Apollo Hospitals To Get Accreditation From Joint Commission International

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Hyderabad, Aug 27: In what is believed to be the first among Indian hospitals, Apollo Hospitals is marching ahead to get the Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation, an arm of the Illinois, the US-based Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organisation (JCAHO). The healthcare accredition is being awarded following the stringent quality standards maintained by the hospital. Apollo Hospitals expects to get the first certificate in the next 12-18 months for its facility in Delhi.

Addressing the media on the occasion of its 16 anniversary, Dr Prathap C Reddy, chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group, said that this is the first of its kind of certificate to be awarded to any healthcare organisation in the country. Initially, the hospital is planning to get the accreditation in a phased manner, starting off for its Delhi hospital followed by Chennai and Hyderabad hospitals.

Explaining about another achievement - for the first time in Asia - Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, in association with the Gleneagles group of Singapore is bringing a new imaging device with 50:50 investment to enhance diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy in oncology, cardiology and neurosciences. The new imaging device is called the PET-CT scan costing about Rs 26 crore. PET-CT scan is being presently installed and will be functional in the next couple of weeks, Dr Reddy said.

He said with the new device, about 30 patients can be scanned with a price tag of about Rs 25,000 for each patient. The scan will reduce the number of chemotherapies and radiation treatments which are required by the cancer patients at different intervals. PET-CT scan is a revolutionary diagnostic medical imaging device which can produce a biograph - an image which can record in detail - living tissues and life processes. The instrument sets the target for enhanced oncology disease management by reducing the number of diagnostic tests and improved therapy planning for cancer patients.

Apart from oncology, PET-CT scan is an useful non-invasive diagnostic option for cardiologists especially for critical people and in neurosciences for a definitive advantage from all other diagnostic options, Dr Reddy added.

Hyderabad, Aug 27: In a bid to follow an integrated approach for cancer management, Apollo Hospitals has joined hands with the US-based University of Nebraska Medical Center to form the Apollo-Nebraska Cancer Foundation. As a first step, both the parties have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to work out strategies on cancer research and form a hub for stem cell research in the country.

Speaking to FE, Nizar Mamdani, executive director, Office of International Healthcare Services, The Nebraska Medical Center, said that initially, we are looking at education and training for the medical fraternity. A four-week training programme for staff nurses to handle the cancer patients is being organised. "Besides, we are also looking at newer ways in the stem cell research on cancer," Dr Prathap C Reddy, chairman of the Apollo group said.

"It’s a team approach to provide radiology and pathology lessons to assist the medical community in the newer areas in stem cell research. Stem cells are multi-potent cells which can be harvested, cultured and implanted back to the body to generate healthy cells," Mr Mamdani said.

Through this MoU, we are working to design the project proposals on those technology transfers in cancer. Besides oncology, the other focused areas will include neurology and complicated areas in the orthopaedic segment, Mr Mamdani added.

The University of Nebraska has collaborations with over 60 institutions in 29 countries including the major ones like the National Institute of Health and National Institute of Cancer. The overall funding to this university for research alone is close to $200 million and about $78 million is from private donors, he informed.

About 50 teams from 11 countries have visited the university for getting trained in the initial healthcare management, he said. According to Apollo Hospitals officials, the other areas in stem cell research and transplantation would include sub-mucous transplantation, parotid gland, neural accidents.