Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is using digital transformation to save lives and make healthcare a pleasurable experience
NIRANJAN RAMAKRISHNAN
SIR GANGA RAM HOSPITAL
Today, a CIO is an integral part of the hospital strategic committee in a brown-field hospital and one of the very few early bird core committee members in terms of green-field projects team. A well-qualified, high on integrity and intellectual CIO is the real backbone in changing the fortune of the heavily fragmented, financially challenged and struggling with shortage of right human resource skills healthcare industry in the coming years.
When the entire world is going digital, why should the healthcare sector, especially hospitals be left behind. Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi is one of the leading hospitals in the country that has taken a digital path to ensure not only does it stays relevant in the business of providing best healthcare facilities but also at an affordable price.
Niranjan K Ramakrishnan, CIO, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, is leading the digital transformation at this 675-bed multi-speciality hospital that was opened in 1954. “We have always strived to improve the quality of our health services to the patient community without adding burden on their pockets. We are committed to deliver quality healthcare as always,” says Ramakrishnan.
After fighting legacy issues and several operational challenges at this 60-year-old charitable hospital, Ramakrishnan adds the real challenge in getting this smart digital transformation project implementation is when it leads to a more proactive rather than reactive healthcare process while helping improve patient retention and loyalty creation.
For Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, the roadmap and long-term vision is to make the noble organisation as one of the “smartest” hospitals in the region. An integrated and digital platform driven ecosystem is being built to ensure that all possible resources (human, material and money) are tracked and better utilised with desirable outcome, the maximum value for the investment.
Internet of Things, mobility solutions for improving the patient experience while availing healthcare service, tracking technologies for the assets, resources and productivity management, cost and expense management, digital cash management, home health, tele-ICU and tele-health solutions and health information management and portal solutions are a few things the hospital is focussing on.
The hospital has undertaken a few projects such as “Health Information Exchange in a Box – Patient2Care” that was witnessed, reviewed and appreciated by none other than the former President late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. The project was aimed for rural Indians to access their health information by using Fujitsu's PalmSecure (blood veins patterns of the palm) to identify and access electronic medical records through a patient kiosk operated by Health IT technicians from the local district.
Besides, Healtherp.com, an exclusive healthcare e-Procurement portal, is another project that enables e-Catalogue, e-Tendering, e-Negotiation and inventory management connecting healthcare buyers and sellers through a digital market place by saving up to 20 per cent procurement expenses to any healthcare organisation. It also brings in transparency, automation, productivity and responsible.
Another important project, “Digital OPD Automation - Best designed OPD blocks” where centralised receptions, information centres, common registration counters, waiting lounges and spacious consulting rooms are a dream infrastructure for many hospitals. These initiatives, along with several others, have introduced several visible changes from reduced queues, waiting time at the hospitals, easy follow-up, automated lab report to the doctor, portable digital medical records to report updates and easy and faster consultation.
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