Delhi based Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre (RGCI&RC) is one of the leading hospitals in the country specializing in cancer care and treatment.
The first thing that hits you as you enter the reception lobby of Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre (RGCI&RC) in Delhi, is the enormity of disease and suffering as hundreds of patients throng the hospital’s corridors. And yet, there is a sense of purpose that defines the whole place and its people – to save human life. This is driven by its core value of evidence based diagnostics and treatment as against eminence based.
These are not mere fancy words adorning the hospital’s walls as an occasional reminder of the medical ethics, but rather values that are being imbibed in its everyday practices and operations, says Dr. A.K. Dewan, Medical Director, RGCI&RC with confidence. Dr. Dewan’s deep faith in the hospital’s practices emanates from the underlying digital systems built over the last three years. “We are able to ensure there is no deviation from our values because of the digital processes and initiatives that keep all the checks and balances in place,” he explains. In essence, digital pervades both processes and practices across RGCI&RC with the people aspect also intrinsically entwined within the two.
Founded in 1996, RGCI&RC started its journey as a visionary project of Indraprastha Cancer Society & Research Centre, a non-profit public society setup in 1994 by a group of philanthropists. This lineage, built on philanthropy, is exemplified in the hospital’s value system built around transparency, ethics and customer centricity. The hospital embarked upon a digital journey to operationalize its values, complimented with the human element of course, as nothing else could have let itself truly imbibe its intrinsic philosophy.
The Indian healthcare industry is growing at a tremendous pace. As per the industry estimates it is expected to register a CAGR of 22.9% during 2015-20, reaching US$ 280 billion. And yet, there continues to be a significant gap between the demand and supply of healthcare services in India. In this scenario bridging this gap becomes a key imperative for the Indian healthcare service providers.
The private sector, especially when it comes to hospitals, has been gaining a strong foothold in the country over the past few years. There is a lot riding on the private hospitals to play a critical role in bridging this gap and enabling better access to quality and affordable healthcare, to which digital is pivotal.
While digital is seen as a disrupting force, it is generally not welcome until it proves itself in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. In an industry where digital adoption is still nascent when compared to other industries like automobile, retail, etc., there have emerged some sincere and groundbreaking efforts in pockets, that one can’t deny acknowledgement.
So, who are these entities that, though working in pockets, are building up the digital momentum in this nascent market? These are the game changers driven by strong organizational values and a vision drawn towards excelling as is evident in the case analysis of RGCI&RC.
