New age ailments pose new challenges: Prof. Manojranjan Nayak

IMS & Sum Hospital, Bhubaneswar has become one of the leading destinations with its affordable healthcare services. The man behind this successful venture is Prof. Manojranjan Nayak. He shares his success story.
You are one of the rare academic entrepreneurs in the country who has been able to create a huge matrix for professional advancement in so many fields.Could you please tell us what prompted you to build academic institutions with passion rather than serve in one as a Professor?
I personally believe that nothing can substitute quality education which holds the key to social transformation. I have been a teacher and love to be counted as a teacher all my life. I felt the need of institutions where students of Odisha could get access to quality education comparable with the best in the country. The Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) was founded with this objective so that students could be extended quality education at their doorstep. My initial foray into this sphere was a humble experiment when 118 students joined the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), the faculty of engineering of SOA, in 1996. SOA was conferred with the status of a Deemed to be University by the government in July 2007. Now nine institutions providing education in different professional courses are functioning under the SOA umbrella with more than 10,000 students, including many from other countries, on the rolls. This progress and creation of such an educational edifice might not have been possible if I had chosen to continue to be a teacher in a government institution.

The Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital was perhaps the most complex institution created by you. What gave you the confidence to go ahead with the project?
The IMS and SUM Hospital was established as SOA’s sixth institution in 2007. The need for such an institution was acutely felt keeping in view the region’s requirement of doctors, nurses, paramedics and extending to the masses quality healthcare facilities at an affordable cost. The project was thought of with the needs of the people and the state in mind. The hospital today registers a daily footfall of approximately 3,000 new patients whom we endeavor to serve. Running a healthcare institution has its own challenges but it has been a great experience for me. The doctors, nurses and other staff at IMS and SUM Hospital are dedicated and are willing to walk the extra mile to help the patients feel comfortable. As regards the second part of your question, it was the need of the people and state which encouraged me to set up the institution without any thought of monetary profit.

(SOA University)
What was the USP of IMS and SUM Hospital which gave the institution better acceptability among the masses?
We have watched in amazement the flow of patients to the IMS and SUM Hospital over the years and our experience is that the service rendered to the masses has touched a chord of the society somewhere. The people manning the hospital have been honest in their approach to every situation and sincere in their efforts in trying to find a solution. We have tried to keep the cost of treatment at the minimum while OPD consultation is free. A large number of beds in the wards are also free of charge. Many patients have reported to us that they were truly satisfied with the service they received and have good words to say about the doctors and other staff members. I believe that ultimately blessings do count. The hospital has been attracting patients not only from within Odisha but also from neighboring states such as West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.
A hospital is the backbone of any medical college. What steps did you take to ensure that from the beginning it could have sufficient patients and adequate workload to fulfill the MCI requirements?
Honest, competent, compassionate and humane service by our doctors, staff and others automatically ensured word of mouth popularity and enhanced footfalls. Now we find our hands are full.
What were the difficulties faced by you in streamlining the laboratories, ICUs and operation theatres?
The initial hiccups were in convincing our own doctors about the validity of our tests and results in the laboratories. But as far as ICUs and operation theatres are concerned, our strategy of providing them state-of-the-art infrastructure in consonance with globally accepted standardized stakeholder friendly norms was of great benefit to us.
How did you tackle the question of affordability of treatment by some patients who could not be sent elsewhere?
We took pains to ensure that no patient would go without treatment only for lack of finances. I know of doctors who have, without any publicity, helped patients from their own resources. These good Samaritans have brought a lot of prestige and credibility to the institution and the management had no qualms about adopting this benevolent approach. Nevertheless, our managers have been doing a great job in informing patients about the possible sources of government funds.

(IMS & Sum Hospital)
Now that SUM Ultimate Medicare is almost ready to be commissioned how will it fit into the distribution of doctors and patients in terms of imparting medical education at the higher level?
As an academic entrepreneur, imparting quality education with the attendant top-notch facilities remains our foremost priority. So as an organization, before we undertake any new initiative we consider all measures to ensure there is no compromise in the quality of education we impart to our students and no institution suffers at the cost of another. So, we have taken great care to put in place fool-proof arrangements to ensure that neither the quality of healthcare nor the medical education will be compromised in IMS and SUM Hospital as a result of the new hospital. The hospital will continue meeting all the provisions and parameters set by statutory and regulatory bodies. Availability of teaching specialists will be more than sufficient, along with the number of patients in IMS and SUM Hospital, to continue with our quest to impart quality medical education. Likewise, a sufficient number of specialists will be available for patient care in SUM Ultimate Medicare. As a quaternary care healthcare facility, SUM Ultimate Medicare will not only strive for excellence in clinical care but also serve as an academic health system committed to innovation, research and education.
What new things have you done in the administrative set up of SUM Ultimate Medicare that has not been applied to IMS and SUM Hospital?
As the name itself suggests, the new hospital is committed to deliver the ultimate experience in extending speedy, competent and comprehensive world class healthcare in an atmosphere of exclusivity and comfort. So the personnel at the helm comprise people who are specialists in the domain with vast experience not only in management skills in healthcare delivery but also in customized human resource management.
How do you foresee the revenue generation from this new hospital in the backdrop of other pre-existent and popular corporate health care institutions in the region?
Revenue has never been our prime concern as we are committed to providing clinical care irrespective of socio-economic status of the patient. SUM Ultimate Medicare will be one more addition to the facilities already available in the state and shall focus on quality diagnostic and surgical interventions. We are taking steps to take on board people of proven quality and experience to run the hospital. All we are aiming at is to extend healthcare to the community at large. Besides, SUM Ultimate Medicare will constantly keep pace with technological advancements in healthcare delivery involving artificial intelligence, innovative approach and a commitment to wellness. Right from the beginning, all patients will have their customized electronic medical records so that they can seek medical assistance wherever they are, with their entire health record encapsulated in a chip. However, state-of-the-art services do call for a handsome investment. Therefore, we are confident that once convinced with the quality of our care and services, our stakeholders and end-users will have no qualms about accepting our charges as reasonable and justified
Keeping in view the healthcare scenario in the eastern region, which areas do you think need attention to make available a holistic infrastructure to enhance the quality of life of the people?
In spite of the progress made in the healthcare sector in our state, we need to counter the threat of new age ailments which stem from stress and pressures of life experienced in today’s world. The new hospital will strive to address this area through dedicated research.
Disclaimer: The views/suggestions/opinions expressed in the article are the sole responsibility of the experts and the hospital concerned.