By successfully performing the 700th Cochlear implant surgery, the Apollo Health City has written a new record in the service of hearing impaired during past two decades. This record feat by Apollo Health City was announced by Sangita Reddy, executive director, Apollo Hospitals Group and Dr K Rambabu, Sr. ENT Surgeon, Apollo Health City at Apollo Health City in Hyderabad. The clinic headed by renowned ENT surgeon, Dr E C Vinay Kumar and co-ordinated by Dr K Rambabu, attained this rare landmark on the patient Pooja Reddy who has recovered and attained hearing ability. A cochlear implant is a small, complex electronic device that can help to provide a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard-of-hearing. Unlike a hearing aid, Cochlear implants bypass damaged portions of the ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve. Speaking on the occasion Sangita Reddy, said this is a milestone which has touched the lives of that many people. She said the implant is expensive and appealed to donors and corporates to come forward and support several others who are in need of cochlear implants. Off the 700 patients treated till now 300 were supported by Arogyasree and 350 others got support from SAHI (Society to Aid the Hearing Impaired, Apollo Hospitals, donors etc. Dr K Rambabu said, though it’s an expensive treatment, it gives an opportunity for the child to lead a normal life like anyone else post cochlear implantation. It is essential to create awareness about recognising deafness in children at an early stage. Latest technology is available to identify deafness and all children need to be screened for hearing. A child with cochlear implant can lead a normal life and their performance is no different, in fact some of them excel in studies. SAHI extends financial support of Rs. 2 lakh to male child and Rs. 2.5 lakh for female child, in case the child is not eligible under Aarogyasri SAHI.  

The workshop provided a forum for discussion on the advanced techniques in Interventional Cardiology that serve as a viable treatment option for Chronic Total Occlusion. World renowned Japanese Cardiologist Dr. Masahisa Yamane presented specialized techniques at Apollo Hospitals, Ayanambakkam One third of the patients with blocks in their coronary arteries have at least one artery that is completely blocked. These 100% blocks remain one of the main reasons for referring a patient to undergo a bypass surgery. Performing an angioplasty in these arteries requires a high level of skill and specialized hardware. Unlike the routine angioplasty, these blocks are made up of hardened tissues that are difficult to cross using routine guide wires and balloon catheters. The Japanese have developed highly specialised wires, balloons and catheters that are specifically used for treating these blocks. Since the Japanese believe that their soul would depart if their chest is opened during surgery, most of them avoid bypass surgeries. Hence the technique is highly developed in Japan. Dr. Yamane, who participated in the International Cardiac Workshop organised by the Apollo Hospitals, Ayanambakkam today, is a pioneer of these procedures and is one of the best doctors in the world in clearing 100% blocked arteries. Over the years, he has demonstrated highly advanced special techniques and skills during live case demonstrations. He has numerous international publications to his credit and is one of the most respected and invited live demonstrators from Japan. “India has consistently led game-changing developments in healthcare. With the advancement of modern technology, the quality of medical care that India provides and the values that India supports draw a parallel with any other leading country in the West. I hope the techniques discussed in this workshop encourage people in India to consider angioplasty as a viable alternative to surgery. I look forward to participating in similar collaborative efforts organised by Apollo Hospitals”. I would also like to add here that compassion is vital in healthcare as it has the ability to shape both patient and family experiences. I encourage doctors all over to build a climate of care and compassion at the heart of our health services”, said Dr. Masahisa Yamane, Director of the Cardiovascular division of the Sayama Hospital, Japan. “A 100% blocked artery does not mean a patient has to undergo a bypass surgery. Most of these blocks can be safely removed by performing an Angioplasty and the long term results are as good or are better than surgery. We are privileged that Dr. Yamane has come here to share his expertise and knowledge on the latest developments in cardiology with us. This will definitely open up new avenues for treatments of patients at Apollo”, said Dr. Anand Gnanaraj, Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist at the Apollo Hospitals, Ayanambakkam. For patients undergoing these procedures, recovery would be much faster as the chest need not be opened for surgery. One of the cases successfully done during the meeting was a 39 year old man’s with a 100% blocked artery. He was told that his only option was bypass surgery. Today he is free of his disease and is looking forward to a very productive life.  

With rising instances of accidents involving Children in the City, Doctor’s at Apollo Children’s Hospital (ACH) are making efforts to educate stakeholders on how many of these mishaps can be avoided by taking simple precautions. On the occasion of completing its 4th anniversary, ACH has issued a safety booklet among parents of patients on safety measures that parents can take at home to help prevent their children from getting hurt. Given the lifestyle we live today, it’s only natural for parents to get busy with their daily schedules requiring them to leave their children unattended or in someone else care for long hours. However, if simple measures can be adhered to, and children are made to understand how to take care of themselves when among strangers, a lot of mishaps can be avoided. Some precautions that parent can take include: Ensure kids are not left unattended while in the kitchen. Keep them away from hot objects like coking vessels and heating water Ensure that balconies and stairs inside home are child safe Ensure that Electrical wirings/sockets are sealed. Children need to be made aware on dangers involving fire or electricity Ensure that toxic items such as disinfectants and insecticides are kept locked away or at a height not reachable by children Ensure that medicines administered to Children are of the right dosage. If there are variations in the same medicine for adults and children, ensure the ones meant for children are used Ensure that children are not left unattended around pools of water. Even a bucket filled with water can prove to be dangerous for a toddler While commuting with Children, ensure they are wearing helmets if on bikes and are seated at the backseat with seatbelts if driving. While riding cycles, make it a practice for them to wear knee pads and helmet Monitor TV / Internet usage to control viewing habits. Instances of cybercrimes involving children are on the rise and parents need to keep a close watch to safeguard their child’s privacy Educate Children on how to tell difference between normal human contact and unusual contact that can make them feel uncomfortable. Encourage them to say no to experiences that make them feel uneasy and even gather attention by shouting / crying, if found cornered Above all, be prepared for emergencies by keeping first aid in handy. Doctor’s number and ambulance number should be on speed dial Addressing parents and children at the Hospital, Dr. Indira Jayakumar Senior Consultant, Pediatric Emergency and ICU, Apollo Children’s Hospital said “”A lot of the cases that come to us today are sadly instances which could have been easily prevented if the child was attended to or sensitized about personal safety. Children, given their curiosity and amicability, often find themselves in situations that can make them very vulnerable and susceptible to harm. While some situations can’t be averted, there are others that care providers need to be cognizant of. While at home parents should take ample safety measures, school administration should ensure there is first aid provision and teachers are trained in administering them.”” Child Safety awareness drive is yet another initiative from the stable of Apollo Hospital Groups to ensure children in the city are safe. Since all stakeholders involved need to be held accountable, Apollo Hospitals with support from Chennai Traffic Police has been conducting road accident safety awareness and emergency first aid administration training by paramedics for School Van Drivers and Auto Drivers who ferry school children.  

Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals participated in the North American Bengali Conference (NABC) 2013 held in Toronto, Canada from 5-7 July 2013. More than 5000 expat Bengalis from various cities of USA and Canada visited the 3 day long festival. Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals was the ‘Health Partner’ in NABC 2013. A Business Seminar was organized by Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce on the opening day. A wide range of topics were deliberated by the invited speakers from Canada, USA and India.  

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals announced the successful treatment of a 90 years old woman suffering from a stroke with Thrombolysis. Mrs. Harsharan Kaur, a resident of New Delhi, proved that there is no age barrier to thrombolysis in stroke patient. Thrombolytic therapy is the use of drugs to break up or dissolve blood clots, which are the main cause of both heart attacks and strokes. Thrombolytics work by dissolving a major clot quickly. This helps restart blood flow to the brain and helps prevent damage to the brain tissue. Intravenous Thrombolosis for brain strokes can be performed in the first 4.5 hours, hence it is important that stroke is recognized early and the patient is rushed to the hospital capable for administering thrombolytic therapy. That said, most of the clot busting therapy has excluded patients of above the age of 80 years. This had denied a large population of stroke patients the benefit of an effective therapy. But recent studies have proven the use of intravenous thrombolysis to be effective and safe for the patients even above the age of 80 years. Addressing the press, Dr. Vinit Suri, Senior Consultant Neurology Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals said, “Stroke is a devastating illness at any age. The incidence of stroke increases with advancing age with the risk doubling for every 10 years after the age of 60 years. Intravenous Thrombolysis is a clot busting therapy which has changed the way stroke is managed and has resulted in a significant reduction in death and disability from stroke.” On 14th June 2013, Mrs. Kaur set to have a beautiful day ahead when suddenly while speaking on phone she developed a complete paralysis of left arm and left leg with inability to turn her eyes to the left. She was immediately rushed to Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals within 2 hours of stroke onset. Urgent investigations revealed that there was a large clot in her brain which threatened to destruct more than half of the right side of her brain. This condition often results in a life threatening stroke with coma and a possible recovery at best to a bedbound or a wheelchair bound state. After a careful assessment of the risk factors, she underwent intravenous thrombolysis treatment within 3 hours of stroke onset under Dr. Suri’s expert care and supervision. “The patient was unconscious, with complete paralysis of her left arm and leg and we categorized her as critically ill. After careful assessment of the risks we started her with IV thrombolysis. We gave her a Thrombolytic drug to dissolve the blood clot in the brain. The patient responded very well to the treatment and regained near complete strength in her left arm and leg over the next one hour” said Dr.Suri. Speaking at the occasion, Dr.Priyadarshini Pal Singh, Head of department of Emergency Medicine, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals said,””The emergency triage at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals is geared to identify stroke patients and transport them urgently to the hospital with a mechanism to simultaneously activate the emergency recanalization therapy for stroke patients.”  

The DATRI donor drive will kick start on the 5th of July at Apollo Speciality Hospital from morning 9 am to 5 pm for donors who wish to register. This will then be sustained through all Apollo Blood Bank services with registration facilitated through the Apollo blood banks across the country. Anybody in the age group of 18-50, who is medically fit, can volunteer to register themselves by donating a sample of their cheek cells which is then screened and registered. When a patient in need of transplant approaches, the match donor is called to donate stem cells which are usually done as a peripheral blood donation. The entire process is carried out as an out-patient procedure in strict adherence to medical protocols, thus making it absolutely safe for the donor. Commenting at the initiative, Mr. Raghu Rajagopal, CEO, DATRI said “”I am very happy that 5 children getting treated in Apollo could find a genetically matched unrelated donor from DATRI. We encourage more people to come forward and take the first step in saving a life by joining the registry. This is a simple process of understanding the procedure, filling up an application form, signing a consent form and giving a cheek cotton swab by rubbing against the inside of the cheek.”” Encouraging the initiative, Dr. PrathapC Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said “”At Apollo we are constantly working towards the mission of bringing affordable healthcare of the highest standards to India. Unrelated stem cell transplantation in centers abroad costs over 500,000 US dollars and this can now be performed in India at a fraction of this cost, provided we have a strong database of informed donors. We are hopeful that this drive will help clear the apprehensions in the minds of people and encourage them to come forward, register themselves and follow through their commitment by helping those in need.”” Stem Cells have been used in the treatment of a number of blood related disorders such as leukemia or blood cancer and genetic blood disorders including thalassemia and immune deficiency. Ethnicity plays an important role in finding a match. However, only 25% of patients have a chance of finding a matched donor within the family. Additionally, given the lack of donors in our country, the odds of finding a match in International registries with over 20 million donors for an Indian is rather bleak as they are mostly Caucasian. Apollo Speciality Hospital, Chennai is one of the few centers in India with facilities to search for a potential unrelated donor and offer transplantation. Also, Apollo Speciality Hospital was the first to help with safe collection of stem cells from a volunteer donor from DATRI. In fact, the hospital has been instrumental in performing 50 such procedures over the past few years thus offering a unique opportunity for patients to get cured. Volunteer donors from D have been in DATRI in saving the lives of five children treated at Apollo who had an otherwise incurable blood cancer and genetic blood disorders like immune deficiency. DATRI has facilitated 31 blood stem cell donations across the country for patients in India and abroad. This experience has inspired the donation drive that can add to the 42,000 committed donors in the DATRI registry.  

Apollo has been bestowed with the Asia HRD Awards 2013 for Contribution by HR to an Organisation. Apollo group was specifically recognised for the contribution to the HR community and the Health Industry. The award was given at the Asia HRD Congress in Jakarta. Apollo was the only Organisation recognised from India in the entire Asia Pacific Region. Mr. Jacob Jacob, Chief People Officer received the award by the wife of the Honorable Prime Minister of Malaysia.  

Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata, introduced the country’s most advanced “128 Slice Ingenuity PET CT- Positron Emission Tomography” in the city on June 17, 2013. The Honorable Governor of West Bengal, Sri M.K. Narayanan inaugurated this state-of-the-art imaging system along with Dr Rupali Basu, CEO, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals and Eastern Region, Apollo Hospitals, India. PET CT is a medical imaging technique using a device which combines in a single gantry system both a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Computed Tomography. The images acquired from both devices can be taken sequentially, in the same session from the patient and combined into a single superposed image. This is then used for exposing the occurrence of fatal diseases like cancer at a pre-mature stage. The INGENUITY 128 PET CT at Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals is the first installation of its kind in the world with Astonish 3rd generation time-of-flight technology. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Rupali Basu, Chief Executive Officer – Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals and Eastern Region, Apollo Hospitals said, “PET CT has revolutionized many fields of medical diagnosis, by adding precision functional imaging, which was previously lacking from pure CT imaging. For example, in oncology, surgical planning, radiation therapy and cancer staging has been changing rapidly under the influence of PET-CT availability. The new PET CT facility will enable our doctors to get best quality images to base their treatment on, with 30% better clarity than other PET scanners. It will also benefit the patients with less time required for the scan as well as up to 50% reduction in amount of radiation. With this facility we now have complete 360 degree services to diagnose, monitor and treat all kinds of cancer cases under one roof. Besides cancer patients, it will also be useful in management of cardiac patients who have had myocardial infarction and neurology patients with dementia.”

Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, launched the country’s very first “VOC Online – Voice of Customer Online” in the city on June 6, 2013. The hospital which has been one of the forerunners of new and advanced technology in healthcare in India has once again reinstated the same by introducing this unique customer feedback procedure. The Voice of Customer Online was inaugurated by Dr Rupali Basu, CEO, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals and Apollo Hospitals, Eastern Region, India along with Dr Dipankar Ganguly, DMS, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata. VOC Online is a system that combines qualitative & quantitative feedback in order to provide innovative, effective and efficient service delivery. This system which will be operative through an iPad, is of immense importance to provide real time feedback from the customers. The future path of action can be decided based on the same and quick solutions can be formulated in case of urgency. Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals has introduced a Breakthrough Innovation in Service Delivery through “VOC Online”. They have partnered with Gallup World Wide to structure their VOC process. The hospital’s Service Excellence Team along with the Corporate IT have worked with leading advisory firms to come out with the best effective methodology which targets high degree of compliance and capture ratio. Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals has ad opted three methodologies which includes CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing), Paper Pencil Methodology and Tablet device based point of care feedback system. A process flow has been made for the operations team for easy implementation and accountability in each step. On introducing the technique of VOC Online, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals has lived up to its commitment of providing healthcare of world class standards to their patients, giving the latter’s opinion paramount significance and utilizing the same to serve them better. This solution has been well appreciated at the AIMA global conference on Innovation in the category of Service Delivery. The data which is collected through VOC is also used for training and development and can be linked to a department, ward and even associates where by accountability increases and training becomes customized for each individual rather than generic in nature. The hospital has also remained true to its promise of protecting the environment by doing away with conventional paper forms and switching over to more contemporary means such as the iPad. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Rupali Basu, Chief Executive Officer – Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals and Apollo Hospitals, Eastern Region, said, “VOC Online is a path-breaking technology in the healthcare industry. We at Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals are proud to be the first hospital in the entire Eastern India to introduce this system. Apollo has embarked on a mission to provide the best at affordable prices encapsulated in Tender Loving Care. It is well understood that service is subjective and the art of making it a science is challenging. To create a distinct differentiation from other Health Systems in India, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals has developed a system to capture Service Feedback with a mechanism to understand analyze, act, and sustain Service Quality Feedback from all touch points of the patient and the consumer with the health system. This compliments the mature clinical excellence, operational excellence models that Apollo has always been renowned for in the last three decades. The voices of customers provide early warnings and direction for our success, directly from people who really matter.”

HIMSS Analytics Asia Pacific has announced that Apollo Hospitals Chennai has achieved Stage 6 of the EMR Adoption Model (EMRAM), a noteworthy recognition that the hospital has attained significant advancement in its IT capabilities further enabling it to successfully address several challenges faced by it as a healthcare provider, including one like reduction of medication errors. As of Q1 2013, just 7.3% of more than 8,600 hospitals tracked by HIMSS Analytics* had reached Stage 6 and beyond on its Electronic Medical Record Adoption ModelSM (EMRAMSM). (* includes HIMSS Analytics US, Europe and Asia Pacific) and as of Q1 2013, this number stand at 2.4% for Asia Pacific. HIMSS Analytics developed the EMR Adoption ModelSM in 2005 as a methodology for evaluating the progress and impact of electronic medical record systems for hospitals in the HIMSS Analytics® Database. Tracking their progress in completing eight stages (0 – 7), hospitals can review the implementation and utilization of information technology applications with the intent of reaching Stage 7, which represents an advanced electronic patient record environment, paperless healthcare environment and capability for meaningful healthcare information exchange within local and/or international medical communities. The flagship hospital of the Apollo Group, Apollo Hospitals Chennai, was established in 1983. Today it is one of the most respected hospitals in the world, and is also a greatly preferred destination for both patients from all across India, and for medical value travellers who come from all around the world. The hospital specializes in cutting-edge medical procedures. It has over 60 departments spearheaded by internationally trained doctors who are skillfully supported by dedicated patient-care personnel. Apollo Hospitals Chennai has state of the art facilities for various health disorders and has been a pioneer among the hospitals in India, in introducing many innovative treatments and procedures. Ms. Sangita Reddy, Executive Director, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “”Committed to our mission of making quality healthcare more accessible to all in India, Apollo Hospitals has continuously harnessed technological advancements in accelerating positive transformation. In Apollo’s journey with Healthcare IT, we strive to design and execute a patient centric HIS that is physician led and operationally smart. An advanced HIS is critical in the journey of healing and I do commend HIMSS for creating a simple and clear frame work that works as guideline for CIOs to assess the speed of evolution and steer a road map for higher goals. Apollo Hospitals Chennai is a frontrunner in having achieved the Stage 6 Certification on EMRAM and this achievement underscores the teams’ commitment to patient care.”” She added, “”The most critical care aspect for any Hospital Information Systems is its penetration and adoption by the teams, especially the doctors and the resultant positive impact on patient care. We are driving adoption aggressively today with a solution architecture that can enable an efficient tomorrow.”” The Apollo Hospitals have implemented role-based security login on their computerized practitioner order entry (CPOE) system and clinical orders are almost entirely issued via the system by physicians. Apart from adopting international standards of clinical care, Apollo Hospital Chennai and the entire Apollo Hospitals Group utilize population studies within the sub-continent and adopt clinical rules specific to the population in the hospitals. In addition, unit dosage in medication administration is attained and good clinical decision support system is built into the operations. The HIMSS Analytics EMR Adoption Model award presentation will be held at the Digital Healthcare Week in Singapore on 23rd October 2013. Criteria for Stage 6 hospitals Have made significant executive commitments and investments to reach this stage. Appear to have a significant advantage over competitors for patient safety, clinician support, clinician recruitment, and competitive marketing for both consumers and nurse recruitment. Have almost fully automated/paperless medical records when they have implemented their IT applications across most of the inpatient care settings. Are either starting to evaluate their data for care delivery process improvements or have already documented significant improvements in this area. Have made investments that are within reach of most hospitals and recognize the strategic value of improving patient care with the EMR. Have begun to create strategic alignments with their medical staff to effectively utilize information technology to improve the patient safety environment. Are well positioned to provide data to key stakeholders, such as payers, the government, physicians, consumers and employers, to support electronic health record environments and health information exchanges.   HIMSS Analytics Asia Pacific is a subsidiary of Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) which is a wholly owned not-for-profit healthcare IT organization. HIMSS Analytics Asia Pacific collects and analyzes healthcare information related to IT processes and environments, products, IS department composition and costs, IS department management metrics, healthcare trends and purchase-related decisions. HIMSS Analytics Asia delivers high quality products, services and analytical expertise to healthcare delivery organizations, healthcare IT companies, state governments, financial companies, pharmaceutical companies and consulting firms.

A 46-year-old business-woman from Africa, weighing 132 kg with intervertebral disc pro-lapse, underwent percu-taneous discectomy through hydrodissection at Back and Pain Centre, The Apollo Clinic, T. Nagar. “This is the first time this procedure has been done to someone who weighs more than 90 kg. She had been suffering from back pain for the past three years and the shooting pain was radiat-ing down her legs. She was referred to this centre by one of her relatives,” said Dr Karthic Babu Natarajan, consultant pain physician of the Back and Pain Centre. Dr Natarajan said, “The procedure is don ethrough a small hole 1 to 2 mm long in the back with X-ray guidance. The procedure lasted about an hour and her diseased disc material was taken out through the small hole. She left the hospital on the same day and her pain has disappeared now.” Instead of open spine surgery that could have put her in a high-risk category, this minimally invasive percutaneous disectomy was performed and it helped her, said Dr. Natarajan. The woman, who did not want to be named, said she walked 1 km a few days after the procedure. “I was suffering from severe back pain that restricted my daily activities. It’s more than a year since I walked continuously,” she said. The procedure costs around Rs 70,000.

The Zindagi Jiyo Campaign for Road Safety was launched in the city on Friday with much enthusiasm. The campaign, initiated by Apollo Hospitals and supported by Deccan Chronicle, started with a huge rally of Cyberabad traffic police, professional bikers from bikers’ clubs and members of the public. The campaign was officially launched at the Apollo Hospitals in Jubilee Hills by the bikers’ club, Hyderabad Sunrisers, the city traffic police and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation. The official logo was unveiled and the road safety pledge was read out by C.V. Anand, the additional commissioner of police (traffic). This was followed by the signing of the pledge by the Sunrisers team members and senior city officials. Former cricketer Kris Srikanth, who is the Sunrisers’ ambassador, wittily said, “If you try to play Dale Steyn across the line, you will get out. Similarly, if you criss-cross through the traffic on the road, you will surely have trouble.” V.V.S. Laxman, who is known to be a campaigner for road safety, also endorsed the campaign. Sangeetha Reddy, Executive Director, Apollo Hospitals, outlined the loss that road accidents cause to families and said simple precautions can prevent them. The rally that followed was flagged off from the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate by the police commissioner of Cyberabad C. Tirumala Rao. Prior to the launch of the campaign, several people who have either been victims of accidents or lost close ones in road accidents recounted their tragic tales.