Eastern India’s first dedicated comprehensive Bone Marrow Transplant Unit was launched by Dr. Preetha Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group at Apollo Gleneagles Cancer Hospital, the only super specialty Cancer hospital in the region. The stem cells in our bone marrow produce blood cells essential for survival. When it is sick and unable to produce the normal healthy blood cells, a patient is considered for a bone marrow transplant where the diseased marrow is replaced with healthy marrow. The Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Apollo Gleneagles Cancer Hospital is the only dedicated comprehensive BMT in the region. The key features of the BMT unit are: Internationally renowned BMT Physicians with expertise in high risk allogeneic transplantation Dedicated team of Specialized Nurses, Technicians, Pharmacists, Dieticians , Social Workers, Co-coordinators and specialized support staff 6-bedded state-of-the-art BMT unit Pre and post-BMT counseling and support services HLA-Typing laboratory and flow cytometry stem cell counting Unrelated Cord Blood Transplantation for suitable candidates in collaboration with Public Cord Blood Bank of STEMCYTE, USA Real-Time PCR for diagnosing post-BMT infections Harvesting and storage of blood stem cells for BMT at a later date Multi-disciplinary support services of a 425-bedded JCI accredited multispeciality hospital Patient and family education and support Dr. Preetha Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group said during the launch, “”Apollo Hospitals have been the frontrunners in providing the best cancer care in the country. Our hospitals are known for introducing new technologies and the team of cancer specialists are relentlessly offering their expertise and services to help our thousands of patients who need world class cancer care. We are committed to bring all treatment modalities to fight cancer in our hospitals””. She also added, “”Apollo Gleneagles Cancer Hospital started its journey in the month of March 2010 and within this short span it has already become the one step destination for cancer care in the eastern region. Bone Marrow Transplant is a very intensive therapy and requires a highly dedicated Transplant Team. We are very confident that our BMT program will help immensely to the cancer patients of the region””. The Bone Marrow Transplant team at Apollo Gleneagles Cancer Hospital is led by Dr Suparno Chakrabarti, one of the world renowned bone marrow transplant specialists and has been involved in evolving newer modalities of bone marrow transplantations for over a decade. Among present during the launch were Dr Rupali Basu, CEO – Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Dr V R Ramanan, Director Medical Services (Eastern Region) and Lt Gen (Retd) Dr Saibal Mukherjee, Director of Oncology Services at Apollo Gleneagles Cancer Hospital.

After the Marketing Campaign of The Year award at the World Brand Congress 2010, BHB is a proud winner in the Corporate Social Responsibility Practice category, at the 5th Indy’s Awards 2011. The Indy’s Awards Ceremony is a showcase event held annually to honour the best talents for outstanding performance in the field of marketing, PR, advertising & branding. Luminaries of the Indian advertising, marketing and communication world feature at this prestigious event. The Indy’s Awards are organized by CMO Council, USA to recognize excellence in categories such as Mass Communications, Marketing Communications, Public Relations, and Advertising & Branding. This time, in its 5th year, Indy’s announced a new awards category – Corporate Social Responsibility practice. This new category was a natural fit for the imperatives of the BHB Campaign, which has engaged individuals across the country and increased awareness about heart disease. The ‘do good’ intent of the BHB campaign has been amply demonstrated through the screening camps and topical interventions (such as those at the World Heart Day and World Diabetes Day), which have kept the campaign fresh and interesting. Out of the hundreds of entries that were received, a total of 103 awards were given out, across all the categories. Joint winners in our category include Hexaware Technologies, Mahindra Finance, UCB, Coal India, Max India Foundation & MCX Commodity Exchange. Being acknowledged along with stalwarts of the Indian CSR space by an independent, professional and eminent forum such as the CMO council is a vindication of our Chairman’s vision and also the fresh, warm and conversational approach that the campaign has employed over the past year. In the period ahead, the BHB team will work actively to take the campaign to every Indian family and visualize Chairman Dr. Prathap Reddy’s vision of reversing the burden of heart disease in India. Visit www.billionheartsbeating.com. Take the pledge to save your heart. Spread the message, you have the power to touch over a billion lives.

Apollo Hospital Chennai’s newest initiative for Cancer patients. Apollo Specialty Cancer Hospital, inaugurated a special “”Sunshine Store”” – a retailer shop catering to the needs of cancer patients. The store was inaugurated by renowned South Indian Actress, Gowthami. It has all the things that would make the journey to better health just that much easier. Speaking on the event, Gowthami commented, “This is really a very beautiful and thoughtful initiative by Apollo which will lead the way for cancer patients for a better tomorrow. Cancer is a disease which not only affects our health but also our hearts and families. I am extremely happy and proud to be a part of this lovely activity and would urge everyone to spread awareness on this.” Products Available: Wigs – The Sunshine Store has on display a variety of wigs in different styles, colours and lengths. The store also has the expert services of a professional to take measurements according to individual needs. A proper wig goes a long way in helping overcome their insecurity regarding the loss of hair. Breast prosthesis – Breast prosthesis are available on display, and there are experts on call when required to attend to and counsel patients who get embarrassed to discuss the loss of an important body part. It is always a huge help and relief to know that the product is available in the hospital premises itself. Pressure garments – Pressure garments and stockings help immensely in post operative conditions. They prevent swelling or can be utilized in case of grafting during mastectomy. The Sunshine Store is a great place to pick the best quality product. Gowns – There are patients who prefer to use their own gowns for radiation treatment and reviews. The Sunshine Store is sensitive to this need. It stocks two different sizes for the Patients Scarves – It is common knowledge that hair falls as a result of chemotherapy. Patients especially ladies prefer to wear scarves to ward off the cold and also for aesthetic reasons. A wide range of scarves are available to meet this frequent requirement Inner wear – Following mastectomy, patients often prefer to wear appropriate innerwear to boost their morale. The range available at the Sunshine store is both of superior quality and more importantly easily available. Its availability in a familiar environment is a huge advantage to cancer patients. CDs – The world over some of the smartest minds are working relentlessly to decode cancer, to demystify it and make it more curable. All this wealth of knowledge is now available in various books and CDs. The Sunshine Store has a comprehensive library of CDs to educate patient about the various aspects of chemotherapy etc.

The Apollo Hospitals, one of the six centres in India to be part of a global trial on using drug-eluting bio-resorbable stents, are the first in Chennai to use the product. The next generation in devices that relieve blood vessel blocks will dissolve within a couple of years. The device works like a regular stent by restoring blood flow to a clogged vessel. It also contains a drug that is slowly released to help the healing process. But what stands out is the fact that the stent dissolves harmlessly inside the blood vessel and restores flexibility of the affected vessel. Dr. Mathew Samuel Kalarickal, Director, Interventional Cardiology, Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, said that the bio-absorbable stent, which initially propped up the blood vessel, aided the healing process and, after a while, disappeared from the body. In this aspect, it scores tremendously over the previous generation of drug-eluting stents that leave the metal support inside the blood vessel, additionally requiring the patient to be on blood-thinner drugs for life. – “Leaving a metal stent in the coronaries always was an anxiety for us, even though the medicated stent has proved its safety and efficacy. It was our wish to have a device that could provide the necessary scaffolding, deliver the medications, and dissolve without leaving any metal trace in the body,- ” Dr. Kalarickal said. Abbott- ’s ABSORB stent is made of polylactide, a bio-compatible material being used in dissolving sutures. The product, which was currently available for coronary vessel use only, had received the CE mark of approval in Europe and this would allow it to be marketed, Dr. Kalarickal said. Dr. Sai Satish, consultant interventional cardiologist, Apollo Hospitals, explained that the hospital had implanted the stent successfully in two male patients with coronary artery disease, having been chosen to be part of the ABSORB EXTEND global trial to study the use of the product in about 1,000 patients at 100 centres. To date, up to 200 patients have received the device, including 30 patients who have had the device put in four years ago. The study showed that patients who had the stent experienced no blood clots due to the presence of the foreign body, and that the treated vessels were able to expand and contract without being restricted by a permanent implant — indicating that the device had dissolved. Apollo Hospitals Chairman Dr. Pratap C Reddy said the stent was part of the group’s endeavour to use cutting-edge technology to give the best possible outcomes for coronary artery disease.

A revolutionary textbook on Surgical Oncology, dealing with the fundamental principles, evidence based approaches and emergent technologies was released by Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals. The book has been edited and compiled by Dr. David L Bartlett, Dr. Pragatheeshwar Thirunavukarasu and Dr. Mathew D Neal, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Pittsburgh, USA. The first copy of the book was received by Pariventhar Thiru. T.R.Pachamuthu, Chancellor, SRM University. The first chapter of the book has been authored by the iconic figure in cancer research, Dr. Bernard Fisher, after whom is named the commonly known “ Fisher Concept of Cancer”, a concept that explains how cancer spreads. Its the first book with a Level of Evidence table at the end of each chapter. The first copy of this book was seen by Former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Dr. Kalam expressed exuberant encouragement and appreciation on the groundbreaking work being done by Dr. Pragatheeshwar and his team on the gene therapy for cancer. In his speech at a medical convention, Dr. Kalam said,“Today I received an email from Dr Pregatheeswar Thirunavukarasu, from University of Pittsburg, USA, who recently came to address the Science Congress at Chennai. He is an expert in gene therapy and has found a gene therapy for cancer. The results of his work are published in many reputed peer-reviewed scientific journals. The early results are very promising, but there is a long way for them to go. He and his team are working on many ideas to fine-tune the function of vaccinia virus and make it more effective and safe. ” He further added,“They are looking for opportunities to increase awareness and interest among the medical community in India and other countries about this method of cancer therapy, so that more research and clinical trials will happen. My greetings to him and his team for the success. If this successfully comes up, certainly there is a great revolution in cancer management.” The book comprises contributions of 40 authors from the USA, including experts in their respective fields. This is the first ever book in oncology which has a Level of Evidence table at the end of each chapter which lists down the strength of scientific evidence available for each procedure or treatment that is practiced. Such information is priceless in an era of evidence-based medicine. There is one exclusive chapter for Robotic surgery in the book, which would be the future of Surgical Oncology. Speaking at the launch, Dr. Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman Apollo Hospitals Group said,“This pathbreaking book enlightens one on several aspects of cancer research. It can lead and steer many more future researches in understanding cancer and developing innovative and futuristic therapies. Apollo Hospitals is committed to making every type of Cancer curable and my teams pursue this goal relentlessly. In India, almost 35% of the world’s cancer population resides and cognizant of this statistic, Apollo Hospitals has stepped up efforts for the prevention of cancer, early detetction of cancer and is forefront of developing innovative protocols to treat cancer. On this momentous occasion, I convey my heartiest congratulations to Dr. Pragatheeshwar and his team for having brought upon this commendable work to India. This is indeed an opportunity for the medical fraternity in India to raise the bar in cancer surgery and treatment.” Dr. Pragatheeshwar, who has pioneered this project, said,“This book has been specially crafted to educate and update oncologists in India on the latest evidence, technologies and the future of cancer surgery. It is a text book which has been supported by Level of Evidence tables so as to provide enough research-based approaches to cancer care. Dr. Bartlett’s team and I have been working on a particular therapy named Vaccinia Oncolytic Gene Therapy, which is still in the stages of testing and fool proofing. We hope that through the collaborations with the healthcare pioneer in India, Apollo Hospitals, we will be able facilitate more studies and trials on these futuristic technologies. ”

ICICI Lombard Health Insurance and CNBC-TV18 announced the winners of the first ever India Healthcare Awards 2010 – India’s unique initiative recognizing the best Indian Healthcare Providers. Apollo Hospitals bags the – “”India’s Most Preferred Hospital””- Viewer’s Choice Award and Apollo Hospitals Chennai wins the third best Hospital in India award. ICICI Lombard General Insurance, India’s largest private sector general insurer and CNBC-TV18, India’s biggest business medium today announced the winners of ‘India Healthcare Awards 2010’. These awards are a first-of-its-kind in the country that recognizes and honors the best medical service providers in India. The winners were felicitated at a gala awards ceremony in Mumbai by Mr. Dinesh Trivedi, Honorable Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare. The India Healthcare Awards 2010 aims at recognizing the achievements of the best Indian Health Care Providers who have undoubtedly extended best infrastructural facilities, excellent in-house services to the patients and have provided holistic care for the well-being on an individual. The awards witnessed the presence of the Indian Healthcare community, leaders and representatives from Indian private and government organizations, policy makers and important luminaries from sectors affiliated to the industry. The ICICI Lombard Health Insurance and CNBC-TV18 India Healthcare Awards 2010 received an overwhelming response with around 2000 applicants from India’s biggest hospitals from all parts of the country. The best hospitals were chosen based on a robust three phased research methodology commissioned by CNBC-TV18, sponsored by ICICI Lombard Health Insurance and conducted by IMRB International, pioneers of Indian market research who were also the knowledge partners for these awards. For more details, visit http://www.dishtracking.com/blog/2010/12/cnbc-tv18-announces-winners-of-india-healthcare-awards-2010

Apollo Health Street, a developer of world-class solutions that tackle healthcare’s toughest financial challenges, recently announced a new partnership to provide Apollo’s Full Business Office program to the Roxborough Memorial Hospital. Roxborough Memorial Hospital is a 141-bed community hospital. The hospital has been serving the medical and health care needs of the Roxborough, Manayunk, East Falls and northwest section of Philadelphia communities for more than a century, having first opened its doors in 1890. Roxborough Memorial Hospital’s School of Nursing has been educating nurses since 1898. The hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency. Roxborough Memorial Hospital is part of Solis Healthcare. Over the next five years, Apollo’s healthcare experts will be responsible for office site management that will include the oversight of electronic and manual billing, patient account follow-up, correspondence processing, payment and remittance posting, reconciliation and follow-up, financial counseling, self pay patient and account follow-up, patient accounting customer service, and clinical denials. “”Our comprehensive Full Business Office solution meets Roxborough’s need to address aging accounts receivable and improve cash collections. We believe the hospital will quickly realize results that enhance their bottom line,”” said Karen Ferrell, President and CEO of Apollo Health Street. Using technology and healthcare experts, Apollo will streamline patient interactions including pre-registration data collection, eligibility, billing, insurance follow-up, and self pay collections using a comprehensive approach. As a result, Roxborough will increase compliance, maximize appropriate billings and improve cash flow. “”We are confident that teaming with Apollo and utilizing their expertise will allow us to increase cash flow and remain focused on providing excellent patient care,”” said Tony Esposito, Chief Financial Officer at Roxborough Memorial Hospital.

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals launched Novalis Tx – a major advancement treating cancer. The technology was unveiled by the Delhi Chief Minister, Smt. Sheila Dikshit, in the presence of Dr Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group. Novalis Tx is an advanced form of radiotherapy and radiosurgery that offers a versatile combination of advanced technologies for treatment of tumors and lesions. Novalis Tx is one of the most effective methods of radiotherapy and radio surgery. In sensitive and crucial areas like the brain, pinpoint accuracy is paramount; a conventional radiation treatment can potentially cause severe complications. To overcome this shortcoming, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals has installed the Novalis Tx Radiosurgery and Radiotherapy platform. This advanced equipment shapes the radiation beam precisely to the tumor or lesion, ensuring that the best possible treatment dose is delivered while damage to the healthy tissue is minimized. Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals is one of the very few hospitals in India offering this advanced technology. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said, “Today, Indian hospitals such as Apollo are at par with the best, anywhere in the world in terms of outcomes, doctors and technology. We are honoured that our Chief Minister, Smt. Sheila Dikhsit has inaugurated the first Novalis Tx unit in this part of the country. This latest technology, along with the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, are in line with our mission to provide the highest level of care to our patients.” Standard radiation systems use fixed shape beams to treat tumors and lesions. Most tumors are irregular in shape, so the conventional dose cannot completely conform to the exact shape which can lead to radiation causing damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. Novalis Tx, with its cutting-edge technology, addresses this limitation in overcoming cancer. “I am delighted to launch the Novalis Tx and the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals today. Apollo Hospitals has done tremendous work in creating awareness about cancer, its burden can be decreased significantly if cases are detected and treated early.” said Smt. Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister, Government of NCT of Delhi. Novalis Tx is an advanced technology which helps in improved and effective treatment of tumors and lesions as it is precise, fast, non-invasive, flexible and offers a good alternative for those patients who are unfit to undergo surgery.Novalis Tx is equipped with sophisticated image-guidance tools and motion management tools that can perform a CT scan of targeted tissues in real-time. It is therefore able to pinpoint the position of the tumor at every movement and move the radiation beam to deliver the required dose accurately, completely and safely. Smt. Sheila Dikshit appreciated the efforts undertaken by Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals to provide state-of-the-art health facilities to the patients.

Billion Hearts Beating, a 360-degree national communication campaign of the Apollo Hospitals Group and The Times of India, won the Global Award for Brand Excellence as the Campaign of The Year Award at the recently concluded World Brand Congress 2010, at Mumbai. In its eighteenth year now, the World Brand Congress is an annual showcase event & is an interface for top executives from brands and marketing organisations worldwide. The agenda of the year was to address the current critical business challenges and also to recognise and reward the best communication campaigns, across various categories. Like every year, an independent jury selected the best campaigns, professionals and organizations of 2010 to be awarded at the “”Global Awards for Brand Excellence”” for excellence in brand building. With nearly 300 entries from around the world across various categories, the jury had a challenging task to shortlist and choose the best ideas that made a difference in communicating the message effectively. Apollo Hospitals’ Billion Hearts Beating was one of the twenty seven ‘Campaigns of The Year’ that were submitted to the jury and after deliberations, made the cut, along with three other campaigns, to be awarded the best marketing Campaign of The Year 2010. Through its Billion Hearts Beating campaign, the Apollo Hospitals Group has been able to make a positive difference to the fight against heart disease in India, by engaging with nearly 100,000 individuals so far and motivating them to make lifestyle changes towards a healthy life. The campaign continues to gather momentum with celebrities, opinion makers and heads of states, all lending their charisma to help the cause of a healthy heart. About Billion Hearts Beating Campaign : Studies over the last 60 years show an alarmingly high rate of coronary heart disease and premature heart disease among Indians. It is estimated that Indians are nearly four times more susceptible to heart attacks than Caucasians, with 25% of attacks happening to people under the age of 40 – unheard of in other populations. While the problem has its roots in lack of regular physical activity, poor blood cholesterol levels, poor eating habits and stress, there is one more reason; a genetic predisposition. Scientific research reveals that Indians are genetically more prone to heart disease, prompting research efforts to identify this mutant gene and neutralize it. Current research has identified 7 risk factors. These 7 together also present the solution, for if these risk factors are addressed, heart disease can be significantly reduced. Communication, it was felt, was the key to addressing these risk factors and increasing general awareness about how heart disease could be countered. Accordingly, Apollo Hospitals Group took the lead in launching a 360-degree campaign, articulated as ‘Billion Hearts Beating’, in partnership with The Times of India, in April 2010. The creative output included press and electronic media and on-ground activation. The campaign achieved the critical mass in terms of engaging people to visit the website to take a pledge for a healthy heart. Contemporary messaging, easy-on-the-eye visuals and simplicity were the defining points in making the campaign effective and memorable.

Cricketer Wasim Akram launched the Sugar Clinic at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi, which offers an integrated solution to manage Diabetes. Sharing his own experience, Akram said, “”I am a diabetic since the age of 29. I have played a lot of cricket after being diagnosed with diabetes. I am 44 now, and all these years what I have learnt is how to manage life to stay fit.”” Dr. Preetha Reddy, Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals Group, spoke on the necessity of tackling the trend of non- communicable diseases, including diabetes. The Sugar clinic is a new development in the treatment process of diabetes that will be offering integrated solution to manage the disease.

Apollo Hospitals Hyderabad launched a state-of-the-art cardiac facility ‘Centre for Advanced Cardiac Care’ (CACC). Announcing this at a press conference Ms Sangita Reddy, Executive Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said that CACC was specially set up to address the ever expanding pandemic of heart disease in Andhra Pradesh. CACC will cater to the needs of the patients from the twin cities and Telangana districts. According to her, the CACC has a dedicated, highly qualified and experienced cardiology and cardiothoracic teams, skilled technologists and support staff ably backed by a modern multi-specialty medical facility. The Center is equipped with state of the art modern flat panel cardiac catheterization laboratory. To provide care on par with the best cardiac facilities in the country, the Center has acquired latest technology including Fractional Flow Reserve (FFR) and Intra vascular ultrasound (IVUS).

Apollo Hospitals is geared to venture into the mobile health space with plans to tie up with telecom operators Aircel and Idea to deliver m-health solutions. The m-health rollout is likely to start in early January 2011, in Tamil Nadu and the North East sector before being expanded to other key cities. The service will be commenced with a core of 100 staffer and tele-centres in Chennai and Kolkata. The expansion of the service will involve opening tele-centres in Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Delhi. We have an initial target of reaching out to an estimated 1.50 million users through the m-health platform.