Dr S Khanna, President, Dharamshila Cancer Foundation And Research Centre
The private sector has emerged as a vibrant force in Indias healthcare industry, lending it both national and international repute, says Dr S Khanna, president, Dharamshila Cancer Foundation And Research Centre
Please tell us about your current operations in India and your expansion plans.
Dharamshila Hospital and Research Centre is an exclusive cancer hospital with 300 beds. The hospital provides comprehensive cancer care, which includes cancer prevention, early cancer detection, staging, workup, radiation, surgery, chemotherapy, bone marrow transplants, including haploidentical transplants, palliative care, rehabilitation, teaching, training and research.
We are planning to add 100 beds for allied specialities and 50 day care beds.
Patient services
- Lab and blood bank
- Radiology and imaging
- Surgical
- Chemotherapy
- Blood and marrow stem cell transplants
- Other allied
- Free/subsidised treatment to weaker sections of the society
Attendant services
- Free cancer screening
- Highly subsidised boarding and lodging facility, close to hospital
- Meditation hall
Services for community
- Cancer awareness lectures
- Free distribution of literatures on cancer awareness
- Free cancer screening
What are your views on the price sensitivity of the Indian market, and how does your hospital counter this problem?
Most Indian patients do not plan for their healthcare expenses and react violently while paying healthcare bills. People who are members of any healthcare scheme have taken insurance, try to misuse the facility. Being a NGO run, Dharmashila Cancer Hospitals primary objective is to increase cure rates. Therefore as a policy we treat stage I and II patients at our rates and provide subsidy to patients from weaker section of the society.
What are your views on government regulation or any other challenges faced while operating in the Indian market?
The current government regulations are not any deterrent to operating in the Indian market. The challenges faced while operating in Indian market include exorbitant land cost; High electricity and water rates; Poor health insurance coverage; CGHS fixes rates without any scientific basis and same rates are followed by most Public Health Schemes. The rates do not even cover the cost of services; Inspite of making agreement for release of payment within 30-90 days, most health schemes, insurance companies PSUs, ECHS, ESI, and TPA do not release payment for years; and there is too much corruption in government and healthcare schemes.
Please comment on emerging trends and new technologies.
Newer technologies have revolutionised cancer diagnosis and treatment and outcomes. Technologies being used at Dharamshila Hospital are cell separation technology for Haploidentical (Half matched) bone marrow transplants and cell therapy for patients suffering from blood disorders; High definition PET-CT with LSO crystal technology for staging cancer and knowing the outcome of treatment; VMAT technology – For giving one tenth dose of radiation to the target organs in 1/3rd time to prevent radiation side effects; and Harmonic scalpels, operating microscopes, high end anaesthesia machines, lasers, LED OT lights and endoscopes for high end cancer surgeries.
What are your hospitals offerings?
Dharamshila Hospital and Research Centre offers full range of state-ofthe- art services for cancer patients, their attendants, general community, doctors, nurses, and technicians.
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