Dominant Leaders To Watch In Healthcare Industry | Insights care

2020 / Vol. 1 / Issue-1

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Dominant

Leaders To Watch In

Healthcare Industry LEADER OF THE MONTH

Suresh Ramu

Co-founder & CEO

Rupak Barua CEO

Rupak Barua

Leaders; Embracing Adversities for Human Society Editor Vishal Muktewar

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n our worst of times, we seek guidance; we seek people who will understand our problems. We look towards people who will not only have the required solutions but also inspire us to become better in our endeavors.

Industries all across the globe are witnessing the advancements of technological transformation.

However, the transformation in the healthcare industry has been considerably impacting human society. Though these technological advancements have brought many positive changes, they have also increased the complexities for the healthcare industry to deal with. It has become a struggle for them to sustain themselves in the face of adversities.

Therefore, an immense amount of responsibilities have fallen upon the shoulders of the healthcare industry leaders.

To stand ďŹ rmly and help the organization sustain itself in the face of adversities, healthcare leaders are devising innovative ways. They promote their ideas

and assert collaboration among their employees with reasoned diplomacy and bluntness. Being a leader in the healthcare industry, they have to be coherent, however, having empathy for their people plays a crucial role in the long run.

Healthcare leaders understand that they can not do all the work by themselves. They are aware of the complex dynamics of the 21st century and how difficult it is to sustain themselves in the important sector of Healthcare. Hence, these spearheads incorporate constant learning for finding new ways of learning. They are always on a quest to improve their organization and foster a culture of unceasing learning within their staff.

Their equanimity in the face of success or failure allows them to see a clear picture and make informed decisions that effectively help to uplift the quality of care for humanity.

Thus, through this edition of Insightscare, we bring forth some of the notable personalities in the healthcare industry who are at the helm of the invention and are devoted to yield the quality care for the humankind across the globe.

We see it as an honor to introduce you to ‘Dominant Leaders in the Healthcare industry’. This issue consists of some of the ambitious leaders in the healthcare industry, who with their years of expertise, are taking initiatives to develop innovative products and help organizations thrive in the rapidly changing atmosphere of Healthcare.

by embracing the patient-centric approach. With Cytecare, Ramu strives to strengthen India’s fight against cancer by devising advanced medical diagnosis.

We have also enlisted: Abhik Moitra, CEO of HBG Medical Assistance,who, with his years of diverse industry expertise, is continuously developing new policies to transform the healthcare industry; Dr. Kishore Kumar, Founding Chairman of Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, is changing the way the maternal and neonatal care is provided by setting high standards for care; Dr. Ranjeet Singh Ajmani, CEO of PlasmaGen BioSciences, who along with his expert team, has been making every effort in the domain of Plasma product Industry to make PlasmaGen a one-stop destination; and Srikanth Chellappa, Director of Contact Doctor Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., who has strengthened the foundation for the digital healthcare revolution in India.

Apart from the above, we are also privileged to mention the notable contribution of: Prasad Pasam, CEO of Shar Technologies; Rajat Kr. Sachdeva, Director of Dr. Sachdeva’s Dental Implant Clinic; Ryan Fernando, CEO of QUA Nutrition Clinics; and Dr. Simal Soin.

Alongside the above mentioned prominent leaders, we have also added articles penned-down by the in-house editorial team. These will provide valuable insights in the healthcare industry.

Have a great read Ahead!

On the Cover, we are privileged to introduce you to Rupak Barua, Group CEO of AMRI Hospitals. Rupak is an industry veteran and is seen as an influential personality.

His love of technology and a vision of providing quality care to the Indian people, helped him to transform the quality care provided by the country’s private hospitals.

As the Leader of the Month, we have Suresh Ramu, CoFounder and CEO of Cytecare, who aims to cure cancer

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Rupak BARUA Cover Story

Article

32 LEADER OF THE MONTH

Helpguide

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10 Ways to Age Healthily

SURESH RAMU Striving to Cure Cancer with A Patient-Centric Approach

20 Abhik Moitra Redefining the Healthcare Policies

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Dr. Kishore Kumar Providing Topnotch Infant Healthcare Solutions

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26 Dr. Ranjeet Singh Ajmani Dedicated to Make a Self- Sufficient India in Plasma Protein Therapy

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30 Srikanth Chellappa Driving the Digital Healthcare Revolution

Editor-in-Chief Pooja M. Bansal Managing Editor Shruti Jambhale Publishing Control Team Rahul Niraj Quality Assurance Team Darshan, Abhishaj, Sneha Contributing Editor Shreevershita Gupta Art & Design Head Amol Kamble Associate Designer Poonam Mahajan Co- Designer Savita Pandav Art & Picture Editor Sapna Shinde Sr. Business Development Manager Megha Mishra Business Development Lead Nandan Deshpande Business Development Executive Pooja, Ruchi, Nikhil Technical Specialists Amar, Pratiksha Digital Marketing Manager Prashant Chevale SME-SMO Executive Manoj Shelge Circulation Manager Tanaji

January, 2020

Pvt. Ltd.

Rupak BARUA Cover Story

Healthcare is one such sector where one can be the part of a corporate structure, yet play a role in social welfare

Rupak Barua CEO

Dominant

Leaders To Watch In

Healthcare Industry

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hallenges can be intimidating. However, they also have the capability of bringing out the best in a person. Had it not been for challenges and the necessity of action that they create, mankind would have been deprived of many great inventions and discoveries.

Challenges nudge people to go beyond their comfort zone and look for opportunities they couldn’t find. It lets them discover themselves as an individual, their characteristics, strengths, and weakness that makes them up. And those who thrive through these challenges emerge as people who are looked up to and who inspire others.

As someone who has an insatiable appetite for new challenges, Rupak Barua, has not only won new frontiers for himself but also set a benchmark in the healthcare industry. The dedicated and target-oriented personality is credited with taking charge and turning around several private hospitals that otherwise would have turned into bad investments.

The Journey Since childhood, Rupak’s father instilled in him the value of leading a life that has to be meaningful and constructive, by being actively involved in helping others. He saw his father working till his last breath, determined, actively involved and associated with many welfare activities. The philosophy of his life was to serve people and to leave behind a legacy of service. And Rupak is carrying forward that legacy through his work.

Keeping his ultimate goal in mind, after completing a Post Graduate course in Marketing, Rupak successfully pursued MDP in Hospital Management from IIM-Ahmedabad and IIM-Bangalore. Healthcare is one such sector where one can be the part of a corporate structure, yet play a role in social welfare.

Stepping into the healthcare sector was a turning point in his life and the more challenges he faced, the more motivated he became. He took up challenging tasks one after the other and met these challenges successfully, which helped him to earn a name for his problem-solving role and bringing about a new era in the healthcare sector in Kolkata.

In a healthcare industry career spanning more than three decades, Rupak has held several senior positions in top corporate hospitals of Kolkata. He adds, “There is no denying the fact that my growth has been from the

Healthcare is one such sector where one can be the part of a corporate structure, yet play a role in social welfare grassroots level. I started my career as a management trainee, from where I rose to head a renowned chain of diagnostic centers. I had a passion for marketing and explored new spheres of activity. Before joining AMRI Hospitals in 2014 as Group CEO, I was heading CMRI Hospitals, and later, BM Birla Heart Research Institute, which are both parts of the CK Birla Group.”

Turning around AMRI Taking up the charge of AMRI Hospitals in 2014, a few years after the Group had faced a major setback, was perhaps the most difficult challenge Rupak had ever accepted. He reminisces, “My passion for turning around an organization at its most crucial phase has been my forte.

This time, too, I succeeded in re-establishing AMRI to a niche position. I also consider my efforts to redefine AMRI as the fastest growing healthcare chain in Eastern India to be a significant achievement.”

Ever since Rupak took charge as the Group CEO, he worked towards regaining and boosting the confidence of patients, doctors as well as other stakeholders. With huge support from the promoters of the Group, he spearheaded the launch of a new international standard super-specialty hospital at Bhubaneswar in 2014. He also led the charge to upgrade the other units of AMRI in Kolkata (Dhakuria, Mukundapur, and Salt Lake) with high-end equipment (some for the first time in Eastern India), besides getting on board fresh talent, both in terms of doctors and in the organization’s rank and file.

A Challenging Sector As someone who has been closely associated with the healthcare industry, Rupak feels that apart from the intrinsic

challenges, many external factors have made the sector, a challenging one. The hospital, as a brand, needs to be pushed further, and even private players have to put in a lot more effort since it is not always possible for the government to take initiatives. While the government has played a significant role in developing and improving infrastructure, there still is a need to improve air connectivity, making tertiary hospitals accessible from all corners of the country. Also, brand promotion needs to be improved and made more widespread. Hospitals also need to attract patients from Bangladesh and other neighboring countries.

Making an Impact As an industry veteran, Rupak is seen as an influencer and a change-maker. Understanding his role, he leaves no stone unturned to bring required positive changes. In terms of his contribution, as an active member of several industry bodies, he has pushed for a more service-oriented healthcare system, with a focus on technology and merit.

At present, he is the Vice President of the Association of

Hospitals of Eastern India, and the Chairman of CII (Eastern Region) Healthcare Sub-committee and Chairman (Eastern Region) of the CII’s Healthcare Skills Council. He is also an active member of the Bengal Chamber of Commerce & Industry, besides being the National Industry Expert of the Indian Chamber of Commerce. Through all these bodies, he has worked towards upholding the spirit of dedication, commitment, and transparency.

These are also the qualities that have been reflected in his current office as the Group CEO of AMRI Hospitals, which has, over the years, grown as the largest private network of hospitals in Eastern India. Rupak adds, “I believe my efforts to motivate the Group and to re-establish AMRI in a prominent place on the region’s healthcare map has worked in providing people with healthcare service that is both top quality and value for money, adding in a small way to the success of Bengal.”

With hope and utmost enthusiasm, Rupak shares, “A change I would like to see is healthcare becoming more affordable and accessible, with the help of the government.

While both the Central and the State governments have put

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AMRI Hospitals brings to the table a class of its own, making the healthcare group a major player in keeping Eastern India ahead of the curve.

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“The hallmark of AMRI Hospitals is a committed team of doctors and caregivers, who take up the challenge of treating the most complicated cases” healthcare on their list of priorities, it would be a welcome change if the masses received the benefits of the massive technological shifts that are taking place in healthcare.”

Chalking the Growth Ahead Digitization and technological advancements are two keywords that have disrupted all the industries as we see it, with healthcare being no exception. Rupak feels that with the world taking a major leap forward through digitization, healthcare service providers need to take a fresh look at all aspects of their services. This starts with regular operations to patient relations to providing value-added services.

Digitization of healthcare has also changed the ideas of telemedicine and they need to churn out newer ways to address the issues. Under the current circumstances, it is imperative that all private healthcare service providers should put the utmost importance on proper and seamless service, besides ease of access to quality care at a value for money rates.

This rapid growth also makes the healthcare industry as an attractive platform for entrepreneurs. Rupak believes that for aspirant healthcare entrepreneurs, the future can only get brighter, provided the necessary factors are in place. He adds, “In my three decades as a healthcare professional, I have realized that anyone staying in sync with advanced and latest technologies will have an edge over others. I feel the future will be completely rewritten by digitization and artificial intelligence, not just in healthcare but in almost every sphere of life.”

“The focus will be on quality healthcare at affordable cost, which will be further aided by the use of various digital tools. We are already working towards a paperless environment and the infrastructure of the future will gain largely from that, helping to bring down human errors to a large extent. If the upcoming generation of healthcare professionals keep these things in mind, they are bound to win”, predicts Rupak.

SURESH RAMU Striving to Cure Cancer with A Patient-Centric Approach

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ecent decades have seen a rising epidemic of noncommunicable diseases across the world, including cancer. In 2018 World Health Organisation had sounded an alarm for cancer and declared it the second leading cause of death globally.

In India, the cancer burden has more than doubled over the last 26 years, and according to Cancerindia.org, 2018 witnessed 784,821 cancer-caused deaths in the country. It is also estimated that 1.15 million new cancer cases were registered in 2018 and currently there are 2.25 million Indians living with the disease.

These statistics are extremely alarming, and many experts believe that early detection can be the key in reducing the cancer-related death rates. However, a lack of awareness about cancer prevention, late-stage presentation, inaccessible diagnosis and inadequate in patient care are barriers impeding the current cancer diagnosis and treatment. Today, the need of the hour is for the corporate sector, academia and the government to come together to create awareness and change the "governance of care" for cancer patients in India.

One leader who is passionate to make a heart-warming difference in India's fight against cancer is Suresh Ramu, Co-founder & CEO of Cytecare Hospitals. Ramu aims to create and nurture a healthcare delivery organization that is committed to high-quality, standardized and patientoriented treatment in the true sense of the term.

An Inspirational Beginning An alumnus from the globally renowned institutes of IITMadras and IIM-Calcutta, Ramu always aspired to be an engineer. He laid the foundation of his career as a consultant with PriceWaterhouseCoopers where he got the

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opportunity to work with a diverse range of industries.

In 1999, Ramu took the first confident steps in his entrepreneurial journey and joined a telemedicine company in Pune. This initial experience in healthcare enabled him to take another step forward and move to Quintiles – a world leading clinical trials company. As part of the leadership team at Quintiles, Ramu was part of the leadership team which led the growth from a handful of people to a strong team of close to 7000 employees by 2011.

The Launch of Cytecare In 2011, Ramu together with co-founders Dr. Ferzaan Engineer, Himanshu Shah and Lalit Pai set up a clinical research solution organization. The company, focussed on clinical trial solutions, 70% of which was in research and development.

Cytecare Hospitals was the team's dream project. Their personal experiences with cancer treatment and the yawning gap between what was available in India and the rest of the world was the motivation behind the hospital.

Their India-centric research on the types and prevalence of cancer played a pivotal role in creating this venture.

Laying the Foundation For Cytecare Hospitals Since inception in the year 2016, Cytecare Hospital has strived to remain at the forefront of innovative care solutions for patients. He worked tirelessly to find the right set of investors and a team of founding doctors, who believed in the vision of patient-care and organ-site focused cancer care.

The Co-Founders also believed in the importance of design in creating a center of excellence for cancer treatment. They

LEADER OF THE MONTH

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My goal is to create and nurture a healthcare delivery organization

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Suresh Ramu Co-founder & CEO

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The most inspiring thing about being in the healthcare space is - the ability to change lives and to save lives

ensured that he set up the right design team in place, both from the aesthetic as well as engineering perspectives.

On November 2016, they announced the launch of a stateof-the-art center, a 150-bed, nine-storied cancer hospital in Bangalore, providing integrated treatment for patients with cancer. The hospital boasts of a dedicated multi-disciplinary medical team that merges evidence-based protocols with targeted therapies and advanced technologies for greater precision and better treatment.

The clinical team also consists of cancer specialists for every organ. Their extensive knowledge of each organ site combined with world class technologies and advanced treatment options combat the disease at every stage with accuracy and precision. Cytecare has a comprehensive oncology unit, which not only includes the core specialities - surgical, medical, radiation, nuclear medicine, diagnostics - but also pain and palliation, psycho-oncology, nutrition and navigator services, thus ensuring holistic patient care.

Milestones and Global Recognition In short period of time the hospital achieved NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) and NABH (National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers) accreditation. Also, in 2019, the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), the leading European professional organization for medical oncology, presented Cytecare Hospitals with the 2019 ESMO Designated Centers of Integrated Oncology & Palliative Care certification. Cytecare is the first cancer hospital in India to receive the prestigious accreditation within 3 years of inception.

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cancer education, early detection programs, timely diagnosis and the right treatment modalities to ensure a better outcome for cancer patients.

According to Ramu, due to the lack of sufficient private or government healthcare insurers, Indians have to spend a large amount of their hard earned money on healthcare, but this is not sustainable. He believes that it is essential for greater funding to be directed toward universal health coverage schemes in India.

With Cytecare, Ramu believes he and his team have taken the first steps in creating a healthier India. He aims to strengthen India’s fight against cancer by scaling the organization to make better cancer diagnosis, treatment and management accessible across the country.

Commenting on his views on the industry, Ramu said, “As we step into a new decade, technology will play a significant role in bridging the gap between cancer diagnosis and treatment facilities. Health analytics, algorithms and big data from genomics and proteomics are already helping practitioners understand the different diseases that encompass the broad cancer category. This knowledge, coupled with state-of-the-art technologies like nanomedicine, robotics and lasers for surgical and radiation treatments, is revolutionizing cancer care.

Additionally, modern targeted drugs such as immunotherapy are paving paths by attacking the immune system directly. Together, these ever-evolving technologies will make cancer cure accessible and affordable for all.”

Advice to The Next Generation

Making an Impact

When asked about his advice to the next generation, Ramu concluded the interview by saying “Diseases are constantly evolving, as are technologies, and we need to imbibe a culture of consistent and continuous learning , invest in research, and assimilate knowledge to be ahead of the curve.

Ramu believes that the Indian healthcare ecosystem is brimming with opportunities - right from creating centres of excellence for specialities, especially diseases like cancer, to spreading awareness about prevention. Over the next few years, he and his dedicated team plan to work on

My only advice to medical science enthusiasts and healthtech entrepreneurs is to evolve with the times and rise to challenges to make a difference. I believe that’s the most inspiring thing about being in the healthcare space–the ability to change lives, to save lives.”

From treating Cytecare's first patient to its first international patient and then the 10,000th patient, the dream project of the team has become a reality that is transforming cancer care and cancer treatment in India.

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Dominant

Leaders To Watch In

Healthcare Industry

ABHIK MOITRA Redefining the Healthcare Policies

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eadership is driven by excellence. A profound leader making sound decisions is the one who brings the best out of people and the business.

Striving for success in all domains and ventures, a true leader is one who supports and uplifts the subordinates in such a way, that enhances the collective growth. This is very important when it comes to keeping up with the dynamics of the healthcare space in India. Making a difference in the healthcare sector is an arduous task.

However, by virtue of his unending persistence, Mr. Abhik Moitra has proven himself to be a major game-changer in the healthcare paradigm of the country.

The Genesis The professional journey of Mr. Moitra is all started in the year 1996 and from that year everyday is just adding fuel to the growth flames. Having vast working experience in various companies, he currently runs his own organization—HBG Medical Assistance.

Before venturing into the healthcare sector, he worked for 4 years in Nestle (as Sales officer in upcountry Rajasthan) and later worked for ITC. After spending 6 years in FMCG, he came across an opportunity to work for ICICI Bank. He was leading the company for almost 6 years.

Mr. Moitra actual healthcare journey began with Artemis Hospitals where he led the International Marketing team.

And, with the support from Management, he made the company widely known in International Markets. This all took him on the success highway.

Fast forward, in the year 2010, Mr. Moitra began with his entrepreneurial journey. He started a small company by the name ‘High Beam Global’, which was later rechristened ‘HBG Medical Assistance’. With Skills acquired in FMCG, Banking and Healthcare, this small start shaped up into HBG Medical Assistance—India’s most popular medical Assistance company.

Source of Motivation

can change India’s

Behind every extraordinary achievement there are extraordinary efforts. With all the trusted team members and Abhik's family, who have always have stood by his side in all thick and thins; the/his entrepreneurial journey took shape. “Being an entrepreneur is not easy and it has its own ups and down. But my team and my family have never allowed me to rest on my achievements. They have always push me to do more and have motivated me to be limitless.” says Mr. Moitra. Further, he also says, “My second source of motivation is my immense trust in God.”

Healthcare Future.

A Stroke of Genius

If we were to work like a team, we

Mr. Moitra’s journey has been very appealing over the years. He has been awarded with “Medical Facilitator of the Year Award” by FICCI and Ministry of Commerce for year 2017, 2018 and stood as a runners up for the year

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2019. He has been listed in “100 most impactful healthcare leaders’ Global Listing” by World Health and Wellness Congress.

Also, the company got an NABH accreditation. Launching world’s 1st second opinion portal in association with AAR insurance of Uganda is a big achievement off the stage. But one thing that stands out is assisting 7000+ lives to gain back their health. This tells its tremendous ability to choose the right doctor for each and every patient.

TheChallenges “The biggest challenge that we face is, our biggest beneficiary is also our biggest competitor,” says Mr. Moitra. Hospitals treat the patients and without them, their services may not exist. “We as Medical Value Travel Company act as distribution arms for these hospitals. But at times, instead of working together, the hospitals compete and we end up being on 2 sides,” he added further.

Making a Difference As a responsible human, Abhik has plan to make a policy for all private healthcare players who have more than 750 beds to have 20% of their tertiary care beds in tier 3 cities.

This will help the doctors and nurses to find employment in those cities and reverse migrations from bigger cities. This will also help patients from these smaller cities to get affordable healthcare next doors. Additionally, it will free up capacity in the bigger hospitals of major cities.

Further, to make Medical Value Travel (MVT) business as a sizable industry in India, the MVT players need to be given importance by the government and needs to get involved in policy related discussions. Also, he would be working harder for a better policy towards promoting organ donations.

Healthcare Right Now The current healthcare scenario in India is evolving at its best. With the Government policies ensuring that healthcare

Mr. Abhik Moitra President needs to be in reach of each and every citizen, the industry has been forced to think differently. The hospitals will now need to focus more on high margin businesses like Medical Value Travel to cross subsidize for low margin verticals.

As Medical Value Travel, gives highest per bed per night revenue, the hospitals will need to leverage the opportunity of medical tourism. Government has been extending all support by including Medical Tourism as one of the champion sectors and allocating budgets to promote it.

Words of Wisdom “Our Vedic books have some great answers to some very complex scientific questions. You will find answers to unsolved healthcare mysteries in Ayurveda and possibly in Rigveda. It is also our duty towards our nation to promote our national treasures of Ayurveda. So My advice to science enthusiasts is study the books of Ayurveda and amalgamate the same with modern science. Ayurveda needs you as much as you need Ayurveda. My plea to health-tech entrepreneur remains – don’t do things simply because you like the idea, work on the applicability and acceptability of the idea first.”

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Dominant

Leaders To Watch In

Healthcare Industry

DR. KISHORE KUMAR Providing Topnotch Infant Healthcare Solutions

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t a very young age, Dr. Kishore Kumar has achieved a lot in the field of Neonatology. He is a world-renowned neonatologist who has worked across North America, the UK, Asia and Australia. Dr. Kishore is the Founding Chairman of Cloudnine Group of Hospitals and a senior neonatologist at Cloudnine Hospital, Jayanagar. The contributions that he has made to the field of aneonatology are extraordinary.

The Journey So Far! He earned his Paediatric medical degree with a gold medal from Mysore University in 1989 and started working in Mysore Mission Hospital. After saving the smallest baby in India that weighed only 780 grams, he decided to specialize in neonatology (a pediatrician that is sub-specialized in premature babies). As this area of specialization was not available in India during those years, Dr. Kishore went to England, where he spent four years specializing in the field and was appointed as a Consultant Neonatologist in Merseyside. He also completed a Fellowship in Neonatal ICU with an FRACP from Melbourne, Australia, clinching the certification as one of the youngest and highest qualified neonatologists in the world.

Dr. Kishore always had a desire to serve the motherland and decided to come back to India after sixteen long years. During his time abroad, he became familiar with the brilliant standards of maternity care in the western world, and the lack thereof in India. So, he decided to start Cloudnine to offer similar services in India.

About Cloudnine

Dr. Kishore Kumar Founding Chairman

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Cloudnine is a leading chain of maternity, childcare and fertility hospitals. The hospital offers a comprehensive range of services from maternity, gynaecology, fertility, neonatal intensive care and pediatrics. Headquartered in Bengaluru, the hospital has expanded to cities like Chennai, Gurgaon, Pune, Mumbai, Chandigarh, and Noida. The aim of the hospital is the pursuit of excellence in providing the best maternal and neonatal

care by setting higher standards for ourselves and striving constantly to achieve them.

Source of Motivation People who enjoy their jobs are more likely to be motivated and Dr. Kishore enjoys his work a lot. He also believes that the support and encouragement from the family keep him motivated. Apart from this, his teachers and mentors also motivated him at the right time and that helped him to achieve more in life.

Dr. Kishore asserts, “I don’t have the TGIF attitude, I relax and enjoy working, but at the same time I devote enough time with my family too, I share my thoughts with my family so they feel part of my passion and they become my motivation with their ideas contributing to whatever I do”.

Achievements According to Dr. Kishore, the most significant achievement for him is saving babies who otherwise would have become statistics in any other hospital in India and the joy of the family is the most satisfying moment.

He also says, “Seeing the happiness in my parents who had thought I will not return to India after having spent sixteen years abroad, and now they say in the past we used to say he is my son, today we say I am his father or mother, that itself is a major achievement for me/us, the satisfaction of my parents”.

Challenges Faced Initially, he faced some huge problems to start a hospital, like—licensing issues, attitude of people, real estate, quality service of the medical equipment (which are taken for granted in the west), nursing care standards and the challenges of standardizing the medical care with protocols and more such issues. Moreover, it is difficult to take care of both the hospitality industry and medical care and that too 24/7 in a country like India. The next big challenge was to find suitably trained staff who can match the ethos and to retain them.

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Dr. Kishore added, “Though ‘copying or imitation is the best form of flattery, it adds to the uncertainties though we have had five brands being started in the last decade on similar lines as Cloudnine we have still been number one in this field!”

Healthcare Scenario in India Dr. Kishore shared his views on the current scenario of the healthcare industry. He thinks India has made huge progress in the last decade in various forms including immunization, maternal and neonatal care, Ayushman Bharat etc. However, India is a huge country with a multitude of health service providers, unlike in the west.

We have a long way to go before we can expect “standardized care” across the country. We have pockets of clinical excellence, but the country as a whole needs to move forward in a big way before we can even address data collection, data analytics and AI in health care. With that being said, the potential is huge and unimaginable.

Piece of Advice from Dr. Kishore Medical science enthusiasts and healthtech entrepreneurs need to understand that the potential in this area is huge and unimaginable. It could be anyone’s cup of tea, depending upon who comes up with what and how they will revolutionize healthcare. Tomorrow belongs to those who work with passion and not TGIF attitude!

My team believes in breathing magic and memories into pregnancy and parenthood and our world-class maternity experiences are pointed at giving the best start to justborn babies and parents in equal measure

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Dominant

Leaders To Watch In

Healthcare Industry

DR. RANJEET SINGH AJMANI Dedicated to Make a Self- Sufficient India in Plasma Protein Therapy

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he bright red blood that courses through our body makes sure that we are alive, and awesome the way we are. That, we know. But what we don’t know or rather aren’t concerned about is all the hard work it takes for our blood to keep us that way.

Apart from delivering oxygen, energy and taking away the accumulated carbon dioxide and other impurities, blood, or rather its components are also responsible for fighting diseases. However, not all of us are healthy enough to wage that war inside us for a healthy living.

As an Indian plasma product company, we are dedicated to improving the health and quality of life of patients in India and SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) region

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The reason ranges from genetic deficiency to lifestyle.

So how do we obtain what we lack? For that, we thank the numerous humans around us who donate blood regularly or not-so-regularly.

This whole blood that is donated is separated into its components i.e. blood plasma, platelets and erythrocytes.

The blood plasma is further processed through Plasma Fractionation to manufacture Plasma Derived Medicinal Products (PDMPs) that are used to treat various diseases and disorders. These proteins are used for their Therapeutic Value to treat people with life threatening diseases. It is administered to patients who mostly have genetic deficiencies and can not manufacture these proteins in their bodies and need it from external sources to keep life’s battle alive. Human blood saves many lives but it is very vulnerable fluid, as it can also transmit infections like HIV, Hepatitis B/C and many more. So the manufacturing process of these proteins involves a very high degree of precision and safety measures. At the same time unfortunately in India, the availability of plasma is a huge challenge due to varieties of the reasons and therefore India still remains as the import-dependent country for a large number of plasma proteins even as of today.

When Dr. Ranjeet Singh Ajmani started working in this field, there was no proper regulation, process, and less than 10 blood banks in India used to prepare plasma from whole blood donation. His initial years went by spending and understanding the blood banking

community, regulators, policymakers, politicians and very learned clinicians. His efforts saw him work hard and travel a lot and resulted in the Govt. of India, issuing the permit, for the first time, of collecting the surplus from Indian blood banks, allowing to send the plasma to South Korea to get converted into products. These products were then made available to Indian patients.

Personally a very full filling time for Dr. Ajmani and his team. His stature as an expert in the matters grew, and he soon found himself invited to advise on setting up a plasma fractionation plant in Chennai. However, this was also a time when he felt and saw a different view of the company he was working with, which was completely contrary to his experience of almost 10 years in the organization and totally unacceptable.

The Dawn of a New Beginning It’s said that the night is darkest before sunrise. Dr. Ajmani was going through a similar phase in his professional life. Although he was very happy with his work, he couldn’t compromise on his ethics and took the tough decision of moving on. After a short hiatus, he took up the role of National Expert-Plasma Fractionation as given by Govt. of India. The new role tested his skills beyond the subject line. He recalls, “My interactions with Govt. Machinery was eye-opening and great learning experience. But while enjoying the spotlight more than I probably deserved, I also created many enemies in the system.” Once again, Dr. Ajmani listened to his inner voice, and drawing strength from his true calling to select a career path, which perfectly matched his purpose of life, he set out is for his new innings at PlasmaGen BioSciences.

A Work of Passion PlasmaGen BioSciences is an Indian Bio-pharmaceutical organization specializing exclusively in Plasma Protein Therapy. Dr. Ajmani started from scratch to reach where he and his company is today. Along with an efficient team that feels loved, empowered and trusted by one and all, he has been making every effort in the domain of Plasma product Industry and has become an Imperative one-stop destination for the medical fraternity for most of the plasma products need. “My work involves dealing

Dr. Ranjeet Singh Ajmani

with policymakers, regulators, blood bankers, clinicians, patients groups etc. At times it looks very demanding and difficult, but so is life” admits Dr. Ajmani.

Making a Mark When Dr. Ajmani started his work, it was new, and different and challenges were a part of the package.

Speaking about the same he says, “This is part of the deal, how do you come over it is more of art than science. Human sensitivities are very complex and personal. One needs to deal with an enormous sense of responsibility and care. I still face many challenges like availability of safe plasma continuously, regulations, awareness about plasma product amongst clinicians, patients groups etc.”

Herculean tasks like these require an endless source of motivation and Dr. Ajmani finds it within himself. He feels that life throws many challenges on a day-to-day basis, and one must find at least one reason to enjoy every aspect of life. Apart from that, a supportive environment also plays a vital role for which he thanks

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his teachers/mentors and his co-workers/every member of his team and most importantly his family. Having a family who understands your purpose more than career is very important. It is through their constant support and the undying faith that he has been able to create a niche and expertise in the cosmos of plasma product therapies.

Today Dr. Ajmani is a renowned name in the industry having many firsts to his credit. Apart from those mentioned already, he developed “Fibrin Glue” a plasma product along with TIFAC and another research organization for the first time in India. He was also a part of formulating plasma policy for India. He is an Expert member of Indian Pharmacopeia Commission (IPC) on blood plasma products, an industry representative and an expert member of the First Committee on the Hemovigliance Program of India. He is regularly invited to give talks/lectures on Indian/Asian scene about plasma products at various international forums and shared stage with noble laureates. The fact that he could create and nurture a team at PlasmaGen with a very strong sense of belongings and commitment and with a Zero rate of attrition speaks a lot about him as a leader. He is also credited with creating awareness of Blood component therapy and the value of plasma from the plasma product point of view.

hopeful that we would be able to grow in Gene Therapy, Personal medicines, Biopharmaceutical field, better diagnostic and treatment protocols for lifestyle diseases.

Follow Your Heart Throughout his journey, Dr Ajmani has followed his heart and that is what he suggests to others, especially the young entrepreneurs. When you want to charter and walk life on your belief and terms, you may not find enough support from outer world. Society at large enjoy status quo, as any change brings a huge sense of discomfort, readjustment and realignment. It comes with a price tag, be ready to pay and feel happy that you are leading a life, which you wanted. He advises them to see the larger purpose of their lives and select a career path, which would not only give them money but also enrich their life. Work is very important part of ones life but it is not everything, hobbies / recreational activities which allows you to explore you core play a very significant role in long term. He adds, “Also, I am a huge believer that any business options come with a huge risk and challenge, so please have a very close understanding of your own self- know your weakness very well, knowing your weakness in advance is a real strength and be in touch with ground reality.” Do not dream big, dream real, and whatever you do, perfect your craft and be on the top of your game.

Views on Healthcare industry Dr. Ajmani opines that India is a country of extreme contrast and inequality. We are 1.3 billion people with an extreme degree of paying capacity, education level, social status and so on. No one system can fit the bill. We must work towards the various systems, where we can provide basic healthcare support to the last man in the queue. We should develop our models, as a model available in the west or developed world would not work for us. We still have not resolved the basic issues like safe drinking water, TB, Diarrhoea, and on top of it, we have now the challenge of lifestyle diseases like cancer, diabetes, stress. Inequality in healthcare is very shocking and inhumane. He also feels that the biggest challenge is Unequal healthcare system because of policies and that we must develop Public health funding. He is still

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“I would also like to say that Life comes before anything, so enjoy your life to the fullest on your terms. Face every challenge of life with a smile. Be, creative, brave and bold,” concludes Dr. Ranjeet Ajmani.

Dominant

Leaders To Watch In

Healthcare Industry

SRIKANTH CHELLAPPA Driving the Digital Healthcare Revolution

T

he recent technological advancements have brought about a massive and welcoming change in the healthcare industry. It has made our life better and easier than ever before. In the last few decades, the healthcare industry has seen many positive changes and is on the verge of witnessing more exciting developments in the future. Rather than just being a service-oriented stream, its impact on the quality and affordability of the care provided has been differentiated as the time is passing by.

With the innumerable challenges that we face today in this fast-paced dynamic world, any leadership coach or expert is needed with effective leadership skills. These skills are becoming the driving force in the healthcare industry. And collectively, those driving factors are providing answers to all the healthcare problems.

There are few effective health care leaders who possess rare talent combining key medical and business competencies. One of them is Srikanth Chellappa, Director at Contact Doctor Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. who is taking the organization towards its goals in noteworthy style.

At ContactDoctor.in, we aim at providing the medical services to even the remotest place on the earth and ensure the services still remain a ordable and is available during a need using the technology

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Srikanth is a post graduate majored in computer science with over 20 years of experience across industries with a strong desire to improve the lives of people using technology. This led him to start Contact Doctor Healthcare. With an aim to provide medical services to even the remotest place on the earth, he founded the organization on 7th May 2014. He ensured that the services should remain affordable and available with uniform quality during a need using technology. “A happy, satisfied, and smiling patient has always been a constant motivation for me,” says Srikanth.

Affordable, World-Class Online Healthcare Services At Contact Doctor Healthcare, the whole team is constantly improving the communication and staying connected through more convenient channels with their patients.

Contact Doctor Healthcare is a hybrid healthcare service platform integrating the conventional physical and the digital medical services to provide the benefit of convenience and best-in-class services online.

Tele-consultation, Home care, Locating and Scheduling visits to a near-by hospital/clinic, Online medical advice, Medicines and Lab services at home, are the services which patients can avail from contactdoctor.in Some of the services are as explained below: • Online Video Consultation Consult through this platform with doctors across specialties from the comfort of one’s own home / location.

• Doctors/Nurses/Physios at your home Contact Doctor Healthcare will send the doctors/nurses/physios to attend patients / dependents at their home who are unable to move or reach hospitals.

• Book Doctor Appointments Search for a particular specialty/location/timeslot/doctor and proceed to book the appointments as comfortable to the patients. The organization will

promptly notify the patients through SMS/eMail for any change in the appointment status.

• Post Your Query The organization suggests this service for second opinions. You can upload your reports and ask your question to the doctors. Doctors will analyze the patient’s report with the query and respond back.

• Ambulance Services Contact Doctor Healthcare’s ambulances (mobile critical care units) comes equipped with special features that facilitate faster and smoother transfer of critically ill patients to the nearest network/non-network hospitals and this is being provided through partners.

• Medicines delivered at your home Upload the prescription with clearly visible details and get your medicines delivered at your home.

• Lab Services at your home Samples collected at home and the reports sent to the patient’s registered email-id and also made available in their profile for anytime access.

Presently, with the existing communication channels like Web chat, Telephone number, Messaging platforms to interact with ‘Agasthya—the chat-bot handle’, Contact Doctor Healthcare has now started a direct call facility from its website on test mode. This works on all major browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Edge.

Further Srikanth says, “Kindly request you all to engage now with Agasthya for your needs and as well to contribute towards its learning. This will become an effective communication channel during a need for care in the near future with all your support.”

Most Significant Achievements With all the obstacles on the path like resistance to technology adaption with the providers/patients, ‘physical touch’ nature of the industry, data privacy & security, unfavorable policies. Also, from complex regulations, unexpressed or not clearly stated needs, to patient’s lack of trust with the current healthcare system/providers; it has came a long way by overcoming all these challenges.

With the hard work and passion, it now has an improved accessibility (Telemedicine) with enhanced communication between patient and providers (Agasthya). Additionally, the company has been empowering patients during the

Srikanth Chellappa Director communication (PatientMPower – the Healthcare ML Models based mobile application). Contact Doctor Healthcare believes that this is a continuous learning process for the organization and thus it constantly keeps on improving.

Encompassing Possibilities Srikanth believes that the healthcare Industry will see signs of domain expertise shifting from humans to machines. He clarifies that it’s not that doctors will be replaced, but patients will have more information and control over their health and healthcare will be completely digitized. Patients will start actively engaging and participating in their care process and personalized care will be the future.

Further, Srikanth shares that if he had the power to change one thing in the healthcare system, that would be the Equality in Healthcare, ensuring transparent and uniform quality of care to everyone irrespective of racial and societal inequalities.

Pocket Wisdom “Prioritize patients first. Stay innovative. Think solutions that will empower patients and will take healthcare closer to patients. Healthy people. Healthy Nation.” advises Srikanth to the budding entrepreneurs.

To avail Contact Doctor Healthcare services, Click here

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10 WAYS

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Helpguide

S TO AGE HEALTHILY Aging is a natural phenomenon that cannot be avoided. Many of us have fears regarding the process of aging. A common misconception among people is that, looking young means they are healthy, which is not actually true. Staying physically and mentally fit means that one is healthy. We all know that it is not about how long we live, but it is about how healthy and happily we live. It is our decision of how we want to ease the process of aging.

Here are some ways that can help you to age healthily.

Eat Healthy

Live An Active Life

Having a healthy diet is very important for a healthy lifestyle. Every individual needs the right amount of proteins, calories, vitamins, etc. Eating fruits, vegetables, pulses, etc. everyday is necessary. Eating healthy keeps your body fresh and active. The healthier you eat the more you can stay away from medicines. During the old age we should try avoiding oily, spicy, and slow digestive foods.

Start an active and healthy lifestyle. Exercise should be included in the daily routine. The exercises could be simple like walking, stretching, using stairs, etc. Studies say that people who are physically fit live longer and better. Living an active life will help you to be independent and perform your own activities. It also helps boost self esteem, improve sleep patterns and give more energy.

Tips: Consulting a doctor for suggestions regarding the right diet plan would be helpful. We should keep in mind that every person has different dietary needs.

Tips: Doing something you enjoy is the key to stay active. Any physical activity like walking, riding a bike, swimming, aerobics, etc. can be incorporated in your daily routine.

Get Enough Sleep

Reduce Stress

In order for the body to rejuvenate, it needs proper rest. Older adults need just as much sleep as the younger adults – seven to nine hours per night. Lack of proper sleep can cause depression, frustration, stress, and memory issues.

With age the types of stress and the ability to deal with stress changes. The effects of stress on the body are vast, from causing premature aging to heart disease. Long term stress can lead to brain damage, memory loss, fatigue, etc. It is estimated that, 90% of illnesses are caused due to stress.

Tips: Insomnia can be avoided by cutting down daytime naps. Making a proper bedtime schedule and going to bed at the same time everyday can be helpful.

Tips: The situations of stress cannot be entirely avoided but we can cope up with it.

Accepting and adapting to things can help reduce stress. Not always is the situation in our hands to control. Trying some relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, etc. can be beneficial.

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Take care of Your Mental Health

Find New Hobbies

It is vital that you engage your brain and keep it active always. Research shows that keeping the brain active may delay memory issues and brain related problems. Staying happy and staying away from stress helps maintain mental health.

Finding new and meaningful hobbies helps one stay busy. When you have a sense of purpose, you tend to be happier. Evidence shows that people who stay engaged in hobbies or social activities experience less depression.

Tips: Keeping your mood elevated is the best way. Spending time doing things you love or with the dear ones of your life could keep the mood up. Take dance lessons, learn music, or learn to play an instrument.

Tips: Engaging in social activities or learning something new could be useful to stay occupied. Volunteering in NGOs can be done too.

See a Doctor Regularly

Cultivate Your Relationships

Seeing a doctor regularly can help find problems before they even start. If any health issue is detected very late it will become difficult to treat. In early stages it would be less expensive and less risky to treat any issues.

During old age, the best medicine is love and care. Many older adults tend to stay alone.

Staying connected with loved ones is important. Having a support system and a social network helps mental health.

Loneliness can cause various health risks.

Tips: A proper schedule of monthly general checkups with the doctor should be made. A family doctor should also be fixed, so that they know the health history completely.

Tips: You should maintain regular communication with family and friends.

You should attend gatherings, family parties, etc.

Practice Prevention

Give Up Smoking and Drinking

We all know that 'Prevention is the best Cure'. Many accidents, general health issues, depression, chronic illnesses, etc. can be prevented. If proper care is taken, you can lead a healthy life.

Smoking and drinking both increase the chances of premature aging and the risk of diseases. It is not easy to quit smoking, however there are resources available to help. We keep hearing how bad smoking is for our brain and body. And after a certain age, quitting smoking would be a good option.

Tips: Think about ways to improve your lifestyle to a healthy one. Contact your family doctor and consult regarding things that can be done to stay healthy according to your health conditions.

Tips: Drinking occasionally in limited quantities can be considered. Although, smoking should be completely avoided.

Regardless of age, the lung capacity and energy levels will improve if you give up smoking.

- Shreevarshita Gupta 34 |January 2020 |