Narottam Puri, Advisor-medical operations, Chairman, Fortis Medical Council and Escorts Heart Institute, Rajit Mehta, MD and CEO, Max healthcare, Harish Pillai, CEO, Aster DM Healthcare, Joy Chakraborty, COO, PD Hinduja Hospital and MRC, Simarandeep Singh Gill, COO, CK Birla Hospitals, Lalit Mistry, Director-healthcare KPMG participated in the session.
Discussing on how hospitals adapt in the new universal healthcare environment, Narottam said that, "A universal healthcare is difficult. I believe Pradhan Mantri Jan Swasthy Yojna (PMJSY) has two parts which focus on primary healthcare and upon delivery of secondary and tertiary care."
Lalit Mistry urged for upgraded primary healthcare or PHC in next one year. He said that, "Covering 10.73 crore families is a gigantic task and identification of beneficiary makes it a seriously critical task."
Joy shared that, "Mumbai is facing difficulty to adapt this scheme as the city has a culture of Charitable trust running hospitals and doing 20 per cent of charity work. Joy’s question was potential because the hospital already running charity thing won't survive economically.
Harish, on the other hand, shared that the knowledge-based society of Kerala already enjoys a good budget from the state. Harish also pointed that out of 15 districts only Wayanad may benefit from such scheme of central government.
“Burden of diseases in Kerala is moderately higher than other states but higher fiscal deficit can't handle such economically stressed schemes,” suggested Harish.
Simarandeep shared that the West Bengal government is not ready to accept the scheme but sooner or later this scheme will be adopted. Rates and political dynamics are playing a critical role in such universal health scheme and once the rates are revised people will start discussing the scheme seriously.
Rajesh, on the other hand, put the point that the heart wants this scheme to be adapted but mind restricts due to poor costs and rate structure is given in the current scheme. Rajesh said, “I am hopeful that the scheme will evolve because in the current form this scheme of PMJSY won't survive”.