Q1. Congratulations for excellent 2019, please let us know your key achievements in 2019?

Healthcare is the fastest growing industry across the World, and as it is growing there are many shades coming up. Many are very positive and exciting whereas some bring disappointments as well. 2019 indeed was a great year for Lokmanya Group of Hospitals where we have undergone further expansion and our network of Hospitals has grown bigger.

Lokmanya Hospitals is coming up with World Class facilities at Pune bringing all the advanced treatment modalities with the most sophisticated super specialty Orthopedics and other major specialties and healthcare services. It has always been my dream and passion to bring all the advanced emerging technologies across the globe which are beneficial to the mankind, right here in our country to bring it in reach of our people, and make it affordable to overseas patients as well, who expect good quality yet at an affordable price.

With our vision and mission to develop a comprehensive system – comprising of right from high end tertiary care surgical services in Orthopedics and other major specialties to primary healthcare needs, community education holding hands with technology – we have grown from a single hospital to the largest chain of hospitals in Orthopedics in Western India and primary care to the most advanced super specialty Orthopedic facility. We pioneered The Robotic Assisted Knee Replacement Technology with which more than 5000 patients have been benefitted at Lokmanya Hospitals and leading active pain free lives. With this upcoming venture we have achieved another big milestone in the 2019.

The year has again seen tremendous success with number of significant awards and recognitions      for the exemplary performance in our quality of care and services at the hospitals some of them are: “Icons of Health 2019” by Maharashtra Times and Healthcare Excellence Awards for “Leading Regional Chain of Hospitals with Super Specialized Technological Excellence” and “Top 100 Record Holders” by India Book of Records for “Most Number of Knee Joint Replacement Surgeries in a Day”.

“Second International Symposium on Robotic Joint Replacement (ISRJR)” one of its kind conferences dedicated to technological advancements in Arthroplasty held on 18^th  & 19^th   october 2019 was even a bigger success attended by more than 250 Joint Replacement Surgeons Worldwide and a formal body of surgeons performing Robotic Assisted Joint Replacement “Society for Robotic Arthroplasty (SRA)” has been formed with me as President and a resolution has been passed to spread awareness in the society and offer fellowships to make young surgeons well verse with Technology for the best results.

Q2.  Please share few disappointments in 2019?

Disappointments are mostly related to the schemes which have been announced by the Government, but still they have not come into active form. We have been regularly spreading awareness through various platforms, and people of all strata of society are willing to get their treatments done, but they need some financial aid and they are eagerly waiting for the health schemes to become reality and they can be benefitted. Same is with the Healthcare Organizations, they are ready to offer best quality treatment but cost element is needed to be catered and for this Public Private Partnership (PPP) is the need of the hour. There are huge requirements of health services in India and only Government setups cannot fulfill the requirements, and presence of private healthcare organizations has to be there in picture, but for them cost is a big factor to sustain along with maintenance of good quality. Here comes the role of Government Schemes which can bring quality treatment available to the patient, and private organizations can also function smoothly and efficiently. For this, the efforts and vision of Government is really appreciable but it needs to be accelerated so that everyone can be at the same level to avail the best. As “Healthcare is not a privilege but it is a Right”

 Q3. Key challenges to overcome in 2020?

In the World of Healthcare change is the only constant and every moment a new Technology is coming, and one has to upgrade constantly, as the one which is new now can be outdated tomorrow. So we always believe in upgrading, and continuously keep on trying to get the best for our patients, which is our “Key to Success”. For this, we have to cope up with the newer advances looking at cost quotient which is a challenge, but so far we have been able to achieve it, and will try to continue with our set benchmarks with full enthusiasm and excitement.

Although awareness and educational status of Indian patients is increasing at a very fast pace, but at the same time there are people who are misleading the patients, and spreading various Myths in the society. These myths should be broken, and authentic information should be shared for the patient welfare. This is a big challenge to be addressed effectively, in benefit of both patients, and healthcare professionals. We are continuously conducting public forums and public education programs through our CSR initiatives for Trauma, Geriatric patients, Cancer and Orthopedic Ailments and their treatments. We are very happy to see that they are quite enthusiastically participated and appreciated by the community.

Better cost quality balance is expected and uncompromised best quality treatment provision      should be given priority over the pricings, for the overall growth and sustainability of the Health Sector in India. Also the gap between demand and supply in the healthcare delivery system is a challenge, where need of treatment is huge but not within the reach of everyone in need, and lack of awareness is an additive factor to this. Each and every strata of society has a right to live healthy and active life, and that ways they should get the best treatment within their reach. To address this Lokmanya Group of Hospitals has registered its presence in different areas in Maharashtra, with 3 multispecialty more focused on Orthopedic tertiary care facilities, and 3 focused super specialty Orthopedic Hospitals and around 10 well equipped satellite clinics, but much more is required to be done to address the masses at large, and educate people to meet the healthcare provider at a right stage of their disease to get the best possible outcomes, and overcome the possibilities of disabilities and permanent damages which deteriorate the quality of lives.

Q4. Way Forward for 2020?

We have constantly demonstrated that how medical management through highly qualified Surgeons and Advanced Technology coordination can transform the functional outcomes for our patients, and along with it enhance the quality and sustainability of our healthcare system with limited resources. Our highly experienced and skilled doctors, ancillary and supporting staff, management, and super specialty most advanced technologies are our biggest asset and with their efforts and support we have come so far on our path, and expect to touch the new horizons this year.

We have moved at quite a good pace to achieve quite many landmarks, and stay “Lokmanya” which means “Popular amongst everyone” but we have reached just half way, “The best is yet to come” and there is a long way ahead. In 2020 we have plans to expand further as we aspire to make the best in class advanced treatments available to the patients not only in Maharashtra but all over India and across the globe.

Along with the clinical excellence, our another mission is to develop more educational programs that help in better exposure of technology to young surgeons’ fraternity and we will come up with comprehensive courses and fellowship programs.

Q5. Message for Healthcare Industry?

I want to wish you all a very happy, prosperous and healthy new year 2020, and thankful to everyone including our patients who showed their faith in us, and everyone working dedicatedly in the healthcare sector. Healthcare sector is very unique as we have a huge responsibility of giving good health, and wellbeing to the patients but also is a great privilege to earn blessings and best wishes. We can put a foundation for a better tomorrow for everyone. My message to the industry is that: we should always work for the value addition, and set new benchmarks for sustainable health care delivery system, and work with full zest for the wellbeing of the mankind. We should hold hands to work together to break the myths in the society and spread better health education to the masses at large.  Also we should closely work together to overcome the challenges on financial grounds, so that the best practices can be followed without any hurdles, better data analysis and judicious use of Artificial Intelligence is also the need of hour for the health sector.

I am very optimistic and hopeful that in 2020 we can take the healthcare services in our Nation to a new level where more people will get the benefits Worldwide, and India will become the Global Leader in the field of Healthcare.