Experts at ISB Healthcare 4.0 Champion Digital Transformation for Small Hospitals and Value-Based Care to Reshape Indian Healthcare

BusinessWire India
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], February 14: The Indian School of Business (ISB), through its Max Institute of Healthcare Management (MIHM), today convened experts from across the healthcare ecosystem for the third edition of its 'ISB Healthcare 4.0' conference. The event brought together industry experts, policymakers, investors, and academics to define a new vision for India's health system, focusing on digital innovation, sustainable investment, and new models of care delivery to improve health outcomes for all.
A central theme of the conference was the critical need to empower the nation's smaller healthcare providers. In his virtual keynote address, Rizwan Koita, Chairperson, National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH), emphasised that the true digital transformation of India's healthcare sector depends on empowering small and medium-sized hospitals, rather than relying solely on large corporate entities. He noted that with roughly 75,000 hospitals in India having fewer than 100 beds, these facilities form the backbone of care outside metropolitan areas. Koita outlined NABH's strategy to support this segment through a globally unique, integrated framework that aligns clinical standards, digital health standards, and software product certifications.
Koita further stressed the importance of collaborating with academic institutions like ISB to develop capacity-building programmes and business case studies, which are essential for convincing smaller providers of the operational and financial value of digitisation.
Professor Madan Pillutla, Dean, ISB, highlighted that as ISB celebrates its 25th year, the school remains committed to research that combines global rigour with local relevance, crucial for addressing India's unique, fragmented healthcare landscape. He encouraged the delegates to use the conference not just for discussion, but to foster lasting connections and commit to solving the sector's complex challenges.
Professor Sarang Deo, Executive Director, Max Institute of Healthcare Management (MIHM), ISB, underlined that the Max Institute of Healthcare Management is transitioning from individual research projects to comprehensive strategic partnerships, reiterating the institute's philosophy of applying management principles to improve public health outcomes. Professor Deo highlighted the need to explore models for delivering care outside hospitals and finding financial structures that balance private returns with public health goals.
Other experts who shared their thoughts included Santhosh Mathew, Country Lead - Public Policy and Finance, Gates Foundation; Dr C S Pramesh, Director, Tata Memorial Hospital; Arvind Sivaramakrishnan, Chief Technology Officer, Asia Healthcare Holdings; Varun Khanna, Group Managing Director, Quality Care India Ltd; and Dr Ilankumaran Kaliamoorthy, Chief Executive Officer, Apollo Hospitals - Chennai Region.
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