Devlina

With grit and passion, Dr Devlina Chakravarty has steered the wheels of healthcare in various verticals. From a Radiologist to CEO, she has imbibed the values of an administrator who sets her own benchmarks. In conversation with Shahid Akhter, ENN, she talks about the making of Artemis

To begin with, please tell us about the inspiration behind the launch of Artemis Hospital? Lack of quality healthcare in and around this place prompted the Chairman of Apollo Tyres Ltd, Onkar S Kanwar to initiate an  integrated world-class healthcare system. Artemis, spread across nine acres, took shape in 2007. Over the years, the hospital has consolidated into a 350-bed hospital that is abuzz with modern technology from simple hand wash to sophisticated surgical interventions. A graduate from the University of California, Onkar Kanwar is a visionary entrepreneur with a vivid vision for healthcare. One  such initiative close to his heart is Apollo Tyress HIV-AIDS awareness and prevention programme for the trucking community.

What are the latest technological advancements housed and provided at Artemis? In terms of medical technology, Artemis is replete with cutting-edge, stateof- the-art medical technologies in all dimensions of healthcare. In imaging (predictive, diagnostic and therapeutic ), for instance, we can mention a few of our equipments like 3 Tesla MRI, 64 Slice Cardiac CT Scan, 16 slice PET-CT, Dual-head Gamma  Camera, Fan-beam BMD, High-end Colour Doppler Ultrasound Systems, Functional MRI Scanning using Non-Contrast Imaging for Cancers (DWIBS), Image-Guided RadiationTherapy (IGRT) LINAC from Elekta.  Add to this the Endovascular Hybrid Operating Suite and Flat Panel Cath Labs with stent boost technology. The list is simply endless.

What are the centres of excellence at Artemis? Our Centres of Excellence include Artemis Cancer Centre, Artemis Heart Centre, Artemis Neurosciences Centre, Artemis Joint Replacement and Orthopedics Centre, Artemis Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery Centre, Artemis Renal and Transplant Centre, Artemis Birthing  Centre Artemis Fertility Centre, Artemis Critical Care and Pulmonology Centre, Artemis Gastrosciences Centre, Artemis Liver Transplant Centre

What kind of emergency services can we expect at Artemis? In case of an emergency, time is precious and every second counts. To cater to this, we have a round-theclock, comprehensive emergency and trauma-care facility at Artemis. Emergency Department, which believes in providing  life-saving care,and is customised to meet the precise need of the patient. The department is supported by ambulance service which includes trained personnel (experienced physicians, highly-trained nurses and paramedics), and life-support equipment geared to cater to the needs of pre-hospital emergency care. Our emergency service is based on three planes ” save life, doctor on call, and finally the plan of treatment devised and  ctivated soonest possible. Our ambulances are wellequipped with advanced cardiac life support, and this includes doctors, nurses and paramedics on board. Further support comes from blood bank and the imaging centre. Add to this air ambulance services that is pressed into action in case of life-threatening emergencies emerging in remote or  istant areas.

Artemis is very particular about accreditations and International Board Certifications? Yes, Artemis Hospital is the first JCI and NABH accredited hospital in Gurgaon. Besides, we have the NABL accreditation. Shortly, our blood bank and other centres of excellence will be accredited by respective boards. The medical practices and procedures followed at Artemis are research-oriented and benchmarked against in the world. Certificationsare not mandatory, but it spells the service and showcases the quality of the hospital. It gives the consumer a sense of assurance and confidence about the hospital, he is stepping in. Care and quality are two of the most important components in healthcare. We periodically monitor our services, some of them on a daily basis; some are weekly and so on. The idea is to ensure highest degree of patient satisfaction. Besides our internal audit it is better to be examined from an external agency as well.

Artemis Hospital First JCI accredited hospital in Gurgaon WHO had declared Artemis as the winner for its Asia Pacific   Hand Hygiene   Excellence Award in 2010

Do you keep a tab on Hospital Acquired nfection (HAI)? It is a part of the protocol, and we are very particular about all aspects of hygiene. This is precisely the place where board certifications and audit matter.

In 2010, WHO declared Artemis as the winner for its Asia Pacific Hand Hygiene Excellence Award. We were selected on the basis of our dedication and commitment to incorporate proper hand hygiene practices. This included hospital design and layout designated for sinks (wash basins) with a 10:1 patient bed to sink ratio. We ensure that all trolleys used for patient care are equipped with alcohol hand-rub dispenser. The hand hygiene compliance rate at Artemis as per the 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene is 80 percent, and random check on Artemis staff showed that 80 to 90 per cent of them were well-conversant with hand hygiene knowledge and techniques.

How is the flow of international patients, and how good is medical tourism at Artemis? There is a regular influx of international patients. Around 25 percent of our business comes from them. It is not just the war veterans from Iran and Afghanistan pouring in, but we also have patients from Europe.

What are your future plans for the hospital? In the near future, we intend to increase the bed strength to 450, and by 2016, we will be introducing another tower so that 1,000 more beds are added.

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