At Marengo Asia, we strengthen the concept of the clinical corridor: Dr Raajiv Singhal – ET HealthWorld

Heallthcare: Post COVID recalibration
Covid 19 was an event that actually shook the entire healthcare system all across the world. I would actually say that it helped us at re-calibrating ourselves, re-evaluating ourselves on what direction we have to take to deal with the pandemic situation like this or any emergency which will come across the world over a period of time. The entire healthcare ecosystem, after the initial shocking phase, stood and fought the entire war and came out as winners.

There are a few elements which we should pick up from the entire learnings. I would divide this into how we should ensure that how the supply chain can become far more effective, far more local, our dependance from the entire world should be minimized so that in times of crisis when nothing is moving around the local movement is the most suitable movement which can be relied on. That is the first part.
The second part is how technology played important and integral component in the time when people could not travel to the hospitals, the embracement of technology was another landmark. Whatever we could have done in the next five years I think got fast-forwarded and people adapted technology, both the healthcare workers, the people, the society and every individual moved towards the faster adaptation of the technology. Last but not the least, is the quality of healthcare. People became cognizant of the fact that the infections control mechanisms, the delivery of quality outcomes has become far more important. The entire infrastructured outlook towards building the infrastructure, putting processes in place has played an important role as far as the setting of the healthcare ecosystem is concerned. We are better prepared now; the ecosystem is shaping up faster and better and I think we will be able to deal with the situation in a much more agile manner.
Post COVID collaboration The fourth element that I would like to focus is the spirit of collaboration, the need for collaboration amongst various healthcare organizations coming together in times of the pandemic. On collaboration, I would further like to put more emphasis on it. This was a time where which saw various agencies, the public agencies, the private healthcare providers, all came together, and they were fighting for the same cause. This was the time where the trust developed between all the players, and they were collaborative in their entire approach. The data was being shared, the therapies were discussed, the clinical outcomes were shared and the entire objective was give the best benefit to the patients who should be the ultimate beneficiary in the spirit of collaborativeness. Our objective should be going forward stay focused on this collaborative approach so that we are able to cover the length and breadth of the country to give the best healthcare to the people of this nation.
Idea behind Marengo Asia
I started my career with Indian Army after having graduated from the prestigious Armed Forces Medical College. I worked in Army for 14 years, I was surgeon in Army and after leaving Army, I worked across various healthcare organizations which gave me the insight into the other part of the healthcare system, as the so-called private healthcare system of this country. With this experience, having served in various organizations, both in Asia and Africa, I moved towards setting up the organization Marengo Asia in the year 2020 and at this stage we have three investors, Samara Capital, Family office of Godrej and Family office of Havells.

Marengo Asia: Key differentiators
The entire vision of the platform is to set up a Pan India 5000 bed set-up network over a period of time. The key differentiator in the focus areas will be the first philosophy or the clue for this will be ‘Patient First’ where all out decisions which we take in the organization will be aimed at the benefit of the patient. The other aspect, majority of time when we talk about Indian healthcare there are three A’s which are very commonly used, that is affordability, accessibility and awareness. In Marengo Asia we decided to add the fourth A, which is the A of Accountability. We need to create an organization which is, which can be held accountable by the people, for the people and at the same time for the stakeholders. We need to be accountable to the employees, to the society in which we live, and to all the people who are associated with our ecosystem.

Let me start by focusing on the ‘Patient First’. When we were setting up this system the major key difference was the most commonly used term by a majority of organizations is how do ensure we demonstrate it. The answer is very simple. If we have to choose a medicine or a consumable, the first question which we will ask are we going to choose it for our parents or our kids. If the answer is ‘yes’, go for it, this is best for your patients. That is how we are going to measure ‘Patient First’, a simple scale yet measurable and with complete transparency.

Again, coming back to one more element is building up trust and transparency. This is the need of the hour, where patient definitely needs to know what is going about his treatment plan or her treatment plan, build a system of transparent billing, build a system of accountability. Today, if a diagnosis is being set or a test is being asked for it, patient should have the faith and the belief that it is in the best interest of the patient because there is a need, a scientific need to get the test done which will help us in taking a clinical decision. That is veery important for us, and we are working overtime in trying to ensure we are able to create that ecosystem at Marengo Asia Healthcare.

The other aspect I want to focus is on setting up of clinical excellence, centers of clinical excellence. Wherever we have hospitals our objective will be in certain specialties we should set up a center of excellence. It is not easy for patients to move from a city with their relatives, from one city to another for the quantum of therapy that does not exist in the local area. At least, they should have access to that therapy to the completion so that they are benefitted, and they do not have to travel from one place, leaving their job, or taking their family members and moving from one place to another.

The last is the concept of Clinical Corridor. When we are creating an ecosystem, we are saying that sometimes it is not necessary for the patient to travel from one hospital to another. Why can’t we have talent in one hospital, why can’t we have a fellow colleague doctor from one hospital visit this hospital and look after the patient? Today when we speak, there is, this is the concept which we have done where the heart transplant surgeon from Ahmedabad comes here regularly, to another hospital of ours in Delhi and is setting up the entire program so that people in Delhi don’t have to travel to Ahmedabad. Similarly, we have other therapies which we are working on similar lines to set up and strengthen the concept of clinical corridor.

Marengo Asia: Future expansion
We have a 500 bed hospital in Ahmedabad, which is Marengo CIMS Hospital, twice JCI accredited hospital, doing excellent clinical work. They have done 30 heart transplants which is second highest in the country in the last one year. The other hospital which is part of our family is Marengo QRG Hospital which in Faridabad, again 550 bedded hospital. Beautifully built hospital, doing good clinical work.

The third hospital which is part of our family is hospital in Bhuj, 200 bed hospital, K K Patel Hospital, which we run as a part of our O&M. the idea is to bring the expertise to the people of Kutch in this hospital.

Now going forward, by this year end or end of this financial year, we should have around 2000 – 2500 beds. We are looking at right assets where there is an opportunity to scale, build quality and also ensure they are a part of our concept of clinical corridor.