1. Sight First Hospitals in Present
Perspective - a Doctor’s Approach
Dr Soumen Chakraborty
drschak05@rediffmail.com

2. Disclosure
THE AUTHOR HAS NO FINANCIAL INTERESTS / CONFLICTS
REGARDING ANY BRAND NAME MENTIONED OR DEPICTED IN
THIS PRESENTATION

3. The need to introspect

Lions eye hospitals do more than 300 000
cataract surgeries annually

But still does not receive the importance it
deserves

Not rated at par with premier eye care
institutions

Is something being missed ?

Does something need a change ?

4. The Lions’ motto

Of service to the under privileged

Has brought down the cataract backlog from 80
to nearly 60%

Perhaps the right program for a country like
India

Inclusive of majority of the population

But with the growing economy, advent of the
insurance sector and new technology, perhaps
expectations of some are being left unfulfilled

5. The need of the hour

To diversify

To adapt

To upgrade

But at the same time consolidate our roots

6. Areas of focus

Advertisement

Patient comfort

Diversity of services

Up gradation of diagnostic equipment

Staff and doctor amenities

Training of manpower

Contribution in scientific forums

Professional hospital management team

7. Do we need to advertise?

Makes your presence felt – creates an
impact on the society

Creates a brand image of the
organization

Dissemination of information about the
services offered/ available

8. The hospital is for patients …

Patient comfort and confidence should be
ensured. Some suggestions are

Comfortable waiting room

A general sense of cleanliness




Reading material to avoid boredom of
waiting period
LCD panel showing hospital information
and entertainment programs
Availability of amenities like drinking water
and clean toilet
Helpful and courteous supportive staff

9. The hospital is for patients

Periodic PR exercises –




Calling up the patient to ask
how he is doing after surgery
Reminding his FU date
Informing him of his TPA
processing
Under no circumstances
treatment should be refused to
any patient

10. Diversification of services

Basic cataract surgery services should be
continued and consolidated

At the same time hospitals should evolve from
cataract surgery centers to eye care institutions

In addition, phacoemulsification should be
encouraged and publicized

More revenue

Positive impact on service quality

11. Diversification of services

Additional sub specialties like retina, squint , oculoplasty etc should be
made available

Choice of sub specialty shall be dictated by the demographic requirement
of the area and hospital statistics

Special clinic of the sub specialty and general OPD should run in parallel,
and single doctor system for OPD should be abandoned

12. Up gradation of diagnostic & surgical equipments
Diagnostic

Advent of instruments like OCT have
changed understanding and approach to
many clinical entities

Instruments like OCT, AP, USG etc are
presently considered basic and should be
made available

Sending a patient for a common diagnostic
procedure elsewhere usually results in a loss
of clientele

Equipment up gradation is therefore
mandatory

13. Up gradation of diagnostic & surgical equipments
Surgical

Surgical outcome depends on quality of surgical
equipments

Good equipments can be expensive – cost /
quality balance

Care and maintenance funds

Uniform protocol of instrumentation in relation to
cataract surgery

Financial returns from investment on medical
equipments ?

14. Staff and doctor amenities

Emphasis on quality of manpower and retention as well.

Attributes of appointment should be precisely set, and an in house team
should be formed to look into the selection process.

Reward retribution system should be there for the quality work done

Social security in the form of PF, ESI scheme etc should be arranged for
staff

In house canteen should be there in every hospital. Wastage of time
incurred due to staff travelling elsewhere for lunch should be avoided

For doctors

Rest room

Library with internet

15. Training of manpower

More important for people working in OR

Appropriate knowledge of asepsis /
sterilization mandatory

Periodic in house training by hospital
consultants

Off site training at larger Lions’ hospitals/
LAICO

16. Contribution in scientific forums

Academic contributions in national
conferences
and international

Publication in national / International indexed
journals

Periodic guest programs and workshops with visiting
faculties from reputed institutes

Yearly academic conference of Lions’ eye doctors

17. Professional hospital management team

An intra hospital team comprising of a Lion member, hospital doctor and
full time administrator – preferably a professional administrator

First two members to be changed periodically

Objective shall be to build a co-ordinated approach on the priorities of
hospital development and channelize resources accordingly
Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success. Henry Ford

18. Conclusion: the way ahead

UPGRADATION – both of perceptible and less perceptible aspects

Spectrum and variety of services should be widened

Quality of services must be ensured

Incoming technology must be assimilated

19. THANK YOU!