitals, mom and pop hospitals and nursing homes functioning as semi organized players and the dilapidated public sector players, not to forget the traditional medicinal players and the quacks trying to pitch their own offerings.Corporate chains are good in many aspects, especially when it comes to offering quality treatment along with their composite services which provides a good experience for the patient and their dependents. The pricing strategy is questionable especially when there is an absence of a regulator which can monitor the services, benefits and the pricing strategy followed by different chains.They have very good medicos and paramedics, however, a wide gap is existing especially when it comes to reaching out to the masses, vis-a-vis that of the classes.My experience with two chains in Nagpur and Chennai were reasonably good, sans the opaque feeling a customer have, especially when it comes to the pricing policy adopted by the players and some service related constaints encountered while the patient is metamorphosed from an out patient to the in patient.One shouldn't deny the fact that these chains offers the best services, be it the medical staff and quality paramedical support to complement each other.The loopholes exisiting in their processes are minimal, what calls for immediate attention is to target a wide range of segments through flexible pricing policies.Quasi organized players in the form of mushrooming private nursing homes and hospiatals are minting money with the exception of a handful few which are offering value for money to the consumer.As far as the public healthcare players are concerned, apart from a minsuscle few, most of them are sustaining only because the masses have no option but to lean upon so as to save their lives and that of the dependents.The handful few public operators which are benchmark of sorts are located in some metros as a result of which a chunk of the citizens who otherwise cannot afford the private players are deprived of them owing to locational disadvantage.Moreover, typical of any public sector players, red-tapism is the biggest bane which need to be resolved at the earliest if India is to serve its billion citizens who are dying only because they cannot access quality medical care.The traditional service provider have created a niche for themselves and are also making waves of sorts in the global market, especially when the awareness level of the end user is ever increasing thereby opting for something having minimal side effects.The quacks are trying to play on the ignorance of the rural household.One thing which is common across the sector is being leveraged by a wide range of unethical professionals who consider that their patients and the dependents should treat them as demi gods and never question their decision.The awareness level is always increasing with every bit of information available at the click of the mouse, the improved educational standards reaching out to the nook and corner of the country could only test the approach of the doctors and their supporting staff.Would wind up with an article read recently,authored by a professor from CMC,Vellore, where he emphasized on the importance on humanities in the Indian medical and healthcare sector sums it up all, doctors need to be good human beings first, understanding their profession always have an element of service towards the human kind, the monetary benefits would simply follow, if one knows this core value.
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