When Tufan Ghosh joined Columbia Asia Hospitals as CEO in 2005 after 15 years with The Oberoi Group , the change of scene was radical. From working in aesthetically pleasing surroundings, he had the sterile smell of disinfectants and whitewashed walls greet him at work every day.
But that is precisely why Ghosh was hired. Hospitals no longer want to be seen as tiresome rows of patient-care wards. They are hiring executives from the hospitality sector, as medical tourism becomes popular, and competition among private hospitals hots up.
There are an estimated 13 lakh private healthcare providers in India, of which 97% are unorganised and fragmented. Over a third of these entities are not even registered, according to a 2008 E&Y report on ‘Fostering Quality Healthcare For all’. Most people surveyed said they did not use public health facilities on account of apprehensions about the quality of care, lack of accessibility, long waiting time and absenteeism.
Increasingly, patients in India know what it is like to be treated in the West, and hospitals in India try and match the experience. To ensure customer loyalty, they realise the need to go the extra mile in personalised attention and care. Over the past few years, Columbia Asia’s general manager, HR, GM — faculty, GM support and VP projects have all been hired from the hotel industry. Hospitals are also hiring executives from the manufacturing industry to help them manage their chains better. Source