Kasturba Hospital, Manipal

Started as a premier healthcare institution in 1961, Manipal Health System's Kasturba Hospital, Manipal with a capacity of 1475 beds, treating 1600 patients per day is equipped with facilities to offer treatments at affordable costs.

Achievements in the Last Year

Dr TS Raghu Raman, COO and Medical Superintendent of Kasturba Hospital says, "Quality healthcare for half a million patients, both domestic and international, successful installation of a new linear accelerator with Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) and 3Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy (3D- CRT) are some of the landmark achievements of last year." The Hospital recently inaugurated advanced 64 Slice MD CT scanner and installed additional digital flat panel cathlab. The Hospital's interventional radiology department has commenced operations since 2007 and till date has successfully performed endovascular embolisation and many other complicated percutaneous procedures. Around 50 procedures are conducted so far. "We have also successfully performed a procedure using microneurosurgical techniques to remove the brain tumour," says Dr Raman.

New Initiatives

The Hospital is on an expansion drive with the commencement of trauma care centre, which will have two operation theatres attached to it, with 64 Slice CT, 1.5 Tesla MRI, diagnostic and investigation facilities, blood bank, ICU's and other support services spread over five floors. It will be a separate building covering (approx) 10,000 square feet per floor, which will get ready in 18 months. "We will also have an integrated mother and child block to provide specialised care," informs Dr Raman. The Hospital also shortly plans to open executive ward with all amenities targeted at international patients.

Adopting new Technologies

The Hospital claims to be the first one to install flat panel cathlab in India. 64 slices CT, linear accelerator with IMRT, dual headed gamma camera are few in the list of new technologies acquired recently by the Hospital. "We are in the process of acquiring 1.5 tesla MRI for radio-diagnosis and video endoscopy this year," adds Dr Raman.

Quantum of Investment

The Hospital's investment on latest equipment in medical technologies for current year is $10 million. Says Dr Raman, "We are planning to invest over Rs 1 million to upgrade the existing Hospital's Information System." The Hospital upgraded its PACS from Seimens with 10-terabyte capacities- which ensures a film-less hospital environment.

Patient's Care

The Hospital believes in merging healthcare with hospitality and has brought in some welcome changes which have improved the quality of care. "We have implemented the concept of Guest Relation Executives (GREs) in the healthcare industry who provide personalised attention to the needs of every patient," says Dr Raman. This has helped the Hospital to keep the patient informed about the treatment, its cost and approximate duration of stay in advance.

CSR

Kasturba Hospital has been organising disease and organ based awareness programmes and camps on various occasions clubbed with educative programmes on health habits and preventive measures taken, for the benefit of common man. These programmes are conducted for poor patients. The Hospital provided free treatment to 3300 patients last year. "Manipal Arogya Card is the another scheme with a discount concession fee that seeks to provide an ideal opportunity for people to pay a small sum as membership fee and avail large benefits by way of inpatient and out-patient treatment in Kasturba Hospital," says Dr Raman.