Experts critically examine existing models and call for the development of new processes, systems, programs and policies so that healthcare is made affordable to the poor
The Forum and Workshops on Affordable Healthcare & Water in India was inaugurated at the Indian Institute of Management on November 11, 2013.
The two-day workshop had healthy participation from healthcare and water-related industries, hospitals, health workers, NGOs and academia. Over two days, 12 experts led discussions on best practices, shared success stories and analyzed case studies related to affordable healthcare and access to clean water.
Padma Shri Dr. C.N. Manjunath, Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, delivered the keynote address. He highlighted the challenges of providing affordable healthcare at various levels. “Choosing volume-based business models over margin-based ones is the key to the successful delivery of effective and affordable health care,” he said. He listed some of the schemes at Jayadeva Hospital in providing cardiac care for the poor, where the volume-based business model ensures that the operations remain profitable for the hospital without burdening the poor with high costs. He suggested that a PPP (Private Public Partnership) model should be the way forward to deliver healthcare to people across the country.
Dr. S. Raghunath, Dean (Admin) at Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, made the inaugural remarks and emphasized the urgent need to conduct research, at the global level, regarding type of disease and health conditions resulting from lack of access to clean water.
Quoting from UN water statistics, Dr. Raghunath said that 1 in every 6 people lacks access to safe drinking water. “Decision makers will have to give their unwavering attention to the growing water challenge of an industrialized and urbanized world that is already reeling under the impact of climate change. Of the total water available around the world, just 3 per cent is fresh water and less than 1 per cent is accessible for direct human consumption."
Emphasizing that close to 1 billion people had no access to safe drinking water, he said: “The projection is that we will add 2.6 billion people to this planet over the next 30 years. In the context that 1 billion people are already unable to access safe drinking water, such mindboggling numbers bring up the vital question: how will we meet the demand for safe water? We need research; we need new discoveries and inventions in the area of regenerative medicine; and we need advanced medical devices and biotechnology that contributes to affordable healthcare."
Workshop presentations
Dr. Margrit Leuthold, Executive Director of swissnex India, introduced some of the key Swiss initiatives related to promotion of innovation in healthcare.
Dr. Pietro Beritelli, from the University of St. Gallen and Conference Co-chair, spoke about the healthcare infrastructure in Europe and suggested that some best practices could be adapted to the Indian context.
Dr. Shainesh G, Professor, Marketing Area, IIMB, and Conference Co-chair, spoke about the need to critically examine existing models and called for the development of new processes, systems, programs and policies so that healthcare can be made affordable to the poor.
Dr. Vijai Singh of Narayana Health described the development of business models related to affordable healthcare.
Dr. Anand Vinekar of Narayana Netralaya explained the role of ICT in delivering eye care to infants and shared learnings from the KIDROP project undertaken by his organization. The Karnataka Internet Assisted Diagnosis of Retinopathy of Prematurity (KIDROP) is Narayana Nethralaya Postgraduate Institute’s flagship Tele-Ophthalmology Program initiated in 2008 to provide Retinopathy of Prematurity screening for rural and semi-urban infants in hitherto unscreened centres using the backbone of Tele-Opthalmology and Wide-Field-Digital Imaging devices.
Mr. Vinay Ransiwal of Novo Nordisk listed his company’s diabetes-care initiatives from an accessibility perspective.
Mr. Adithya Vasudevan of Harmonise explained that combining principles of sustainability with health could drive a bigger social impact.
Mr. Lars Willi of Trunz Water Solutions AG, on a video link from Switzerland, shared insights on successful implementation of access-based models in the water sector.
Dr. Sourav Mukherji, Associate Professor, Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources Management, IIMB, explained various for-profit and not-for-profit models related to healthcare delivery strategies.
Dr. Roger Moser, of the University of St. Gallen, and Conference Co-chair, spoke about approaches for developing water and healthcare related policy in an Indian context.
On Day 2 of the workshop, industry experts, members of NGOs and students worked on building frameworks to address key challenges in improving the access to health care and clean water by leveraging technology and new business models.
Experts critically examine existing models and call for the development of new processes, systems, programs and policies so that healthcare is made affordable to the poor
The Forum and Workshops on Affordable Healthcare & Water in India was inaugurated at the Indian Institute of Management on November 11, 2013.
The two-day workshop had healthy participation from healthcare and water-related industries, hospitals, health workers, NGOs and academia. Over two days, 12 experts led discussions on best practices, shared success stories and analyzed case studies related to affordable healthcare and access to clean water.
Padma Shri Dr. C.N. Manjunath, Director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, delivered the keynote address. He highlighted the challenges of providing affordable healthcare at various levels. “Choosing volume-based business models over margin-based ones is the key to the successful delivery of effective and affordable health care,” he said. He listed some of the schemes at Jayadeva Hospital in providing cardiac care for the poor, where the volume-based business model ensures that the operations remain profitable for the hospital without burdening the poor with high costs. He suggested that a PPP (Private Public Partnership) model should be the way forward to deliver healthcare to people across the country.
Dr. S. Raghunath, Dean (Admin) at Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, made the inaugural remarks and emphasized the urgent need to conduct research, at the global level, regarding type of disease and health conditions resulting from lack of access to clean water.
Quoting from UN water statistics, Dr. Raghunath said that 1 in every 6 people lacks access to safe drinking water. “Decision makers will have to give their unwavering attention to the growing water challenge of an industrialized and urbanized world that is already reeling under the impact of climate change. Of the total water available around the world, just 3 per cent is fresh water and less than 1 per cent is accessible for direct human consumption."
Emphasizing that close to 1 billion people had no access to safe drinking water, he said: “The projection is that we will add 2.6 billion people to this planet over the next 30 years. In the context that 1 billion people are already unable to access safe drinking water, such mindboggling numbers bring up the vital question: how will we meet the demand for safe water? We need research; we need new discoveries and inventions in the area of regenerative medicine; and we need advanced medical devices and biotechnology that contributes to affordable healthcare."
Workshop presentations
Dr. Margrit Leuthold, Executive Director of swissnex India, introduced some of the key Swiss initiatives related to promotion of innovation in healthcare.
Dr. Pietro Beritelli, from the University of St. Gallen and Conference Co-chair, spoke about the healthcare infrastructure in Europe and suggested that some best practices could be adapted to the Indian context.
Dr. Shainesh G, Professor, Marketing Area, IIMB, and Conference Co-chair, spoke about the need to critically examine existing models and called for the development of new processes, systems, programs and policies so that healthcare can be made affordable to the poor.
Dr. Vijai Singh of Narayana Health described the development of business models related to affordable healthcare.
Dr. Anand Vinekar of Narayana Netralaya explained the role of ICT in delivering eye care to infants and shared learnings from the KIDROP project undertaken by his organization. The Karnataka Internet Assisted Diagnosis of Retinopathy of Prematurity (KIDROP) is Narayana Nethralaya Postgraduate Institute’s flagship Tele-Ophthalmology Program initiated in 2008 to provide Retinopathy of Prematurity screening for rural and semi-urban infants in hitherto unscreened centres using the backbone of Tele-Opthalmology and Wide-Field-Digital Imaging devices.
Mr. Vinay Ransiwal of Novo Nordisk listed his company’s diabetes-care initiatives from an accessibility perspective.
Mr. Adithya Vasudevan of Harmonise explained that combining principles of sustainability with health could drive a bigger social impact.
Mr. Lars Willi of Trunz Water Solutions AG, on a video link from Switzerland, shared insights on successful implementation of access-based models in the water sector.
Dr. Sourav Mukherji, Associate Professor, Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources Management, IIMB, explained various for-profit and not-for-profit models related to healthcare delivery strategies.
Dr. Roger Moser, of the University of St. Gallen, and Conference Co-chair, spoke about approaches for developing water and healthcare related policy in an Indian context.
On Day 2 of the workshop, industry experts, members of NGOs and students worked on building frameworks to address key challenges in improving the access to health care and clean water by leveraging technology and new business models.