Exclusive interview of Prof. (Dr.) D.S.Rana,Chairman,Board of Management & Department of Nephrology,Sir Ganga Ram Hospital with Editor-in-chief
The government should be accommodative and considerate for hospitals like SGRH and they should be treated different than Corporate Hospitals says Dr. D.S.Rana,Chairman Board of Management & Department of Nephrology,Sir Ganga Ram Hospital & much more in an exclusive interview with our Editor-in-chief Mr. Tarun Sharma
New Delhi: 26/06/2012
Exclusive interview of Dr. D.S.Rana,Chairman,Board of Management & Department of Nephrology,Sir Ganga Ram Hospital with Editor-in-chief Tarun Sharma
Editor: How long you have been with SGRH and what have been your experience till date ?
Dr. Rana: I joined this hospital in April 1981 and established comprehensive services of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation. Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is one of the pioneer hospitals to have these services in non-government sectors. The Department of Nephrology and Transplantations is one of the largest and prestigious department in the country and has got international repute.
Editor: When was SGRH established and after so many decades where does it’ stand ?
Dr. Rana: Sir Ganga Ram Hospital was established at Lahore in 1921 and it is matter of pride for us that 800 bedded hospital still exists by the same name at Lahore and appreciated by the people of Pakistan for its services. After partition present hospital at Delhi was established in 1954.Today, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is a tertiary care charitable general hospital having all broad and super-specialities with firm commitment towards excellence in providing quality and ethical healthcare to all sections of the society at an affordable price. It is amongst the prestigious hospitals of India.
Editor: Who is the owner of SGRH ?
Dr. Rana:Sir Ganga Ram Hospital is run by Sir Ganga Ram Trust Society. Members of Trust Society do not take any monetary benefits out of the proceedings of the hospital. They are the custodian of the hospital and they devote their time with selfless motives.
Editor: What are the USP’s of SGRH ?
Dr. Rana:
Self sustainable charity model : Our Trust Society is committed to provide free treatment for poor patients admitted on free beds which forms 20% of total bed strength of SGRH. However, unlike most of other charity models where funds for charitable activities are contributed by the owners / custodian of the hospitals, the funds for charity in SGRH are contributed by the users of the hospital. 25% of the beds are reserved for patients who pay the cost price of the treatment. 25% of the beds are reserved for those who pay 50% higher than the cost price and last 30% beds are reserved for the patients who pay100% above the cost price.
On every working day, free out-door services is run in all specialities from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon where all patients are given free consultation and are provided diagnostic facilities at subsidized rates. And genuinely poor patients are provided free diagnostic facilities and are also free medicines. In addition the hospital is supporting medical, educational, vocational services and free telemedicine services to the poor people under its outreach charitable programme.
After meeting our requirement of charity, the rest of the surplus is ploughed back for the growth of the hospital to meet the changing requirement of the society. Even the Honorary Consultants of the hospital contribute 15 – 25% of their legitimate professional income earned from SGRH towards the growth of the hospital. It is indeed people’s own hospital where relatively richer patients take care of relatively poor patients and the Trust Society manages this charitable component.
Management Model:
The Hospital is managed by the Board of Management comprising of devoted, sincere and experienced consultants. They render their services to this institute in Honorary capacity. The Board of Management run the hospital with full freedom keeping in mind the aim and objectives of the Trust Society. This model creates a very doctor friendly, employee friendly and patient friendly environment.
Medical Education and Research :
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital as a tertiary care hospital recognizes its responsibility towards medical education and research. This component is not only important for providing quality health care but also help providing medical man power to newly upcoming medical facilities in the country.
Cutting edge Technology :
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital had been always pioneer in acquiring and spreading the knowledge and use of cutting edge technology.
Editor: How does international community benefit from SRGH and what all countries ?
Dr. Rana: Our biggest problem is of that of limited space for expansion. SGRH is 675 bedded hospital and in addition, it has acquired 125 more beds in adjoining City Hospital. We are not having any spare beds to cater to international community. However, poor people from neighboring countries avail our services.
Editor: Manpower retention is a great concern by that I mean skilled doctors team how is that retained by SRGH under your regime ?
Dr. Rana: Our strong points mention in our USPs attract the best faculty from premier medical institutes like AIIMS and other teaching hospitals. We provide them best infrastructure both of patient care as well as medical education and research which are very close to heart of talented medical teachers. We are very particular in selecting the talent at junior level. Overall family atmosphere of the hospital under the guidance of experienced and talented faculty, we are able to groom the leaders in their fields. We are proud of the facts that we are nursery for making talented leaders in medical fields and be a source of medical faculty to other upcoming hospitals all over the country. We are also proud of the fact that nearly 70% of liver transplants done in India are either have been done at SGRH or by the faculty trained at SGRH.
Editor: What are the new projects on anvil and till when they will be executed ?
Dr. Rana:
1. Ganga Ram Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research:
Since 1992, SGRH is amongst the pioneer hospitals to be recognized by National Board of Examination for imparting post graduate medical education and today nearly 200 post graduates in 32 disciplines are trained every year. We have got a very well known and well sought School of Nursing, in addition we impart training in various disciplines to medical technologists. We have got our own Journal launched two years back. We run CME programmes regularly for updating knowledge of general practitioners in and out of Delhi. We are having very active research programme. In order to consolidate all these activities under one roof and give them further boost, on March 18, 2012 we established Ganga Ram Post Graduate Institue of Medical Education and Research (GRIPMER). We are now committed towards molecular research and we have got now a State-of-the-art Research Laboratory for carrying the Research.
2. Under Master Plan 2021, 200% FAR has been allowed and now we shall be able to expand further. In next 3-4 years we will be having a modern multi-storey parking and a 10 storey new block to have 250 more beds. We will then create a room for medical tourism as well.
3 . We are in the process of expanding both in Delhi as well as out of Delhi and model is being worked out for this as well.
Editor: How does SRGH take care of patients of Below poverty line ?
Dr. Rana: Against the requirement of 10% beds reserved for BPL patients we voluntarily use 20% of our beds for poor people. We are appreciated for all our activities both by State as well as Central Government.
Editor: What are your expectations from the government in power which you think can enhance medical facilities and present might be a hinderance to the same ?
Dr. Rana:
1. The government should be accommodative and considerate for hospitals like SGRH and they should be treated different than Corporate Hospitals.
2. The Government should allocate more funds to health sector.
3 The Government should focus on primary and secondary health care and should have PPP model for tertiary care with both corporate and non-corporate hospitals and should make provision for availing facilities for tertiary care by poor patients as well.
4. It is high time that standardized drugs under generic names are manufactured under strict supervision of the government and only this will ensure the availability of high ended drugs to the poor patients at affordable cost. Stringent control and maintaining the standard of manufacturing by the government will instill confidence amongst the doctors to prescribe the drugs.
Editor:Where you foresee SRGH in next two years ?
Dr. Rana:We will continue to grow to match the aspiration and expectation of the dynamic society .
Editor:Who are your key team members and what are there roles.
Dr. Rana: I am lucky to enjoy the confidence of all employees of both medical and non medical departments. I am lucky to have confidence, cooperation and guidance of the Trust Society and Board of Management. Ofcourse, Secretary Board of Management – Dr. S. P. Byotra and Joint Secretary-cum-Treasurer of Board of Management – Dr. Ajay Swaroop are closely working with me apart from a dedicated team of administrators.
Editor:A one line definition of SRGH ?
Dr. Rana:
Hospital with strong commitments for quality, ethical and affordable health care and achieving excellence in medical education and research.
Editor:Your message for employees of SRGH how they can make it a better organization to work for?
Dr. Rana:
Work with passion and compassion and with motto, “Love all, Serve all, Help ever, Hurt never”.
Dr. D.S. Rana MBBS, MD, MNAMS, FISN
Awarded Padma Shri by the Hon’ble President of India
Chairman, Board of Management & Department of Nephrology
Sir Ganga Ram Hospital
Rajinder Nagar, New Delhi-110060, INDIA
