Assuring, Advanced, Accessible: The Apollo Chain of Hospitals

3 decades on Apollo Hospital continues to be the finest names in Health Industry

by: Srija Mukherjee |Kolkata

The beginning of Apollo Chain Of Hospitals

The Apollo Chain of Hospitals were inaugurated in 1983 by Shri GianiZailSingh (President of India) and the first Apollo Hospital was in set up at Chennai. The hospital however commenced commercial operations from the next year onwards.

Established in 1983 by Dr. Prathap C Reddy it has under its label a whole of 25 Indian Hospitals and 2 International Hospitals. A compassionate humanitarian, Dr. Prathap C Reddy, the visionary Founder-Chairman of Apollo Hospitals has to his credit the Padma Vibhushan in the year 2010, and Padma Bhushanin the year 1991. Both the awards are regarded as the highest civilian honouraward in the country. Since inception, Apollo’s focus has been clinical excellence, affordable costs, technology and forward-looking research & academics. India’s first corporate hospital, Apollo since then has emerged as Asia’s foremost integrated healthcare service provider. It has a mighty name across the entire healthcare ecosystem including Hospitals, Pharmacies, Primary Care and Clinics. Interesting to note Apollo Group has a solid base of Telemedicine units across 10 different countries in the globe, Health Insurance Services, Global Projects Consultancy, Medical Colleges, Medvarsity for E-Learning, Colleges Of Nursing And Hospital Management and also a research foundation.

Mission Statement and The Vision Of Apollo

Apollo’s dedicated focus for the next phase of development is to touch a billion lives. Team Apollo’s absolute mission is to bring healthcare of International standards within the reach of every individual. They are also committed to the achievement and maintenance of excellence in education, research and healthcare for the benefit of humanity.

Awards and Recognitions

• Apollo Health City, Hyderabad wins the Best Medical Tourism Facility award 2015 from the Hon’ble President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee at VigyanBhawan, New Delhi. This is the third consecutive time that the hospital has won this prestigious award.
• In 2017 Apollo Hospitals Group has bagged the top 4 positions across categories in the Times All India Lifestyle Hospital and Clinic ranking survey.
• Apollo Group Of Hospital is the No.1 Multi-Speciality Hospital in the country as ranked by The 2017 Times Health Multi-Speciality Hospital Survey.
• Apollo Health City, Hyderabad has been adjudged the Best Medical Tourism Hospital in India by the Government of India in 2012.
• Apollo Hospitals Chennai has been rated as the best private multispeciality hospital in India in 2012.
• Apollo Children’s hospital Chennai has ranked as the best private Pediatric hospital in India in 2012.
• Apollo Hospitals at Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ahmedabad has been rated as the best multispecialty hospitals in their respective cities in the year 2012.
• Rooma Sinha, Senior Consultant Gynaecologist with Apollo Hospitals has to her name the rare milestone of completing 100 Robotic Myomectomies, the largest in South Asia till date.
• Apollo Hospitals has also successfully launched the Healthy Heart Program, India’s first Heart disease prevention and reversal Program.
• Apollo Cradle’s ‘Natural is Priceless’ Campaign has been honoured with the “Marketing Campaign of the Year” Award for its innovative strategy and execution by the CMO Asia Awards in 2014.
• Apollo Health City, Hyderabad has been bestowed the prestigious ‘INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL TOURISM AWARD’ for Excellence in customer service by the reputed International Medical Travel Journal, UK in the year 2014.
• In 2013,Apollo Munich Health InsuranceCompany was ranked as the Best General Insurance Company and among the Top 25 best places to work for in India in a survey conducted by the leading Newspaper, The Economic Times.
• Apollo Hospitals Kolkatawon the Best Innovation & Research In Healthcare of the Year (2016) by International HealthCare Summit Awards.

Straight Talk fromA Young Professional Who Had Apollo As The Launch Pad For Her Career

“I am extremely satisfied as a medical professional to have got Apollo Kolkata as my work place,” says Alokananda Mukherjee. Alokananda, a budding young clinical psychologist is now working with Dr. Jai Ranjan Ram in Apollo Kolkata for the last 2 years and is very happy. She highlights the internal ‘liaxon’ system as one of the prime reasons for Apollo’s steering success. The term ‘Liaxon’ means the collective work that all the departments across Apollo does together. By consulting, brainstorming and asking each one.

M.Phill in Clinical Psychology, Alokananda is a resident clinical psychologist at Apollo Kolkata. She states that the infrastructure of the hospital, patient rooms and patient care facilities are quite advanced. As a professional she has always experienced her own space and freedom to take independent decisions here.

“I have ordered quite a few new medical equipments keeping in mind the patient’s need. Went ahead for independent Mental Health Workshops in the city. As a growing professional I have been given the full freedom to do so, quotes Alokananda.”

There have been thorough medical educative sessions for Apollo Doctors to keep them updated throughout the year, she also adds. “I belong to the psychiatry department, as there are no separate psychiatry department as such in Apollo. Apart from me, who is a regular clinical psychologist here, there are 2 more visiting psychologists who work alongside. All of us work under 3 different psychiatrists, points out the 29 year old.”

Alokananda adds, the indoor hygiene of the Apollo Kolkata campus is noteworthy. And the entire staff lords about the food that Apollo serves. Health and hygiene goes hand in hand at Apollo. “It is worth mentioning that in my two years of stay at this place, I have got enormous support from professionals across all the departments of Apollo in every city. There have been many occasions where I had found the medical cases too complex to define or diagnose. The seniors like the ones we have with us, were always to my rescue. I must also add, Dr. Ram who is a noted name in the world of psychiatry is the no less than a mentor and the best possible guide in my profession.”

The chirpy psychologist adds, that her entire journey at Apollo was full of experiences and a valuable learning curve. This February she would complete two perfect years at this place and dreams to reach stupendous career heights with Apollo in the coming years.

Alokananda Mukherjee in this short span of time has made a mark in her own field by delivering stress management lectures in multiple IT Companies, Private Sector Banks and various hospitals. She has been the face of Apollo in different Kolkata regional channels in these two years. Whether it is guiding a teenager before exams in order to battle stress, talking to patients regarding severe psychological disorders. Or managing adults with cognitive ailments. Alokananda’s methodical approach towards treating patients have had remarkable results on human lives.

Patients Testimonials

Dr. S Verma, Banaglore, India

Dr. Verma who is a doctor by profession was detected with severe calcium deposits in one of his heart valves. The only treatment option was an open heart surgery with a replacement of the valve. Since he did not want to undergo an open heart surgery which involves cutting the chest bone, instead he searched the internet and found Dr. SathyakiNambala from Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore to approach to help the situation.

Dr. Verma says when he met Dr. Sathyaki and interacted with him, he found him to be a very humble person and highly knowledgeable in his field of minimal invasive/endoscopic heart surgeries. After meeting him in person, Mr. Verma was convinced that he will get his valve replacement done with Dr. Sathyakionly.

On the day of surgery, Dr. Verma got himself admitted in the morning and various tests were done during the day. With all tests being normal, he underwent the surgery which lasted for 1 to 2 hours. The day after the surgery, he was asked to walk in the ICU and after some point shifted to his room. On the 3^rd day, he was discharged from the hospital.

Post the surgery Dr. Vermathanks and appreciates Dr. Sathyaki for treating him, and Dr.(Lt.Gen) Shiv Kumar Sharma, Director Medical Services who is a gem of a person and a very caring gentleman at Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore for giving him a new lease of life.

Dr. (Col) S Krishnan Chennai India

Dr. S Krishnan says, thanks to Apollo that his wife has been saved from a life endangering infection in the spine. From 1992 when Ovarian Cancer was detected she had had a series of major surgeries till date. Present admission was with an illness unconnected either to cancer or its treatment. Discitis at L5 S1.

Once again diagnosis was quickly arrived at, appropriate treatment instituted including surgery on the spine. 80 year old Jayalakshmi was discharged with advice on follow up to be continued.

Dr. Krishnan presents his heart felt gratitude & indebtedness to the team of Apollo doctors who jointly helped S. Krishnan’s wife tide over the crisis. The husband further adds, Doctors Ravi, Senthil, AnandMurugesan, Ramasubramanian deserve credit for their commitment & dedication along with high technical expertise. Nurses in charge were exemplary and caring towards S Krishnan’s wife. Last but not least administrative support extended by Dr.Bama (remaining always incognito but very effective) was praise worthy.

DeepikaLamech India

Deepika says, she was diagnosed with a fatal illness (Pulmonary Hypertension) in 2011 at just 18 years of age. Little did she know, her life would take such an ugly turn so early. She was an engineering student filled with dreams and hopes for her career and future. She was on a lot of medication which never relieved her symptoms but just prolonged her life. The side effects of these medicines left her debilitated for days. She couldn’t enjoy simple activities such as bathing, dressing up, walking or climbing stairs. Even though she had a hard life her only source of comfort was the Almighty. Her condition deteriorated rapidly and soon she was hooked on to an oxygen machine. Viola.

She was in bed 24*7.And in her case, a heart and double lung transplant was the only option.

Many days passed with such prolonged medication, therapies and diagnosis until Deepika received a call from her doctor saying she has a suitable organ. And it cannot only save her, but give her a new lease of life too. It was the 14th of February at 4:15am when Deepika was carried inside the surgery room. By God’s grace her surgery was successful and the recovery pace was pretty quick. She was back to normalvery quicklythan expected.

Deepikathanks team Apollo Hospitals Chennai, her well wishers, family and friends for their continuous support and prayers. She also thanks the entire heart and lung transplant teams of Apollo hospitals, Chennai for their dedicated efforts.
Apollo MilestonesThe

 The Apollo chain of Hospitals together have performed over 9.5 Million Preventive Health Checks so far.

• They have also 1 Million minor surgical procedures performed.
• Team Apollo has 7,50,000 major surgeries performed and is still counting.
• They have together crossed over 1,50,000 Heart Surgeries with incredible success rates.
• Apollo Group of Hospitals have done 1,25,000 Coronary Angioplasties till 2013.
• They have to their credibility over 10,000 Joint Replacement Surgeries.
• At Apollo 10,000 Neurosurgeries are performed per year.
• Apollo Group Of Hospitals have 7000 Kidney Transplants performed till date.
• Apollo Speciality Cancer Hospital, Chennai have successfully completed 1500 CyberKnife Radio Surgeries.
• The Apollo chain of Hospitals have together 1200 solid organ transplants done in one year.
• Apollo Speciality Cancer Hospital, Chennai has successfully completed 1500 CyberKnife Radio Surgeries till date.
• Apollo Group Of Hospitals have together reached over 750 Bone Marrow Transplants.
• Apollo Health City has performed 700th Cochlear implant surgery and reached a new milestone in the history of aiding hearing impaired in Andhra Pradesh.
• There have been 375 liver transplants performed by Apollo Hospitals, Chennai and Delhi.
• There are officially 6 centres in India on global trial for drug-eluting bio-resorb able stents. Apollo is one of them.

Srija Mukherjee is Kolkata based contributor of Kashmir Patriot. She can be reached at : srijamukherjee89@gmail.com