THRISSUR: Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A), a benchmark for management education in the country, is preparing a case study of Jubilee Mission Medical College(JMMC) and Research Institute to study the sustainability and scalability of the missionary hospital. And a couple of case studies of the hospital’s success model will be put together and published as well. The case study will also be taught to the IIM-A students.
Actually, it was as a small dispensary in one part of the old building of St Mary’s Thope Minor Seminary here that the hospital began functioning on 17th December 1951.
But with the passage of time, Jubilee Mission Hospital unlike many other mission hospitals, grew into a state-of-the-art hospital with another six institutions under its umbrella such as Medical College, Centre for Medical Research, College of Nursing, School of Nursing, College of Allied Health Science and Jubilee Ayurveda Hospital with a combined bed strength of 1,700 and staff strength of over 2,500. Everyday, nearly 2,000 outpatients seek treatment at the hospital.
Joshy Jacob, associate professor, Finance & Accounting Area, IIM-A, said the cost of treatment at Jubilee is low compared to most of the hospitals in Kerala and Jubilee has been sustaining itself and registering growth all these long years.
“Now, the hospitals are facing challenges on three fronts. One, there is evolution in human capital. New corporate hospitals are giving high salary and attracting human resources ie the investment in human capital is increasing. Second is the evolution in technology.
“Earlier, a doctor seated in a cabin made the diagnosis, ie, the clinical diagnosis. Now, the diagnosis is being done with the help of machines. More investment is needed to improve this area. More investment means the cost of the diagnosis increases. Third, the affordable class is demanding more from the hospitals. Due to the high medical awareness among the people, if they can afford, then they are asking for more facilities from the hospital. It will also push up the cost of treatment,” Joshy said.
According to Joshy Jacob, Jubilee Hospital is paying less to the staff and charging the patients less compared to the other hospitals.
“But they have the latest medical facilities. We are trying to find out how they are able to run the hospital smoothly without any crisis. We are also analysing the threats faced by Jubilee Hospital because of the aforesaid three challenges,” he added.