Lilavati Hospital Aiming At Benchmarking By Prabodh Kirtilal Mehta

By Author: Prabodh Kirtilal Mehta
Total Articles: 8
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Prabodh Kirtilal Mehta as per his views “with unsurpassed commitment, Lilavati Hospital & Research Centre believes in adapting itself to the changing healthcare needs as well as providing quality treatment to patients from all rungs of the social ladder. With departments like radiology and nuclear medicine of national repute, the hospital believes in focussing on technologies now than building a chain of hospitals. An overview of what sets it apart.



Meghna Mukherjee


A52-year-old patient, Shobha Rathi from Nashik was suffering from acute lower back pain for the last three years. She was unable to walk. A segment of her lumber or lower region had become loose, which caused a narrowing of the spinal canal, resulting in excessive pressure on the spinal cord. Dr P S Ramani, Consultant Neuro-spinal Surgeon, Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai, implanted a new high-tech device known as In-Space percutaneous interspinous distraction device, between two of Rathi's spinous processes. This is just one of the many instances that Lilavati has performed giving a new lease of life to many patients. This ...
... highlights the commitment of the hospital in serving mankind. Standing tall as the beacon of light for health and prosperity in the city. The multi-specialty hospital is stretched over an area of 2,20,000 sq ft. It is an institution dedicated to deliver quality healthcare with a human touch.



Building up strength


Prabodh Kirtilal Mehta has also stated that the trust is aiming to improve the healthcare for the common man. Late Kirtilal Mehta father of Prabodh Mehta conceived this hospital in the name of his wife Lilavati, who died at an early age. For developing the hospital, Mehta had acquired a marshy stretch of land from the Government of Maharashtra in the mid-80s, but it was only 1997 that the hospital became fully functional. Dr Narendra Trivedi, Chief Operating Officer (C00), Lilavati Hospital, states, "The hospital started with 10 beds and initially had only 22-30 doctors. But today, it boasts of 314 beds with one of the largest Intensive Care Units (ICUs) as well as 198 honorary consultants, 40 full time doctors and 92 resident doctors:' Since the hospital caters to people from all walks of life, rooms range from general wards to executive rooms. It also houses a telemedicine facility. The hospital focuses on tertiary care around the multi-specialty arena of cardiology, neurologk, orthopaedics and minimal access surgery. Dr Trivedi remarks, "We have become a benchmark among hospitals in the country for our specialized services. Academic success Nursing is one of the most crucial subject and to ensure that its patients are cared for, the hospital has various courses and programmes for training the nurses. Besides this, the hospital also has tie-ups with institutes to train students. He informs, "We have diploma courses in 14 subjects. These courses are recognized by the Diplomate National Board (DNB), New Delhi. We also have a good placement strategy in place. The most brilliant students are sent abroad or to the most recognized hospitals across the country. Several students are also working in our hospital where they can engage under gamut of services. The hospital ensures that it has all the expert surgical and non-surgical procedures.



Critical Care


The hospital has a comprehensive and a holistic approach in the care of critically ill patients. The ICU here is one of the five training centres in critical care, which is to be recognised by the Indian Society of Critical Care. It is equipped with a 29-bed specialty unit, with the latest life support equipment such as ventilator and monitoring equipment, pulse codmeters, Electroencephalography (EEG) and Two-Dimensional (2D) echo machines. Almost 50 per cent of beds have



Hospital Monitor


We not only cater to the affluent section of the society but also to the poor. About 2 per cent of the revenue generated by the hospital goes for charity. Along with Prabodh Kirtilal Mehta; Dr Narendra Trivedi Chief Operating Officer (Coo) of Lilavati Hospital stated that besides haemodialysis facility; the unit has two specialized isolation rooms for patients with infection.



Imaging Services


Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine is a department of national repute in radiology and imaging services. Outpatient imaging services are offered at the patient's convenience. Inpatient imaging services and emergency services are available round the clock. Home service facility for ultrasound is also available for patients who cannot be admitted to the hospital. Further, the hospital has a well-equipped paediatric and intensive care, dental and pathology departments besides having 12 fully advanced OTs and a high-tech cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery unit. The hospital also houses a blood bank.
Healthcare 24x7 Lilavati Hospital has a round the clock emergency service. The hospital has ambulances spread all over the city and also quite a few helpline numbers. Talking about the emergency services, he cites a few instances, "After the 2006 Mumbai railway bomb blast accident, ours was the first hospital to offer specialized services to the injured. We had treated almost 49 cases. Doctors had been constantly attending the injured. I personally operated a case of spleen rupture. The patient's condition was critical but we had successfully completed the operation:' He continues, "Again, during Mumbai floods in 2005, our hospital offered shelter to people in distress. The reception area as well as the second and third floors was made available for the people to stay."
Serving the society Right from conducting free Outpatient Department (OPD), to sending their mobile vans to Adivasi areas for organizing free health check-up camps, Lilavati has ensured that the citizens of the city and surrounding areas are not deprived of healthcare services. Apart from this, Lilavati has entered into a pilot project with Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) to launch a space telemedicine from its offshore rig and platforms (in the western region) through a satellite medical centre. Further, the social service department of Lilavati Hospital — SEWA — runs on the strong values of humanity. This department seeks to bridge the gap between the needy patients and the fast evolving medical technology of the third millennium. The hospital extends a helping hand for good health to all its patients. Dr Trivedi, reiterates, "We not only cater to the affluent section of the society but also to the poor. About 2 per cent of the revenue generated by the hospital goes for charity. We not only conduct free OPD's for poor patients but also perform free operations on a yearly basis:' As part of their largest project, the hospital also runs an eye bank — Roshni Eye Bank — a well equipped, efficient, equitable and comprehensive centre for cornea removal, processing, storing, supplying and transplantation. The hospital has also organized corneal grafting diagnostic camps where free corneal transplants were performed. Also, SEWA has taken on numerous welfare projects.



Scrutinising Strategies


With a plethora of achievements down its line, Prabodh Kirtilal Mehta along with Dr. Trivedi explains, "This being a tertiary care hospital, not only gets patients from the city of Mumbai but also from all over the country. Nursing homes and relatively smaller hospitals, which are unable to perform high-risk surgeries on their patients, are operated in Lilavati Hospital. We have the latest and the best CT scan machines and other biomedical equipment:' He further adds, "We also provide medical insurance to corporates." Lilavati is constantly active in Research and Development (R&D). One of the foremost efforts made by Lilavati Hospital had been to establish a community-based epidemiological research centre for cerebrovascular disease in stroke that functions under the Department of Science and Technology. It has been recognized and issued a special grant by the World Health Organization (WHQ). This grant enables Lilavati to conduct the WHO stepwise approach for stroke surveillance.



Expansion plans Lilavati Hospitals has plans to expand in the near future. Dr Trivedi claims, "If we acquire land in the city or if we get an opportunity, elsewhere in the country, then we shall surely work on expanding our hospitals into a chain. But, for now we are only looking at expanding the medical and technological services we render?' He further adds, "We are a non-profit organization, and the profits we make are utilized for repairs, renovation and adding new technologies and devices for the betterment of our patients?



Keeping patients at the forefront Dr Trivedi avers, "I consider healthcare as a service and not an industry About 30 patients monthly from foreign shores are also treated in this hospital, but we are in the process of understanding medical tourism?' Apart from serving several notable personalities from the Bollywood Industry, Lilavati Hospital has served some renowned names in the country as well as globally. His Holiness Dalai Lama is one of the well-known treated at the hospital. Dr Trivedi recalls, "Junior Martin Luther had visited Lilavati Hospital as an observer to see the services we offer to not only the rich but also the poor section of the society." Lilavati Hospital stands as a benchmark for other hospitals in the city. Providing excellent healthcare for almost 14 years, it still stands as a hope for the affluent as well as the poor within the city and across the country though it has a long way to go.

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