Medium Healthcare Consulting

Coincidentally, it happened on the Teachers’ Day. Our Managing Director – Ratan Jalan, recently visited the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) to share insights on the Future of Healthcare Marketing. To make the session really engaging and relevant, he adopted an unusual approach. He chose Colgate, the iconic brand, to drive home some marketing truths. The discussion focused on what healthcare marketing needs to do better: evidence-based differentiation strategy, finding ways to bridge the price-value perception gap, creating more effective messages, building trust through transparency, and using data to deliver more personalized, meaningful communication. It was a pleasure interacting with students from both batches at TISS, whose insightful questions and fresh perspectives made the session even more engaging. Grateful to the faculty Dr Feroz Ikbal, Dr Mariappan Muthiah & Dr. Dhananjay Mankar, along with student coordinator Dr. Mayank Tejaswi for facilitating such an enriching experience! #HealthcareMarketing #PatientCentricity #TISS #HealthcareFuture #MediumHealthcareConsulting #MarketingTransformation #Healthcare #Marketing

Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is a way to measure the number of deaths per 100,000 live births from pregnancy-related complications. It is one of the key indicators of how well the healthcare delivery system is performing in geography. There are wide disparities in MMR across different states. Kerala, with an MMR of 19, boasts of performance even better than the US while a populous state like UP has an unacceptably high MMR, worse than Zambia in Africa. What is Kerala doing differently? Kerala’s success in achieving a low MMR can be attributed to several key factors: >A well-developed primary healthcare network ensures maternal services are accessible at every level, from rural areas to urban centers. > High female literacy and social awareness create an environment where women seek and receive care early in their pregnancies, leading to better maternal and neonatal outcomes. > Comprehensive training and support for healthcare workers, particularly at the community level, enables prompt interventions during pregnancies and childbirth. India’s journey to reduce MMR will depend on the ability to tailor these interventions to the unique challenges of each region. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India World Health Organization UNICEF Jhpiego Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India - FOGSI STILLBIRTH SOCIETY OF INDIA #BetterBirthStudy #Healthcare #Consulting #MaternalHealth #MMR #PublicHealth #Kerala

Are wearables going to change the way healthcare gets delivered? Unfortunately, not anytime soon. Wearables come in many forms: watches, wristbands, and rings. Most of them can help track a number of health parameters ranging from pulse rate and SPO2 to sleep quality and level of physical activity: all with impressive accuracy. For individuals with chronic conditions, the elderly, or even the younger generation facing stress and sleep issues, these wearables offer invaluable insights. With 130+ Mn units shipped last year, wearables have seen explosive growth in India though the demand has tapered in the past couple of quarters. In terms of volume Noise is the market leader with 26% market share followed by Fireboltt, boAt Lifestyle, Titan Company Limited, GOQii & Xiaomi Technology. Some other notable players in the higher-price range are Ultrahuman, Fitbit (now part of Google), Pi Ring, Samsung Electronics, and of course, Apple. AI is stepping in to filter the noise, focusing on identifying early warning signals and sending timely alerts to family members, caregivers, hospitals, or physicians. But here’s the catch: Most hospitals and physicians still view this as interference, a challenge to their ‘control on patients’. They also don’t have services or solutions, which incorporate regular monitoring through wearables. The approach continues to be reactive —patients falling sick and then seeking treatment, rather than focusing on prevention. However, new-age solutions like BeatO, HealthifyMe App, Abbott Libre and others focusing on chronic care, elderly care such as KITES Senior Care, and mental health are embracing this shift. Their proactive, preventive care models are catalyzing the adoption of wearables. And what's driving this? Compelling stories, affordable pricing, and the visible benefits of wearable-driven timely care, not to forget peace of mind for the family members! We have a long way to go before the wearables become doctors’ favorites! It has to do with newer business models, higher accuracy, consumer awareness, and sensitizing doctors about future possibilities. The future of healthcare may finally be around our wrists or fingers! #healthcare #health #wearables #consulting #insights #technology #chroniccare

In 2005, Apollo Hospitals Delhi became the first hospital in India to receive Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation, setting a new benchmark for quality in Indian healthcare. Fast forward to today, and India proudly boasts 46 JCI-accredited hospitals. This achievement is a significant draw for medical tourists, as JCI accreditation is recognized globally as a gold standard in healthcare quality and patient safety. Our analysis highlights a striking fact: over 50% of these accredited beds are concentrated in just three cities - Delhi NCR, Mumbai, and Hyderabad - with leading hospitals like Apollo, Narayana Health, Max Healthcare, and Medanta driving this transformation. With an increasing focus on medical tourism, India continues to strengthen its position as a premier destination for patients seeking top-tier medical care from almost any country in the world. #healthcare #hospitals #JCI #India #consulting #quality Apollo Hospitals, Narayana Health, Max Healthcare, Medanta, Aster DM Healthcare, Fortis Healthcare, Artemis Hospitals, Rainbow Children's Hospitals, Wockhardt Hospitals Ltd, AIG Hospitals, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Continental Hospitals, MGM Healthcare, Rajagiri Hospital Kochi

Meet Rhema, who has joined Medium as a Consultant. Witnessing the potential for positive change in hospitals and the broad benefits of an efficient healthcare system while pursuing her Nursing degree, she went on to earn her Master’s in Healthcare Administration from Manipal University. Rhema's experience at Ramaiah and Baptist Hospitals provided a strong foundation in both operations and quality management and reignited her passion for impactful work. In her words, “It’s refreshing to be a part of a company that prioritizes individual growth alongside the firm’s success. It’s a win-win situation, allowing me to feel valued while making a lasting contribution to the healthcare industry. Working alongside an insanely talented team has been the icing on the cake!” Rhema’s passion for building strong communities is deeply ingrained. Hailing from a family dedicated to social work, she’s always sought to make a positive impact. A true connector, Rhema thrives on building relationships and learning from diverse perspectives. When not immersed in her work, she's likely chasing sunsets on a beach or cuddling her cats. #team #healthcare #consulting #hospitals #nursing

It is all about enhancing throughput when it comes to addressing capacity constraints. And in the context of a hospital, a bed happens to be the most precious resource. And that’s precisely the reason hospitals focus on reducing the average length of stay (ALOS) to enhance throughput and be in a position to admit more patients. Case-in-point, Apollo Hospitals freed up 1,040 beds by improving ALOS to 3.3 days from 3.9 days, for the FY24 occupancy rate (65%). It is not just about the complexity of the case mix. It has a lot to do with adopting newer technologies (robotics, for example) and streamlining different processes to ensure that the patient goes home sooner without any compromise on clinical outcome. Other than resulting in higher realization (ARPOB), It also allows hospitals to serve more patients without the need for additional infrastructure. #hospital #healthcare #consulting #insights Apollo Hospitals, Narayana Health, Aster DM Healthcare, Fortis Healthcare, Max Healthcare, KIMS Hospitals, Medanta, HCG Hospitals, Rainbow Children's Hospitals, Shalby Hospitals, Jupiter Hospital, Artemis Hospitals, Yatharth Super Speciality Hospitals

Meet the young, bright sparks at Medium Healthcare Consulting! They say diversity is the spice of life, and our team members bring a kaleidoscope of backgrounds to the table, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. From healing hands to number-crunching brains, meet the crew: Ruchi - The Physiotherapist who’s all about forward movement Chandan - Our Dental Surgeon who’s all smiles, literally. Rhema - The Nurse with a knack for nurturing ideas. Vishwas - The Commerce brain who turns numbers into narratives. Gourav - The Microbiologist who sees the big picture in the tiniest things. Harshini - The Pharmacist who knows the right dose of strategy. Karan - The Business Administrator who is good at checks and balances. Athishara - The Doctor who’s got a prescription for success. We’re also proud to say we are a perfectly balanced mix of minds - 50:50 in gender, and 100% focused on setting new benchmarks every day. Unique paths, shared goals, and a relentless drive to learn, grow, and lead - that’s the Medium way! #team #consulting #diversity #healthcare

A leading business house with diversified interests in Western India engaged us to conduct a due diligence exercise to accurately value a large hospital network in South Asia. initially valued at $1bn in the vendor due diligence. Here’s how we ensured our client arrived at the right valuation. Our approach was meticulous and multi-faceted. We started with an in-person visit to each of the locations for a first-hand assessment of infrastructure, patient profile and overall service quality. In addition, we conducted over 150 interviews with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and carried out a comprehensive assessment of each asset in the network. This involved benchmarking against industry peers in the relevant geographies, evaluating price and brand positioning, and critically assessing the achievability of growth projections based on identified growth drivers. The results of our value discovery process were clear: we provided our client with a realistic valuation that was approximately 30% lower than the initial estimate. This figure was later endorsed by the target, affirming the robustness of our approach. Additionally, our analysis highlighted potential business risks, and the true quality of the assets involved, ensuring our client could make an informed investment decision. Based on our recommendations, the client decided not to go ahead with the acquisition. Subsequently, we were engaged to assess certain geographies in terms of the potential for a greenfield hospital project. Reach out to us to know more about our work. #healthcare #duediligence #investment #valuation #advisory #hospitals #casestudy

As we step into our office each day, we are greeted with a wall filled with wisdom. It has some quotes that have been chosen by our team members. And they reflect our values and inspire us every single day, in everything we do. Here are some of them that keep us inspired: >>  A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding. - Marshall McLuhan >>  It’s fun to do the impossible. - Walt Disney >>  No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy is, if you’re playing a solo game, you’ll always lose out to a team. - Reid Hoffman >>  My greatest strength as a consultant is to be ignorant and ask a few questions. - Peter Drucker And the one closest to our heart (in fact, it is on the back of the business cards we carry): >> Ideas are easy. It’s the execution of ideas that really separates the sheep from the goat. - Sue Grafton Let’s know which one you like, or a favourite quote which inspires you. #consultant #culture #philosophy #team #firm #DNA #values

It’s infinitely more than that. Based on the experience we have had and our interactions with quite a few healthcare leaders, here is our learning: Starting with a focus on ‘paying less to the doctors' is a strategically flawed approach, as it positions you as an adversary. Instead, it's essential to foster a culture of partnership and transparency, recognising that doctors are critical to the hospital's success. You need to involve them, in the truest sense of the term, in all the decision making. The emphasis should be on collaboratively increasing the revenue of their departments. Work together with the marketing team to develop a tailored plan, highlighting success stories and creating networking opportunities with referring physicians. In addition, identify gaps and make the necessary investments in technology, infrastructure, and staffing. When doctors’ payouts are disproportionately high, consider converting some fixed costs into variable components, but approach this as a short-term measure with a clear goal of meeting revenue targets, ensuring a win-win scenario for all. #doctors #strategy #hospitals #cost #optimisation #profit #margin