Nine decades of shaping healthcare

Dr Mehta Healthcare Hospital celebrates 90 years of clinical excellence. Vice chairman Sameer Mehta shares the hospital’s journey, philosophy and the way forward
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

CHENNAI: Dr Mehta Healthcare Service is a widely recognised and leading medical hospital with over nine decades of medical expertise and experience in healthcare, having its branches in Chetpet and Velappanchavadi. Sameer Mehta, the vice chairman of Mehta Hospital, currently leads this institution following the legacy of the Mehta family. Considering it a privilege to be a part of the medical industry in India, Sameer explains how he and his team of doctors and staff went through 90 years of service in treating patients with the necessary medical needs. The hospital has attained its mountain-top achievement by stating that they have conducted over 2.5 million surgeries and child deliveries. In celebration of the institution’s success, they released a 90th Founder’s year souvenir book as a tribute to the founders of the Mehta hospital and awarded clinicians, staff and workers for their dedicated service at the 90th Founder’s Day event on February 4.
Excerpts from the interview:

When did Dr Mehta’s Healthcare Service begin and what were your objectives?
Our healthcare service was started in 1933 by my grandparents in Gujarat and they slowly moved the service to Chennai. This came to be because the Gujarati samaj insisted that they require medical attention for their community which is why this healthcare started. Our objective is to make sure medications are given adequately to our customers and give them care and attention like that of a family. The sense of homeliness and belonging by the customer is what we want to achieve through this healthcare.


What was the zeal that kept the healthcare service going for 90 years?
It is just that we treat our customers as family which is why many people trust our healthcare because they know that they will be well treated and taken care of. Many doctors have come by and they are all specialised in the various fields of medicine, but ultimately what is more important is how they use their medical expertise to treat our customers more than just a customer. We maintain the standard of unity and also have the zeal to treat people with the right medication to see the growth of healing.

What are the healthcare services you provide?
We have about 80-84 advanced healthcare services, of which we are famous for Obstetrics and Gynecology. Besides that, we have other services like Neurology, Gastroenterology, Surgical Oncology, Cardiology and more. We are a leading institution with excellence in clinical outcomes.  

How has technology changed the landscape of healthcare in India?
I think the first person we go to when we have a viral fever or any minor health issue is who I would like to call Dr Google. I believe through the use of technology, not one person is devoid of getting medically treated. But there is a downside to this medical technology. There are various options and treatments for one health issue and some of them are not effective. In that way, technology can either be of good help to customers or a waste of time and energy. Technology has developed itself to be a platform for consumer education information or to spread fake/fictional information. However, to reach a larger audience, especially in rural areas, technology is a great tool. Either way, an individual needs to pay a visit to a doctor and follow the right cycle instead of depending on videos and other means of treatment.
 
What were the challenges the hospital faced during the pandemic? What are the lessons learned?
A major challenge we faced during the pandemic was to provide salaries to our working staff. It was a common problem that every organisation faced during the pandemic, but since we are in the medical field, we are the frontline workers who require adequate payment. But since we developed trust and a sense of understanding with each other, our staff understood our position as well and together, we faced whatever came our way. This is why I emphasised the sense of unity and family where we create a bond with our people so that they would back us up in situations like this.

Another challenge we faced was providing beds and oxygen tanks for Covid patients. We were able to accommodate as many as we could, but we soon learned that there is a need for beds and oxygen tanks for those who don’t have access to these facilities. So we took the initiative to coordinate with other hospitals that have space to accommodate more customers and we ensured that the customer would get these facilities as soon as possible.

What are the CSR initiatives taken by the hospital?
We have conducted over 54 health camps, 10 health awareness programmes, 12 first aid programs, and 75 surgeries, and provided 50 subsidies for day-care surgeries and free education for underprivileged merit students. We also have new initiative plans like conducting paediatric-free surgeries with a target to achieve 75 surgeries and providing subsidies for surgeries for 50 day-care procedure patients.

How can we make healthcare more effective and accessible in India?
This is where Dr Google can reach out to those who need treatment. In terms of having access to medical needs, a customer can access it at the tip of his fingers. Through media, the awareness of healthcare services can be addressed. Furthermore, to reach the underprivileged, medical camps are conducted which makes healthcare more effective and accessible.  

Why is India still lagging in including mental health as part of healthcare services?
Mental health is a complex issue and it varies from person to person. India is largely populated and goes through various degrees of stress from educational stress for children to work stress for adults. This has to be dealt with according to the individual’s needs which are unique to them. Maybe it is because of this complexity of mental health that has to be handled with care, India is lagging in including mental health as a mainstream healthcare service.
 
What is the philosophy followed at Dr Mehta’s?
To treat our customers like one of our own and not make them feel like a patient. From the start, I have addressed patients as customers because I want to lessen their burden of being called a patient. This has been followed for over 90 years, which is one of the reasons that keeps Dr Mehta’s services as one of the top institutions for clinical excellence where many customers confidently come here to avail of its services.

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