Apollo Hospitals offers Botox treatment for urological disorders in patients deprived of relief from the existing treatment procedures.Hyderabad, May 30th, 2016: Apollo Hospitals announced providing of treatment for complex Urology ailments like Overactive Bladder, Neurogenic Detrusor Overactivity, Bladder Pain Syndrome & Dyssynergic sphincter by using Botulinum Toxin or Botox. Renowned Urologist from Bristol Urological Institute Dr Marcus Drake and Dr Sanjay Sinha, Senior Consultant Urologist and Transplant Surgeon, Apollo Hospitals, briefed media about Botox being increasingly used by urologists world over to address untreatable and niggling urological problems, at a Press Conference on Monday at Apollo Health City, Jubilee Hills.  Botox, which is being used as a drug off late is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. In the recent past it is being extensively used for a variety of medical problems such as spastic muscles, bladder dysfunction and squint, besides to cosmetically reduce wrinkles on the face. Several hitherto untreatable conditions are being treated with Botox, urology is adopting Botox for treating certain urological disorders in patients who were deprived of relief from the existing treatment procedures, says Dr Sanjay Sinha, who is instrumental in making this technique popular through his lectures in India and abroad including at Johannesburg, Madrid, Kuala Lumpur etc.Some urological conditions being treated by Botox are :Overactive BladderBotulinum is an important addition to the treatment options for urinary incontinence due to Overactive Bladder (OAB). OAB is a common condition affecting about 10% of the population. The problem can be particularly severe in elderly women although people of any age and either sex can be affected. Patients have a severe urgency to pass urine that is hard to control resulting in a leakage of urine into the clothes before they reach the toilet. The first line of treatment consists of lifestyle changes, chiefly the reduction of fluid intake, tea, coffee or colas. Medication of a class known as ‘antimuscarinics’ can help a large number of patients. However, not all patients respond. For these difficult to treat patients (called “Refractory OAB”) or for those who have side-effects with the tablets making it difficult for them to continue, Botulinum toxin injection offers an attractive alternative. Botulinum toxin is injected via a cystoscope (endoscope inserted into the bladder via the natural urinary channel) into the bladder wall. The effect lasts for about 9-10 months on average after which one needs to repeat it. Unlike the oral medicine, systemic side-effects are rare. In this difficult to control group of patients, called “Refractory OAB”, about 75% patients have a good response.Neurogenic Detrusor OveractivityPatients with spinal cord or other nerve disorders of the central nervous system can present with severe uncontrolled bladder contractions during bladder storage. These contractions, which occur without the brain’s permission are termed “Detrusor overactivity.” In a patient with nerve disease these are termed “Neurogenic detrusor overactivity or NDO”. These contractions can be difficult to control and lead to urinary incontinence. More importantly, they can damage the kidneys in the long term. Every time an involuntary contraction of the bladder occurs, it’s like a hammer on both the kidneys. Once again, oral medication is the first line but it doesn’t work in all patients. For those with uncontrolled NDO, Botulinum toxin injection into the bladder is a very useful option.Bladder Pain SyndromeBladder pain syndrome (BPS) is a perplexing problem of pain in relation to the bladder without any apparent cause. It is not hazardous in a physical sense but can be extremely debilitating to the patient. Some patients can become suicidal due to severe pain. There are several treatment options with six levels of treatment described by the American Urological Association. None of these are perfect solutions. For some patients with poor response to medicines or other bladder therapies, Botulinum toxin injections can be effective.Dyssynergic sphincterIn some individuals, the bladder control mechanism lacks coordination and contracts instead of relaxing at the time of passing urine. Some of these patients can benefit from Botulinum injection into the sphincter. The treatment is less well standardized compared to other indications but can be useful in select patients.According to Dr Sanjay Sinha, Apollo Hospitals at Hyderguda and Jubilee Hills are pioneering Botox treatment for patients and a large number of patients have benefited, to date about a hundred such treatment sessions have been carried out by us, he adds.Apollo Hospitals hosted a workshop to train around seventy five Urologists from all over South India at Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, on the occasion. Dr Marcus Drake and Dr Sanjay Sinha demonstrated the techniques related to use of Botulinum Toxin injection for difficult-to-treat bladder problems.    

The pilot program by Apollo & The Union, to integrate TB treatment at Private hospitals with Government’s Nikshay, gives encouraging results!Hyderabad, March 31st, 2016: Apollo Hospitals and The Union – an international voluntary scientific organisation working against TB, HIV, asthma, tobacco and lung disease, announced the encouraging outcomes from a pilot project to integrate TB treatment rendered in the private healthcare sector with the National TB Control Program through a unique web-based software application, initiated a year ago. This innovative application which links the private health facility with Government of India’s TB notification portal Nikshay, upports TB patients for treatment adherence through messages, interactive voice calls and counselling services and thereby ensures better outcomes. The Union in collaboration with the Lilly MDR-TB partnership is implementing a project to systematically involve private health care providers in delivering effective and quality TB services in India.  The results from the collaborative project were announced by Ms. Sangita Reddy, Jt. Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group; Dr. Sarabjit Chadha, Deputy Regional Director, The Union – South East Asia; Ms Sunita Prasad, Programme Manager, Lilly MDR-TB Partnership and Dr. Suneetha Narreddy, Consultant Infectious Diseases, Apollo Health City, at a Press conference on Thursday at Apollo Hospitals.As part of the pilot study during June 2015 – March 2016, 200 TB patients have been registered and all 200 patients have been successfully notified to Nikshay. These included 146 extra-pulmonary (73%) and 54 pulmonary (27%), 10 patients have Multi-Drug Resistant TB (MDR-TB). 116 (58%) are male. Of the 200 patients 32 have successfully completed treatment while the remaining are still on treatment.Impact Of Patient Support Package- Reminders Through SMS/IVRSOf the 200 patients, 165 (82%) agreed for receiving SMS and IVRC (Interactive Voice Response Calls). Analysis of ~3600 IVR calls shows that 95% have taken all doses and 5% missed one or more dose. All Patients who missed doses were counseled telephonically.Feedback From Patients On IVRS/SMSFeedback was taken from the 165 patients on SMS/IVRS. 95% remembered having received daily SMS in the last 7 days. 90% remembered that they have received and responded to at least 1 IVR calls in the last 7 days.Nearly 90% of the patients found the SMS to be very helpful in reminding about drug intake and desired to continue receiving them. Over 90% patients did not find any problem in responding to the IVR calls and found them to be useful. 80% wanted to continue with twice a week IVR calls while 20% wanted a reduced frequency (1 call per week).CostThe total cost of daily SMS and twice a week IVR calls for a period of 6 months (normal duration of TB treatment) is only Rs 120/- (less than US $2).Conclusion:· Results from the pilot indicate that web based software with the patient support package developed is successfully notifying TB patients into Nikshay in real time.· 95% of the patients who are receiving treatment adherence support (SMS and IVR calls) are adhering to treatment. Most of the patients (90%) find the SMS and IVR reminders useful and would like to continue receiving them.· The pilot shows that this is an efficient and cost effective model to facilitate notification and treatment adherence of TB patients in the private sector.The software is open source and can be easily customized to integrate with the hospitals Management Information System (MIS). There are encouraging results from Apollo Hospital, thus this notification adherence system is being scaled in other hospitals.About TBTuberculosis is gaining epidemic proportions causing nearly 1.5 million deaths each year, mostly in developing countries. According to statistics available, India alone accounts for a fourth of the new cases of TB detected globally every year, India has 2.2 million new cases of the 8.6 million worldwide. This airborne disease kills about 1000 Indians every day and is therefore considered as India’s biggest health crisis. One of the reasons aggravating the rise in incidence is lack of integration of TB program with the private healthcare sector which handles 50% of TB patients in India, besides let up on constant vigilance, effective surveillance and monitoring. Often patients reporting at private clinics or hospitals after initial relief from the disease are off the treatment radar, resulting in non-compliance of treatment, while that being the crucial period for vigorously follow up and monitoring. Such patients also end up spreading the disease in the community and amplifying the resistance.The World Health Organization (WHO) through its Stop TB Strategy has been engaging relevant health-care providers through public-private and public-public mix approaches in tuberculosis care and control. Well known global organization working in this arena – The Union, in collaboration with the Lilly MDR-TB partnership is implementing a project to systematically involve private health care providers in delivering effective and quality TB services in India.As part of this initiative Apollo Hospitals is working on improving tuberculosis notification, adherence to treatment and bettering outcomes, in partnership with The Union and has launched a website – http: //www.ahtts.in/. The software linked with the Nikshay project, helps in reminding patients through regular SMS to take medicines, in addition, the integrated voice response tool monitors the treatment adherence.To address these challenges The Union in partnership with Apollo Hospital Hyderabad, with support from Lilly MDR TB partnership, has developed this web-based software application to facilitate notification to the National TB Programme and provide treatment adherence support to TB patients treated in the private sector. The software links the private health facility with GoI’s TB notification portal Nikshay and simultaneously supports TB patients for treatment adherence through messages, interactive voice calls and counselling services.TB patients diagnosed and initiated on treatment at the hospital are registered into the software which automatically notifies to Nikshay. This software also provides treatment adherence support to patients through daily reminder SMS (short message service) and twice a week IVRC (interactive voice response calls) which records patients’ response on treatment regularity. The sms and IVRC are available in patient’s preferred language. In addition to the daily reminder for taking medication there are reminders for follow up visits. Patients who miss doses or do not respond to IVRCor do not come for follow up visits are followed up by a trained counsellor.   

 A robust approach was followed to arrive at the final rankings. The step by step process is given below: Factual Score The information collected corresponding to similar parameters as in the perceptual survey A detailed scoring system has been developed for each parameter After assigning scores to each parameter, raw scores were calculated The raw scores were weighted by their importance to arrive at weighted scores The final entity score were calculated as in the perception survey Perceptual Score Ratings on various parameters for each entities Calculating importance of various parameters to arrive at weights for each parameter ­ we use a regression model to arrive at the importance of various parameters Calculation of raw scores and weighted scores for each parameter Calculation of overall score for each hospitals using importance weightage The final score for a hospital were a weighted average of respective hospitals Perception Score and Factual Score equal weightage given to both…For more Details: http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31809&articlexml=Research-Methodology-29042016452058

Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC) had organized The Care Walk, a unique fashion walk to celebrate International Nurses Day. The APCC’s nightingales crisscrossed the ramp along with cancer winners for whom they go the extra mile in offering love and care during their toughest times. One of the major attractions during the event was ‘Unveiling the Portrait of Florence Nightingale’ during the Nurses Award Ceremony.The fashion walk was graced by Chief Guest Dr. Kalanidhi Veeraswamy, Hon’ble Member of Parliament – Lok Sabha, along with Guests of Honour Mr. Sidney Sladen, Celebrity Fashion Designer, Mr Harshad Reddy, Director-Group Oncology and International, Apollo Hospitals and Ms. Beena Pasha, Celebrity Fashion Designer, Zonal Head – Dreamzone School of Creative Studies.The event was witnessed by Dr. Rakesh Jalali, Medical Director & HOD Radiation Oncology, Mr. Karan Puri, Chief Operating Officer, and Dr. Shanthi Radhakrishnan, Medical Superintendent from Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, Chennai.The Care Walk is an initiative to recognize and celebrate the selfless service of the nursing staff, who deserve every ‘Thank you’ that they receive. The walk was not just a fashion walk, it’s a walk of honour, a tribute to their dedication, hard work, and commitment to patient care, which is essential to the success of any healthcare system. The initiative also recognized the critical role played by nurses in patient care and honored them during the event as a token of appreciation for their reigning spirit.As part of the event, a Portrait of Florence Nightingale, painted by one of our nurses from Apollo Proton Cancer Centre was unveiled by the Dr. Kalanidhi Veeraswamy, Member of Parliament – Lok Sabha.Speaking on the occasion, Hon’ble Dr. Kalanidhi Veeraswamy, Member of Parliament – Lok Sabha, said, “Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system. Their contribution is invaluable, and their hard work and dedication are inspiring. On this International Nurses Day, we acknowledge their role in saving lives and supporting doctors, especially during these challenging times. I am delighted to be a part of this event, which recognizes their selfless service and commitment to patient care.”Mr. Harshad Reddy, Director-Group Oncology & International, Apollo Hospitals, said, “Nurses play a critical role in ensuring that patients receive the right care at the right time. They are the ones who are at the forefront of patient care, and their dedication and hard work are essential for the success of any healthcare system. At APCC, we are proud of our nurses, who have demonstrated exceptional commitment and dedication to patient care. This event is our way of recognizing and showcasing their contributions and expressing our gratitude for their priceless service.”APCC has always focused towards offering healthcare of International standards within the reach of every individual. It has stayed committed to the achievement and maintenance of excellence in education, research and healthcare for the benefit of humanity. The institution recognizes the importance of nursing staff in providing compassionate care and is committed to supporting their professional growth and development.Commenting on the initiative, a special guest for the occasion, Mr. Sidney Sladen, said, “As a designer, I don’t believe that fashion shows are just events put on by a fashion designer to showcase their upcoming line of clothing and/or accessories during a fashion week it is also a means of self-expression. Today, here at APCC this very essence has been truly captured, the real inner beauty. The expression of true love and care. It’s an honor to be a part of this event and contribute to the celebration of Nurses, who are the true beauties and warriors of our society.”APCC has a panel of 120 specially trained nurses for cancer patients who know 10 Indian languages and are well-versed in the right treatment during crisis situations. Apollo Proton Cancer Centre salutes all the nurses who are going the extra mile to serve patients at every hour for every need.

Apollo Hospitals expands Apollo Genomics Institute with the launch of the facility in Chennai. Doubling on its investments in genomics, Apollo Genomic Institute was earlier launched in Mumbai and Delhi. By the end of 2023, Apollo aims to open three more genomics facilities in Hyderabad, Bangalore and Ahmedabad respectively.India has made huge progress in terms of combating communicable diseases over the years; however, the increase in the number of genetic disorders in the recent past have been overlooked. With genomics, these diseases can be identified before they manifest; in turn, enabling early intervention and preventive care. The Apollo Genomics Institute aims to transform medical practice by bringing genomic services within the reach of every clinician & patient.The Apollo Genomic Institute in Chennai will host a range of genomic services including genetic evaluation, clinical diagnostics, obstetric genetics, cancer genomics, prenatal genetic screening capabilities and more, empowering patients with information to manage and prevent genetic disorders.Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson of Apollo Hospitals Group, said “India is a highly diverse heterogeneous country, and as a result, genomic medicine could have transformative potential. With decreasing infant mortality rates, genetic disorders are emerging as an important group of diseases. According to a 2021 report by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the number of diseases in India that are globally recognized as rare diseases encompass from around 7,000 to 8,000 disorders. Today, as our population gets more health conscious, we’re also seeing increased awareness amongst individuals around the value of genomic tests in the prevention and diagnosis of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and genetic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disorders amongst others. The expansion of the Genomics Institute is a critical step towards the prevention and management of NCDs, which continues to be a significant public health challenge in India and around the world”.Ms. Suneeta Reddy, MD, Apollo Hospitals Group, said “At Apollo, we believe that patients need to be brought to the forefront of the decision-making process with regard to their health journey. Constantly increasing availability of real-world data sources coupled with patient-centric analytics offer deeper insights into how they are diagnosed, treated and beyond. Genomics is one such area. On the back of increasing NCDs, the greater availability of patient-level data helps practitioners better understand the patient journey. This also enables personalization in medicine by leveraging genetic insights , thus immensely impacting decisions made regarding the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases. At Apollo Genomics Institute, our focus on preventive care and personalized medicine underscores our commitment to a more resilient and healthier society.”India has 20 per cent of the world’s global population, it only contributes to 0.2 per cent of the global genetic database. Apollo Genomic Network is planning to launch a genomic variant database to collate and secure the genomic data generated in a secure manner. The Pan-Apollo Genomics Network is also actively involved in academics and research activities. AGI holds weekly case discussions, peer-to-peer learning, monthly Grand rounds and Journal club and Healthcare Seminar series. As NCDs continue to be one of the leading causes of death and suffering, contributing to 65 per cent of deaths in India, Apollo is committed to making preventive healthcare a national priority. The ultimate goal of the Apollo Genomics Institutes is to transform the future of healthcare in India by providing access to precision & personalized medical care. 

In a special effort to celebrate the heroism of transplant recipients and showcase sustained support to patients beyond the treatment cycle, Apollo Hospitals is sponsoring the journey of former patient and star sportsperson, Mr. Sumeer Kumar, to the World Transplant Games in Australia this month. The World Transplant Games is the world’s largest awareness event and sporting platform for transplant communities.Mr. Sumeer Kumar is a professional sportsperson who has excelled in cricket, badminton and athletics. However, he has endured a two-decade-old battle with various medical conditions. At the peak of his cricketing career, he was diagnosed with acute kidney failure. Respiratory infections while on a high-altitude training programme some years later affected his kidneys again. He has since faced multiple critical surgeries, including open heart procedures, at Apollo Hospitals. The pandemic brought more criticality as he suffered a paralytic attack from a stroke. But with ongoing support and care of Apollo Hospitals, as well as his determination and resilience, Mr. Sumeer overcame the odds and became an inspiration to the transplant community.Dr Venkatesh Rajkumar, Senior Consultant – Nephrologist, Apollo Hospitals, said, “Apollo Hospitals is pleased to sponsor Sumeer Kumar’s journey to the World Transplant Games in Australia. We feel it is vital for us to go beyond the treatment cycle and connect with patients in a way where we can meaningfully impact their lives. Sumeer is also the sole representative at the Games from Tamil Nadu. This sponsorship effort is an opportunity for us to showcase heroes from our country on international platforms.”Mr. Sumeer Kumar, the kidney transplant survivor and volunteer with the Kidney Warriors Foundation and a Holistic Wellness Coach, said, “I am honoured that Apollo Hospitals has been an integral part of my journey for many years and am grateful for their immense support. This sponsorship opportunity is an impetus for me to rise to even greater heights. The grand gesture, apart from the expertise of the doctors and their human touch during the treatment programme, will remain etched in my heart. I hope that my story will inspire others like me to surge ahead and strengthen the narrative for transplant survivors.”The Games will see participation by 2500 sportspersons from over 50 countries. The Gift of Life Baton, a new symbol of organ donation, will be presented to the World Transplant Games in Perth this year.

Apollo Hospitals took a significant step towards raising awareness about the increasing influenza cases and the potential consequences of long COVID by organising the Apollo Chest Summit 2023 on March 26, 2023. The event was inaugurated by Ms. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson of the Apollo Hospitals Group.The Summit was spearheaded by Dr R Narasimhan, a Senior Respiratory Physician and head of the Endobronchial Ultrasound and Bronchial Thermoplasty Services. Its main goal was to promote understanding and treatment of respiratory diseases while fostering a research culture that is dedicated to the subject. Distinguished experts in the field of Respiratory Medicine participated in the Summit, where they exchanged insights on recent outbreaks of influenza, the potential impact of long COVID, and the latest advances in Pulmonology interventions.Ms. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson of Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “It is important for healthcare leaders to be prepared for new challenges presented by the pandemic. We, at Apollo Hospitals have been closely monitoring new strains of the virus and implementing cutting-edge treatments, surgical procedures, and interventions to stay ahead of the curve. The Apollo Chest Summit 2023 is a fantastic platform to demonstrate our preparedness, expertise, and rigour in healthcare delivery, particularly during times of disaster.During the Summit, doctors discussed the current influenza strain in India, which is a combination of influenza A and B, making it highly contagious and challenging to treat. Dr. Suresh Kumar, an Infectious Diseases Specialist at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai highlighted the link between influenza and long COVID, stating that viral pneumonia is one of the leading causes of mortality. He noted that vaccinations can prevent interstitial lung diseases and severe viral infections that cause morbidity and mortality.Dr. Ajay Narasimhan highlighted the advanced facilities offered in robotic thoracic surgery. He emphasized that these interventions significantly reduce pain and improve patient satisfaction, aligning with Apollo Hospitals’ cutting-edge approach to healthcare.

Hyderabad, July 28th, 2019: Hepatitis Awareness Bicycle Ride, hosted by Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, to raise awareness about Hepatitis, on the occasion of World Hepatitis Day – July 28th, was flagged off by Mr Y. Subramanyam, CEO, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad on Sunday. Dr KS Soma Sekhar Rao and Dr Naveen Polavarapu, Sr. Consultant Medical Gastroenterologists, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, & Dr Manish C. Varma, Chief Transplant Surgeon, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad participated in the awareness ride along with patients, doctors and 300 enthusiastic bicycle riders.World Hepatitis Day is marked to celebrate the progress made in viral hepatitis elimination. It also serves as an opportunity for the general public, affected the community, medical professionals and policymakers to come together to asses and work with greater vigour for the elimination of the disease.Viral hepatitis kills more than 1.34 million people each year, which is more than HIV/AIDs or Malaria. There is a cure for hepatitis ‘C’ and a vaccine along with effective treatment for hepatitis ‘B’, therefore the 4,000 deaths each day caused by viral hepatitis are entirely preventable, says Dr KS Soma Sekhar Rao, Consultant Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist, Apollo Hospitals. In 2016, every country in the world signed up to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030, currently, only 12 countries are on track to do this, he adds.Currently, 290 million people live with viral hepatitis completely unaware of it, one of the key reasons for this is lack of awareness about the disease. This global health crisis needs to be highlighted to help save lives and Many Livers, Dr Naveen Polavarapu, Consultant, Gastroenterologist and Transplant Hepatologist, Apollo Hospitals.Telangana and Andhra Pradesh also have pockets of the high prevalence of both Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. Encouraging Voluntary testing for everyone to know their status is the way out, says Dr Soma Sekhar Rao.

About the UnionThe mission of International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) is to bring innovation, expertise, solutions and support to address health challenges in low and middle-income populations. Headquartered in Paris, The Union is the only international voluntary scientific organisation with partners providing a neutral platform to fight TB, HIV, asthma, tobacco and lung disease.  Established in 1920, The Union today is both a non-profit institute with five scientific departments and several offices worldwide; and a federation of close to 3,000 organisations and individuals. Its scientific departments focus on tackling major health challenges including: Tuberculosis, HIV, Lung health (including Child Lung Health), Non-communicable diseases, and Tobacco Control. Technical assistance, research, education and advocacy form the core of The Union’s activities and support to more than 170 countries and programmes across the world.The Union is most widely known for developing the DOTS (Directly Observed Treatment, Short Course) strategy for treating and controlling tuberculosis. Internationally recommended and adopted by the World Health Organization, The Union model has been used to treat 37 million people around the world. For more information, please see www.theunion.org.About The Union South-East AsiaBased in New Delhi, The Union South-East Asia Office (USEA) works in India and other countries across the region, drawing on a network of consultants and strong partnerships with governments, civil society, corporations and international agencies. Established in 2003 as The Union’s first regional office, today it brings global experience and expertise to its work as well as efficiency and energy to The Union’s services across the region. USEA has a dedicated staff with technical expertise which reflects the Union’s emphasis on tuberculosis, HIV, lung health, tobacco control, non-communicable diseases and research.Since 2009, USEA has managed Project Axshya, a Global Fund supported project designed to enhance access to TB services by vulnerable and marginalised populations in 300 districts across 21 states of India. Other key projects include tobacco control efforts in India, Nepal and Bangladesh through the Bloomberg Initiative to reduce tobacco use; and the Eli-Lilly supported project to expand sustainable TB control in India. USEA also coordinates trainings to build capacity in the management of TB and MDR-TB, operational research, programme management and other skills.About The Union – Apollo Partnership ProjectEngaging all relevant health-care providers in tuberculosis care and control through public-private and public-public mix approaches is an essential component of the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) Stop TB Strategy. The Union in collaboration with the Lilly MDR-TB partnership is implementing a project to systematically involve private health care providers in delivering effective and quality TB services in India.Nearly 50% of TB patients in India are treated in the private sector with most of them neither being notified nor followed up for treatment adherence with a high risk of unfavourable outcomes and amplification of resistance.To address these challenges The Union in partnership with Apollo Hospital Hyderabad has developed a web-based software application to facilitate notification to the National TB Programme and provide treatment adherence support to TB patients treated in the private sector. The software links the private health facility with GoI’s TB notification portal Nikshay and simultaneously supports TB patients for treatment adherence through messages, interactive voice calls and counselling services.TB patients diagnosed and initiated on treatment at the hospital are registered into the software which automatically notifies to Nikshay. This software also provides treatment adherence support to patients through daily reminder SMS (short message service) and twice a week IVRC (interactive voice response calls) which records patients’ response on treatment regularity. The sms and IVRC are available in patient’s preferred language. In addition to the daily reminder for taking medication there are reminders for follow up visits. Patients who miss doses or do not respond to IVRC or do not come for follow up visits are followed up by a trained counsellor.Results of the pilot studyDuring June 2015 – March 2016, 200 TB patients have been registered in the pilot project. These include 146 extra-pulmonary (73%) and 54 pulmonary (27%), 10 patients have multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB). 116 (58%) are male.Of the 200 patients registered 32 have successfully completed treatment while the remaining are still on treatment.NotificationAll 200 patients have been successfully notified to Nikshay.Impact of patient support package- Reminders through SMS/IVRSOf the 200 patients, 165 (82%) agreed for receiving SMS and IVRC. Analysis of ~3600 IVR calls shows that 95% have taken all doses and 5% missed one or more dose. All Patients who missed doses were counseled telephonically.Feedback from patients on IVRS/SMSFeedback was taken from the 165 patients on SMS/IVRS. 95% remembered having received daily sms in the last 7 days. 90% remembered that they have received and responded to at least 1 IVR calls in the last 7 days.Nearly 90% of the patients found the sms to be very helpful in reminding about drug intake and desired to continue continue receiving them. Over 90% patients did not find any problem in responding to the IVR calls and found them to be useful. 80% wanted to continue with twice a week IVR calls while 20% wanted a reduced frequency (1 call per week).CostThe total cost of daily sms and twice a week IVR calls for a period of 6 months (normal duration of TB treatment) is only Rs 120/- (less than US $2).Conclusion:Results from the pilot indicate that web based software with the patient support package developed is successfully notifying TB patients into Nikshay in real time.95% of the patients who are receiving treatment adherence support (sms and IVR calls) are adhering to treatment. Most of the patients (90%) find the sms and IVR reminders useful and would like to continue receiving them.The pilot shows that this is an efficient and cost effective model to facilitate notification and treatment adherence of TB patients in the private sector. The software is open source and can be easily customized to integrate with the hospitals Management Information System (MIS). There are encouraging results from Apollo Hospital, thus this notification adherence system is being scaled in other hospitals.  

Baby Salama 4.5 years had grown up this far without chocolates or milk. She had OTC deficiency, a rare metabolic disorder, wherein the liver lacks enzymes required for processing proteins. As a result, she would become unconscious everytime she would eat proteins in her diet. Doctors advised her to undergo liver transplantation as that was the only way she could have normal life. Her parents consulted at various centres in and outside Hyderabad and decided to get her treatment done at Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. As there were no suitable donors in the family, she was put on the waitlist for a cadaver organ. The most likely possibility was a split liver transplant, where an adult liver from a brain dead person is divided into two parts and the smaller one is given to a child. However, on 22nd July the organs of a brain dead child were made available through Jeevandan Scheme of Telangana, and the liver was offered to Baby Salama.  The doctors at Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills decided that the liver was an appropriate match and the Liver Transplant was carried out on 23rd July 2015. The operation was carried out by a team of Specialists led by Dr. Manish C. Varma, Chief Transplant Surgeon at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad. The baby recovered uneventfully after the operation and was moved out of the ICU after 3 days and was discharged on 12th post-operative day.Paediatric Liver Transplantation requires advanced infrastructure and well qualified staff who are specialised for dealing with critical paediatric patients. Apart from a meticulous surgery, the biggest challenge is the intensive care in the post-operative period. The margin of error in paediatric liver transplant patients is extremely narrow and the management has to be coordinated like clockwork. The post operative care of the baby was done by a team of specialists and critical care doctors including Dr. Manjunath (Intensivist), Dr. Sahoo (Intensivist), Dr. Meena Trehan (Pediatric critical care specialist), Dr. Shweta Priyadarshini (Pediatric Nephrlologist), Dr. Sunita Narreddy (Infectiuos Diseases specialist), and Dr. Ravi Shanker (Endocrinologist). Speaking about the operation, Dr. Anurag Shrimal (Liver Transplant Surgeon) said , “ it is difficult to find appropriate size organs for small babies and hence, closing the abdomen after the fitting the new liver in is always a challenge. We have used a new technique of using composite graft wherein closure becomes very easy”.Dr. Varma noted that Liver Transplantation is a complex multidisciplinary exercise which requires proficient medical and nursing staff and excellent support from other departments like Nutrition and Physiotherapy. The Liver Transplant programme at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad has a success rate of over 97%, which is not only the best in India, but also one of the best in the world. The transplant program routine carries out mute-organ transplantation like Combined Liver-Kidney and Simultaneous Kidney-Pancreas Transplantation. World over, Paediatric Liver Transplantation is carried out in a chosen few centres and not all liver transplant centres offer these services. Children with a various disorders like biliary atresia, metabolic disorders, and liver tumours, among other causes may need liver transplantation. With superlative success rates, which speaks of a proficient team and excellent infrastructure, the Liver Transplant Program at Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills, is all equipped to undertake complex endeavours. 

Hyderabad, 29th September, 2015: On the occasion of World Heart Day – 29th September, Sr. Cardiologists at Apollo Hospitals including Dr P.C. Rath, Dr. Shiv Kumar, Dr. Manoj Agarwal, Dr Surya Prakash Rao, Dr. P.K. Dhar led by Dr Hari Prasad, CEO – Central, Apollo Hospitals, commemorated the day by releasing balloons representing “Freedom From Heart Disease” at the iconic Buddha Statue at Hussain Sagar. The symbolic release of balloons was done to create awareness about heart diseases and preventive measures.  Apollo Hospitals also launched few novel initiatives to reach out to the people and raise awareness on heart ailments:Any person suspecting of chest pain walking into any Apollo Hospitals will be offered free ECG and review by a consultant, for the next sixty days. Apollo Hospitals with its network of four centers in the city offers state-of-the-art cardiac care. The hospital has four Cath labs and expertise of 56 eminent cardiologist to fall back on.Apollo Heart Check if undergone by an Individual, will be extended an additional free Apollo Heart Check to one of his immediate family member.Speaking on the occasion Dr Hari Prasad said the rapid lifestyle changes, eating habits, lack of physical activity, pollution and stress have impacted our health and heart disease is gaining serious proportions. Incidence of heart disease has acquired epidemic dimensions, with alarming number of Indians succumbing to the disease. Youth falling victims to this disease at a ripe age is a matter of grave concern, he said.Dr. P.C. Rath, Senior Cardiologist, Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills, said 80% of premature deaths from heart disease could be avoided if risk factors like unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and tobacco usage could be controlled. He said, its sad that in two decades time the cardiac patient profile has changed for worse, earlier the aged with heart disease were brought to doctors by their younger relatives, today it’s the younger lot with heart ailments are being brought to the hospital by their elderly, that too in big numbers. It’s time we banish this disease from our midst by adopting to healthy living, he said.

Apollo Hospitals forays into Homecare Dr. Prathap C Reddy launches Apollo Homecare operations in Hyderabad, Chennai and DelhiApollo Homecare to ramp up its services to 13 more cities in the next fifteen monthsHyderabad, October, 2015: Apollo Hospitals group is venturing into homecare leveraging its domain strength to make high quality integrated healthcare accessible to the community at large and more specifically to the elderly, chronically ill patients, post-surgery recovery patients etc., who would receive personalized attention from well- trained and qualified healthcare care providers right within the comfortable environs of their homes. With experience of over 500+ home based care patients of diverse clinical conditions, Apollo Hospitals is geared to render homecare services in India. The Group announced the National launch of Apollo Homecare services in Hyderabad, Delhi and Chennai on Saturday at Hyderabad. By the end of next year, Apollo Homecare will rapidly spread its operations to 13 more cities. Apollo Homecare services can be reached by dialing itsnational homecare hub number 1860-500-8585.  Marking this milestone, Dr. Dr. Prathap C Reddy, unveiled the logo and launched the website, at its debut press conference at Hyderabad today. Launching the “Apollo Homecare” initiative- Dr.Prathap .C.Reddy Chairman Apollo Group expressed that Home based quality Healthcare will play a very significant role in the healthcare Industry in India in this decade. Dr.Reddy mentioned that continuity of care is fundamental for better outcomes in healthcare-Apollo Homecare will sustain this continuum beyond the hospitals into the community through Apollo Homecare. This actually could be transformational as it is a win-win situation for all stakeholders – it is convenient and comfortable Patients and their families; it would reduce the “Average length of stay “(ALOS) of the patients for Hospitals and reduce the outgo for the Health Insurance companies. He is hopeful of Health Insurance companies favourably considering reimbursement for Home based healthcare services. Raising concern about the growing geriatric population in India, Dr.Reddy emphasized that the Elderly parents both the domestic and NRI dependents are the ones who need to be taken care of with utmost sensitivity and regular monitoring to avoid falls at home and also for better management of pre-existing conditions . Dr.Reddy also mentioned that remote monitoring through technology will play an significant role in home based healthcare services.Apollo Homecare’s Home Partnership programs are well researched and evidence based care plans to cater to the needs of broad categories of ELDERLY CARE, CHRONIC ILLNESS CARE, POST SURGERY CARE, POST HOSPITAL DISCHARGE CARE and HOME SPECIALTY CARE.Apollo Homecare will providing end to end, reliable and professional home healthcare through its Home Visit, Home partnership and Home Nursing programs. Apollo has currently 500+ Homecare professionals operating out of the three cities, with various skill levels and has showcased evidence based outcomes in critical services such as HOME BASED ICUsalso.Highlighting the partnership programs which are delivered through a multidisciplinary team guided by a specialist physician, Dr.Mahesh Joshi, CEO –Apollo Homecare mentioned that these care plan-based programs are aimed at chronic illness management in partnership with the family members to prevent adverse outcomes, unwanted hospital visits or admissions. Further elaborating on the need for quality homecare systems in India, Dr. Joshi said that there is a dearth of serious providers, who can cater to the“clinical excellence” at home in India. Dr.Joshi explained that Apollo Homecare will be supported by four centers of excellence namely Homecare Management , Homecare Hub ,Homecare Clinical Excellence and Homecare Learning Center.Talking about remarkable recovery of a 23 year old road accident victim Mr. Shivcharan reddy, Dr. Joshi said “ when we took this patient, he was totally paralysed, today he can write his mother’s name and we recently removed the tracheostomy tube.” Shiv Charan’s parents, are extremely happy at their son being taken care of at home.Ms.Sangita Reddy, Joint MD of Apollo Hospitals stated that Apollo always strives to address the unmet needs in the healthcare domain in India and homecare was but the natural progression in the Apollo’s journey. Explaining the manifold significance of homecare, she said, “Apollo Homecare is an option for people who need to seek viable alternatives to hospital-based care particularly for long term care or disease management with an assurance of the Quality care being delivered.Talking about Apollo advantage she said, “While there are lot of players in the market and lot more players who are about to launch, the major differentiation that Apollo Homecare has to offer would be “CLINICAL EXCELLENCE IN CARE. Starting from shadowing the patient post surgery at the hospital, smooth transfer of the patient to home and making the environment conducive at home, Apollo Homecare has the capability to handle the most critical cases at home.” Illustrating this point, she spoke about Mr. Babu Rao, who had less than 5% chances of survival. However, Apollo Homecare has successfully turned around the COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder) case and today Mr. Babu Rao leads a normal and healthy life although he remains with an Oxygen concentrator at home.Highlighting the APOLLO EDGE, Ms. Reddy shared the roadmap of Apollo homecare with presence in all tier- 1 cities by the end of the year and another 13 tier -2 cities during next year. Apollo targets to touch over a 100000 lives in the first year of its operations.Mr. Harshad Reddy, Director, Apollo Homecare, unveiled the Apollo Homecare KIT bag and flagged off the Apollo Homecare Van. Mr. Harshad said , “ With its distributed model of call taking, Apollo Homecare has localized the approach to homecare and the local teams are enabled for the Clinical excellence and would be working very closely with the base hospitals.”While Apollo Homecare will largely focus on HOME PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM with Short term and Long term home based care, which will be physician and nurse led; Apollo will also be handling HOME BASED INVESTIGATIONS, HOME VACCINATION PROGRAMS and MEDICINES DELIVERY.Apollo Homecare will leverage the Apollo group network of hospitals, retail pharmacy, Clinics and Diagnostic Services along with the backup of its Emergency 1066 services to provide comprehensive, reliable and end to end services for its homecare patients.