With the world’s attention continuously focused on the Indian healthcare sector, and this market more dynamic than ever, it is essential for the industry to have an annual platform to recognize the exemplary work done by organizations and individuals for their significant contributions and achievements. Taking this initiative forward, Frost & Sullivan organized its second annual 2010 India Excellence in Healthcare Awards at JW Marriott Hotel, Mumbai. The stalwart honored with the special award Lifetime Achievement Award was Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Executive Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group. Dr. Reddy is the visionary whose vision and efforts resulted in India gaining prominence on the global healthcare map. His path breaking initiatives have brought about a paradigm shift and have made global healthcare companies look at India as an emerging and attractive opportunity; his initiatives have also helped domestic healthcare companies grow and address local needs. His great contribution to the Indian healthcare industry has led to a positive shift in perception of Indian healthcare services at a global level. Apollo Pharmacy was presented with the Healthcare Retail Company of the Year Award, 2010. The panel of judges represented the who’s who from the Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, Medical Technologies, Healthcare Delivery, Healthcare IT and Private Equity Sector.

“Apollo Hospitals and British Medical Journal Group – the media arm of British Medical Association announced a tie-up involving mobile health applications for patients and continuous medical education for doctors and other professionals. According to Dr Prathap C Reddy, chairman of the Apollo Group, the first phase the partnership would provide “”Indianised”” contents from the huge data base of BMJ to doctors through different delivery mechanisms, including the mobile platform, by January next year. “”We are yet to work out the revenue sharing formula with BMJ. For the users, like doctors, it will primarily be on a subscription basis,”” he told mediapersons. Apollo group’s role in the partnership would be to “”Indianise”” the contents from BMJ’s data base and disseminate it through different delivery mechanisms, including some of the hospital group’s in-house platforms. The information, which will also be translated into other Indian languages, will be available to patients through the mobile phone and other mechanisms, including web access and patient leaflets. “

Doctors at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi performed a successful Auditory Brain Implant on a four-year-old girl from Iraq. Fatima Ali came to the hospital on August 25 and was diagnosed with bilateral sensory-neural hearing loss with underdeveloped cochlea. She was unable to hear since birth. On evaluation and pre-assessment it was found that the cochlea of the child was very small and the auditory nerve was also very poorly developed so a cochlea implant was not possible. Dr. Ameet Kishore, ENT and Cochlea Implant Surgeon decided that the only option available was an auditory brain implant. Fatima underwent a nine-hour surgery on August 26 where an electrode array was inserted into the brain stem with the help of Neurosurgeon Dr. Pranav Kumar. The surgery was performed independently by two Indian surgeons and monitored live by a doctor in Melbourne, Australia. A scan done post-surgery confirmed that the implant was in position and all was fine. The child was discharged on September 4 and her implant will be switched on in four weeks, followed by mapping (programming of the implant along with hearing and speech therapy), which will help Fatima hear sounds which she was unaware of before.

Apollo Transplant Programme performs the highest number of organ transplants in India – 534 transplants in less than eight months. Apollo Hospitals performs 537 liver, kidney and heart transplants in 238 days making us the second busiest transplant program in the world. 26th August, 2010 First standalone dialysis centre launched The Apollo Hospitals Group launched the first standalone dialysis centre in Public Private Partnership with Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS). The Apollo Hospitals Group launched the first standalone Dialysis Centre in Public Private Partnership with Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS). At present, of the 1.5 lakh new patients who suffer from end-stage renal failure annually, only 3,500 get kidney transplants and 6,000 undergo dialysis. After realising the demand for this service which is only going to rise in future, CGHS has decided to step into the standalone model for dialysis as a pilot. Present on the occasion were Secretary (Health) Govt. of India, Director General Health Services, Govt. Of India and Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group. The “CGHS Apollo Dialysis Centre” is a pilot project in collaboration with Alliance Medicorp (India) Limited (AML), Chennai, a Joint Venture company of Apollo Health and Lifestyle Ltd. (AHLL) which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited (AHEL).

Apollo Transplant Programme performs the highest number of organ transplants in India – 534 transplants in less than eight months. Apollo Hospitals performs 537 liver, kidney and heart transplants in 238 days making us the second busiest transplant program in the world. 26th August, 2010 Asia’s largest and the most trusted healthcare provider, Apollo Hospitals has performed 534 organ transplants across the nation in less than 8 months in the year 2010. Chairman of the Apollo Hospitals Group, Dr. Prathap C Reddy, today made the formal announcement about this significant achievement. The statistics portray an alarming need for organ transplant in India. According to the estimated statistics, every 3 minutes a patient is added to the list of patients needing a transplant. More than 200,000 Indians require organ transplantation annually, an estimated 20,000 liver transplants are required per year in India. Apollo Hospitals conducted the first successful Kidney Transplant in June 1984 in Chennai, and the first successful bone marrow transplant in July 1995 and the first successful Liver transplant in India in November 1998. From then till now we have conducted a total of 6587 transplants (liver, kidney, heart, liver + kidney, bone marrow). Apollo Transplant Program: Apollo Liver Transplant Centers- Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Kolkata. Bangalore and Hyderabad to be launched in the next 12 months. Apollo Kidney Transplant Centers- Ahemdabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Madurai, Mysore, Vizag, Dhaka, Pune, Ranchi Bilaspur and Ludhiana to be launched in the next 12 months. Figures for 2010: Liver Transplants : 134 Kidney Transplants :398 Heart Transplants :02 Bone Marrow :51 “We have always worked towards the cause of spreading awareness about organ donation so that the patients in need would benefit from it. Driven by patients’ needs and expectations Apollo Hospitals started the Apollo centers of transplant in 1984. In a span of 242 days in 2010, 534 organ transplants have been performed averaging more than two transplants a day” said Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group. By the end of the year Apollo transplant programme will be the busiest transplants programme in the world. “Apollo Hospitals has 12 centers for kidney transplant across the country and four centers for liver transplant in Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Kolkatta. Apollo is planning to establish more kidney and liver centers in the next 12 months. Having established the first successful liver transplant in India we believe we have enough experience to establish liver transplant centers in other locations. This year we have already performed 134 liver transplants” said Dr Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director Apollo Group and Senior Pediatric Gastroenterologist. Also present at the event were Mr. Ranbir Singh, the 500th case of transplant surgery at Apollo Hospitals and baby Sroy Kim, a 19 month Cambodian child who has successfully undergone a liver transplant at Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi. Sroy is the first child in Cambodia to undergo a liver transplant at Apollo Hospitals after his initial surgery at Singapore. “The doctors at the Apollo Hospital were extremely helpful. I feel much better now and this is all because of the efforts of the Apollo Team.” said Mr. Ranbir Singh. The Apollo transplant programme is privileged to have some of the best clinicians in the country. Dr Subash Gupta, Senior Consultant Liver Transplant Surgery, Dr S. N. Mehta, Senior Consultant Kidney Transplant Surgery, Dr. Vijaya Rajkumari, Senior Consultant Kidney Transplant Surgery to name a few have given a new lease of life to those suffering with organ failure. The need of the hour is a proactive attitude towards organ donation. Apollo Hospitals promises to work towards the cause of encouraging organ donation.

Apollo Institute of Hospital Management & Allied Sciences in affiliation with Tamilnadu Dr.M.G.R. Medical University launches 7 new Allied Sciences Courses – A pioneering initiative in Paramedical Education. Marking a first-of-its-kind initiative in Paramedical Education through an innovative Public Private Partnership, Apollo Institute of Hospital Management & Allied Sciences(AIHMAS) in affiliation with Tamilnadu Dr.M.G.R. Medical University launches 7 new Allied Sciences Courses. Marking a first-of-its-kind initiative in Paramedical Education through an innovative Public Private Partnership, Apollo Institute of Hospital Management & Allied Sciences(AIHMAS) in affiliation with Tamilnadu Dr.M.G.R. Medical University launches 7 new Allied Sciences Courses. The Healthcare industry has emerged as a growth engine for the Indian economy contributing substantially to the increase in the GDP. However, against a world average of around 4 hospital beds per person population India lags behind with ratio of 0.7 indicating insufficient healthcare infrastructure in India. The Healthcare manpower to population ratio in India is also very low as compared to the global norms. Dr. Preetha Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “”There is a new wave in healthcare. The industry has been growing at the rate of about 16 percent per annum reaffirming that a future in healthcare in truly healthy. The health sector presently employs 4 Million individuals, making it one of the largest service sectors in the economy. Yet despite these fascinating numbers, the industry is starved for health manpower. In the immediate present, the country needs to double the number of doctors, triple the number of nurses and quadruple the number of paramedics. Consequently, this new partnership forged between AIHMAS and Tamil Dr.M.G.R. Medical University for Paramedical education is a groundbreaking move, encouraging many more such partnerships for the betterment of our nation. Recently the Government of India had taken up significant steps to address the issues of health manpower by its proposal to establish new institutions for Allied Healthcare professionals with an outlay of Rs.1, 156,43 crores. As a first mover, in a path breaking move to address the immense need gap for the health manpower, Tamil Nadu Dr.M.G.R. Medical University took on a pioneering initiative to fulfill the requirements for paramedical professionals by inviting select health care providers to promote programs in Allied Science courses. A preferred partner is AIHMAS, an Apollo Hospitals Group endeavour with close to two decade of experience in health education. Soon the partnership will witness the introduction of 7 new diploma, graduate and postgraduate programs in Allied Sciences which include the following programs: M.Sc: Health Informatics & Telemedicine B.Sc: Physician Assistant, Critical Care Technology, Accident and Emergency Care Technology, Operation Theatre and & Anaesthesia Technology Diploma: Scope Support Technology and Dental Assistance The uniqueness of the combined curriculum is that the partnership will give greater impetus to paramedical education. The courses offered by AIHMAS, an endeavour of Asia’s foremost integrated healthcare provider, Apollo Hospitals and certified by the renowned Tamil Nadu Dr.M.G.R. Medical University will be very valued as it would produce skilled manpower, thereby upgrading the standards of medical service and patient care. The curriculum has been designed to produce industry-ready manpower and will also provide its students with global employment opportunities. AIHMAS was started in the year 1992 with a primary program in Hospital Management to meet the internal requirement of the organization. The institute introduced Allied Science courses in the year 1999 to train technicians in different discipline. Presently AIHMAS runs the courses in the following streams: MBA in Health Service Management PG Diploma – Allied Science Courses Radiology & Imaging Technology Radiotherapy Technology Cardiac Non-Invasive Technology Medical Laboratory Technology Dialysis Technology Perfusion Technology Intensive Care Technology Medical Records Technology Operation Theatre Technique (For Tech) The Backward class Welfare Department of the Tamil Nadu Government is also funding the institute with grants to offer free courses for the backward community. The institute also offers need based short term certificate courses for colleges.

Apollo Hospitals set up stem cell facility Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd., is focusing on stem cell therapy. The company, tied up with US based StemCyte today and would together invest $15 million to set up a stem cell facility besides conducting research development activities at its Hyderabad centre. Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd., is focusing on stem cell therapy. The company, tied up with US based StemCyte today and would together invest $15 million to set up a stem cell facility besides conducting research development activities at its Hyderabad centre. Stem cells can be sourced from umbilical cord blood and bone marrow and are used in medical therapies. They can be grown and transformed into specialized cells for future therapies. “The idea is to undertake intensive research and provide personalised medicine in future for patients. It’s a 50:50 joint venture and will carry out research in several areas including chronic stroke, spinal cord injury and muscular dystrophy,” said Dr Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group. The upcoming facility, which will focus on stem cell culturing, trials and research, will be the fourth such unit for StemCyte. It currently has three facilities, one each in the US, Hong Kong and South Korea. Apollo also said it has also tied up with Quintiles to start clinical trials unit at Apollo Health City in Hyderabad. It had earlier announced $10 million investment in this venture. The company is waiting for regulatory approvals to conduct first in human (FIH) studies.

INFECTION CONTROL AT APOLLO -EXCELLENCE IN EVERY STEP. Read the Apollo Infection Control Programme that follows the highest Standards of Excellence in Infection Control Protcols and Best Practices. INFECTION CONTROL AT APOLLO -EXCELLENCE IN EVERY STEP. Apollo Hospitals has had a robust infection control program for many years because we recognize that the control and prevention of infection in our patients and the staff who care for them , is an absolute moral commitment and responsibility. Therefore, each hospital in the Apollo Group has a comprehensive infection prevention and control program. The Infection Control program covers policies on hand hygiene, occupational health, isolation, infectious diseases notification, clinical sample collection, environmental hygiene, antibiotic usage and infection prevention in practice settings and visitor areas. It also focuses on prevention of nosocomial infections especially ventilator associated infection, surgical site infections, UTI and Intravascular device related infections and also on control of communicable diseases by policies on patient care related activities. The policies and guidelines laid down are evidence based on current scientific knowledge and recommendations from National and International societies and organizations. The Infection Control program is supported by information management in relation to microbial surveillance and notifiable diseases. Guidelines for periodic audits are also provided so that evaluation and quality control is undertaken. The overall aim of the Program is to guide doctors and health care workers on minimizing patients- infection risk and ensuring safety.   The salient features of the program are:   Standard or Universal Precautions to ensure safety of healthcare workers Practice of Universal and Standard Precautions, are stringently followed. Orientation and teaching/training programs are carried out at the time of induction and on a regular basis for all employees on Standard Precautions and also on key Infection control norms such as Hand Hygiene practices . Our Staff health policy ensures that all staff is vaccinated or has immunity to Hepatitis B and Varicella. Screening and appropriate vaccination of food handlers is also done. Hand Hygiene Initiative Safe water supply in all patient care areas for hand washing and alcohol based hand rubs at all patient beds are ensured and vigilant observational audits are performed periodically to ensure high compliance to hand hygiene at patient care areas. Use of Clinical practice guidelines and protocols Guidelines are followed for usage and care of intravascular devices , catheters and in the usage of other such invasive devices. Care of equipment, linen disinfection, air conditioning for operating rooms and CCUs as well as management of blood spills and needle stick injuries is done according to International protocols. We also have an established waste management policy and lab safety program Management of antibiotic resistance in microorganisms —the antibiotic stewardship program With advent of newer antibiotics there has been a progressive rise in the incidence of antibiotic resistance. While antibiotic resistance is a worldwide phenomenon, the nature of antibiotic resistance varies widely from country to country. Even though this is an undesirable and inevitable trend, recognizing, curtailing and managing this is an important aspect of the Infection control program at Apollo Hospitals. We have been following an Antibiotic Stewardship program wherein antibiotic prescription, dosage and appropriateness are strictly monitored and rationalized and resistant organisms identified , tracked and followed up meticulously. We also have stringent guidelines on antibiotic use and procedures on monitoring antibiotic use, as well as protocols for isolation of those affected with such organisms. Isolation protocols Communicable disease identification and prevention of spread is outlined, and so are isolation protocols and procedures and barrier nursing. Environmental sampling Environmental monitoring of Operating rooms , Critical care units and other patient care areas is done through air sampling .Additionally , disinfection and sterilization processes are monitored, drinking water and dialysis water analysis is done and food safety standards and guidelines are laid down and followed. Visitor Control We have a visitation protocol and all visitors are alerted on infection control practices through guidelines written on visitor passes. Tracking Infection control data Each of the hospitals in the Apollo group tracks infection control parameters month after month and these are benchmarked with standards and variations and values are thoroughly analyzed. Periodically clinical studies on infection control, pathogens and other related areas are also carried out .All infection control parameters are tracked as part of the ACE 25 CLINICAL EXCELLENCE initiative of Apollo hospitals where key Quality parameters of each hospital in the Apollo group are entered on an Online Dashboard, scored and reviewed by the highest Leadership of the group each month. The Team The responsibility of Infection Control at the Apollo Hospitals falls into the hands of a Hospital Infection Control Committee (HICC), whose primary duty is formulating and implementing policies to effectively manage infection control issues and outbreaks of infection. The HICC comprises of senior leaders, physicians and administrators in the organization thereby emphasizing the highest importance that the organization places on Infection Control. Every Apollo location also has an Infection control Team headed by the Senior consultant in Infectious diseases. The team consists of Infection control nurses and other key staff from various departments who play a pivotal role in implementing all aspects of the hospitals Infection Control program, drive all the Infection control initiatives , motivate and create awareness among the hospital staff by campaigns and special programs and sustain compliance. Infection control is a critical and key initiative in every Apollo hospital and it not only helps us in meeting international norms in Infection control but also assures excellent world class clinical outcomes and exceptional patient safety and satisfaction.  Policies and Guidelines that are part of the Apollo Infection Control Program Patient Safety policy Antimicrobial policy guidelines Provision of resources for hand hygiene and practices and protocols related to it. Staff health and safety guidelines Disinfection and sterilization policy Surveillance activity for Catheter Related Blood Stream Infections(CR-BSI), Hospital associated pneumonia including Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) and indwelling catheter related Urinary Tract Infections (CR-UTI) and for Surgical Site Infections(SSI) Guidelines for monitoring of Disinfectants Protocol for Sterile Supply and CSSD including Bacteriological monitoring of Autoclaves, Ethylene Oxide etc. Protocol for Management of needle-stick injury, accidental inoculation and percutaneous mucus membrane exposure to blood and body fluid substances Screening guidelines for food handlers Bacteriological analysis of Drinking water Bacteriological analysis of Dialysis water Policy for the restricted antimicrobials and their usage Environmental Cleaning and disinfection guidelines Endoscopes and bronchoscopes- usage and care Indwelling medical device usage and care Management of spills of body fluids, blood and Microbiology cultures Guidelines Protocols for Linen and Laundry Dialysis protocols All relevant engineering processes including mechanical, HVAC of OT, ICU and other critical areas and patient and staff areas Food and Beverages’ processes and hygienic kitchen management Protocols for Care of patients with communicable diseases Protocols for Care of bleeding patients Isolation policy and procedures and Barrier Nursing with special reference to multi drug resistant organisms and highly virulent organisms Management of Emerging community based communicable diseases and specific recommendation for cases of epidemics and disasters in the community Guidelines for Protection of immuno-suppressed and Immunocompromised patients Protocols for Provision and appropriate usage of personal protective equipment including gloves, gowns, masks, goggles/visors etc. in prevention and control of infections Guidelines for antimicrobial prophylaxis Waste management policy and procedures on discarding and disposal of hospital waste including sharps and needles Mortuary management guidelines and handling of cadavers Visitor’s and attendant’s protocols

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi initiates “”SAVE”” India Campaign and commences a Screening Programme for Stroke, Aneurysm and Vascular disease Evaluation India’s first comprehensive Vascular screening programme – “”SAVE”” India will be launched by Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals very soon and as a buildup to the launch, the Hospital is starting a low cost screening programme commemorating the ’National Vascular Week’ commencing today. India’s first comprehensive Vascular screening programme – “”SAVE”” India will be launched by Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals very soon and as a buildup to the launch, the Hospital is starting a low cost screening programme commemorating the ’National Vascular Week’ commencing today. Facts: A) Aortic Aneurysm: More than 15,000 people die due to this each year and nearly 2,00,000 people are diagnosed with Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) annually It is estimated that more than one million people are living with undiagnosed AAA and at least 95 percent of these can be successfully treated if detected prior to rupture. B) Carotid Artery Disease (Stroke): Stroke remains the third leading cause of death with nearly 1, 57,000 people dying annually A large proportion of strokes are caused by plaque in the carotid arteries C) Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD): One in every 20 Indians over the age of 50 has PAD and it is estimated to affect more than 9 million people in India Individuals with PAD suffer a five-fold increased relative risk of a cardiovascular ischemic event and total mortality that is two to three fold greater than those without PAD “”SAVE”” India Campaign comprises Stroke, Aneurysm and Vascular disease Evaluation to prevent disability or death due to stroke, aneurysm rupture or leg ulcers or gangrene. Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals offers a one-time Vascular Surgeon Consultation plus Ultrasound Screening examination of Carotid arteries, Abdominal blood vessels and lower limb arteries for qualified seniors as a part of this the screening begins from August 6, 2010 till December 31, 2010. This screening will save over 50% cost to the patients suffering or high risk from peripheral vascular diseases. High risk groups who will benefit from this screening programme are persons above the age of 50, having diabetes, hypertension, ulcers in legs or gangrene, smokers and patients who have heart disease or stroke. Peripheral vascular disease harms blood flow in arteries throughout our body. As we age, our arteries tend to thicken, get stiff, and narrow because of a build-up of plaque consisting of fat and cholesterol. When this occurs in large and medium-sized arteries, it is called atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). When the narrowing happens in arteries leading to the heart, it can cause a heart attack, when it occurs in neck arteries it causes Stroke (Brain Attack) and when it blocks leg arteries, it causes leg pain or gangrene or ulcers (Leg Attack) especially in patients with Diabetes. Aortic Aneurysms are a swelling or ballooning of the aorta wall where it has been thinned and weakened from atherosclerosis. If untreated, an aneurysm will eventually rupture, which is usually fatal. The SAVE campaign has been launched with an initiative to increase awareness regarding vascular diseases in the country. For the first time in India, it aims at widespread population based screening of vascular ailments throughout the nation to achieve early detection of the disease as well as early intervention to prevent the disastrous consequences of Vascular diseases. Expressing concern over growing vascular diseases, Dr. Prof. Ramesh Tripathi, Academic Coordinator and Senior Consultant Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital said, “”this innovative and cost-effective screening programme will ultimately help our patients know and prevent many complications thereby avoiding surgery or interventions before the disease is end-stage. It will also show us whether Indian peripheral vascular disease is similar to or different from what we see in the western world, giving us insights into local requirements and treatment modifications needed for Indian patients””. “”Although Vascular Screening is very big and well established in USA, UK and Australia/New Zealand, it has so far failed to take off in India. In USA, there is legislation making screening for Aortic Aneurysms mandatory for high-risk patients. Although in India, we are far from a legislation for screening to prevent Peripheral vascular disease, SAVE India Campaign is an initial step in the right direction””, says Dr. Prof. Ramesh Tripathi. He added “” With the explosion of Diabetes in India, WHO has estimated that by 2011, India will be the Diabetes Capital of the world with the largest number of patients globally. SAVE Campaign has been launched, with an eye on future challenges of increase in cases of Vascular diseases in the country. Patients should see Vascular surgeons, who are the only physicians treating vascular disease today providing all the treatment options available (including Surgical and Endovascular) with a most balanced perspective””. Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi has taken a first initiative for low cost screening of Stroke, Aneurysm and Vascular disease Evaluation with the slogan – SAVE LIMBS, SAVE LIVES, SAVE INDIA! The screening that was earlier costing Rs. 14,000 is now being offered at Rs. 5,000.

First American Gets A Successful Heart Transplant At Apollo Hospitals, Chennai ! Doctors in the US had given Ronald Lemmer, 65, only a year to live and had scoffed at his idea of going to India for a heart transplant. They told him he would return in a coffin. Today, after a successful heart transplant at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, Lemmer is smiling. So is India ’s medical fraternity. Lemmer was transplanted with the heart of a 36-year-old accident victim in an eight-hour surgery by Dr Paul Ramesh at Apollo Hospitals Chennai . In the process, two records were also created. The patient was not only the first U.S. citizen to undergo a heart transplant in India, but he was also the oldest person to undergo a heart transplant in the country. “I decided to come to India for the transplant after some research on the internet,” said Lemmer. His wife Shelly, visibly emotional, said, ” My husband is a walking miracle. He looks at least 15 years younger. Earlier his heart was functioning at 20% of its capacity. Now it has gone up to 60%.” After coming to Chennai in May this year, it was an excruciating wait of three months for the couple before Lemmer found a suitable donor. “He was very lucky as the donor ’s heart did not match with any Indians on the waiting list and hence we selected him,” said Dr Prathap C Reddy, chairman of Apollo Hospitals. It may be recalled that Dr Prathap C Reddy started Apollo Hospitals in 1983 after a patient of his died because he couldn ’t reach US in time for treatment. Now with the first patient from the US getting a heart transplant in India, we have come full circle.  

First American Gets A Successful Heart Transplant At Apollo Hospitals, Chennai ! Doctors in the US had given Ronald Lemmer, 65, only a year to live and had scoffed at his idea of going to India for a heart transplant. They told him he would return in a coffin. Today, after a successful heart transplant at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, Lemmer is smiling. So is India ’s medical fraternity. Lemmer was transplanted with the heart of a 36-year-old accident victim in an eight-hour surgery by Dr Paul Ramesh at Apollo Hospitals Chennai . In the process, two records were also created. The patient was not only the first U.S. citizen to undergo a heart transplant in India, but he was also the oldest person to undergo a heart transplant in the country. “I decided to come to India for the transplant after some research on the internet,”” said Lemmer. His wife Shelly, visibly emotional, said, “” My husband is a walking miracle. He looks at least 15 years younger. Earlier his heart was functioning at 20% of its capacity. Now it has gone up to 60%.”” After coming to Chennai in May this year, it was an excruciating wait of three months for the couple before Lemmer found a suitable donor. “”He was very lucky as the donor ’s heart did not match with any Indians on the waiting list and hence we selected him,”” said Dr Prathap C Reddy, chairman of Apollo Hospitals. It may be recalled that Dr Prathap C Reddy started Apollo Hospitals in 1983 after a patient of his died because he couldn ’t reach US in time for treatment. Now with the first patient from the US getting a heart transplant in India, we have come full circle.

Apollo Hospitals, along with CISCO, the globally renowned networking and telecommunication provider, announced an alliance to help revolutionize healthcare through Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This joint venture will drive inclusive growth and accelerate access to affordable and high quality healthcare via CISCO’s ‘Desktop Solution’ technology. DATE : MAY 07, 2010 Apollo Hospitals, along with CISCO, the globally renowned networking and telecommunication provider, announced an alliance to help revolutionize healthcare through Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This joint venture will drive inclusive growth and accelerate access to affordable and high quality healthcare via CISCO’s ‘Desktop Solution’ technology. Speaking about the association, Ms Sangita Reddy, Executive Director – Apollo Hospitals Group, said: “At Apollo Hospitals, we constantly endeavour to introduce new models to help in making quality healthcare accessible to the masses. The alliance with CISCO will revolutionize the delivery of healthcare in India. The CISCO ‘Desktop Solution’ represents significant advances in technology and telecommunication techniques, effectively delivering healthcare 24×7 remotely.” Healthcare providers face many challenges in the delivery of healthcare services, particularly to suburban and rural areas. During the last decade, Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation – the largest and oldest multi-specialty telemedicine network – has handled some of these issues in an organized, cost-efficient manner. When integrated with Apollo Hospital’s ‘Medintegra’, for the first time CISCO’s ‘Desktop Solution’ will make available a user-friendly, cost-effective telemedicine solution at a significantly reduced initial investment at the remote end. Telemedicine can now be universally available. Doctors with this technology do not need to visit a telemedicine room to connect with patients and can now interact with patients on a laptop supported with an Internet connection. A detailed “clinical examination” and review of all investigations is possible in a seamless manner with the option of recording the entire interaction. Apollo and CISCO aim to collaboratively create smart connected healthcare communities by using cutting-edge technology in healthcare. As a first step, Apollo Hospitals Group and Apollo Telemedicine Foundation will be deploying 60 such ‘Desktop Solutions’, thereby enabling a patient to access any doctor, any time across the Apollo system. Professor K. Ganapathy, President of Apollo Telemedicine Networking Foundation and President-elect of the Telemedicine Society of India observed that this solution would help telemedicine in India reach the critical mass essential for a successful take-off. “We are looking beyond India in deploying this technology. ‘Doctor anyone, anytime, anywhere’ will be our slogan,” Prof. Ganapathy remarked. Commenting on the relationship, Wim Elfrink, Chief Globalisation Officer and Executive Vice President, Cisco Services, said: “We are excited to collaborate closely with Apollo Hospitals to create and showcase various healthcare solutions. Information and Communications Technologies play a vital role in improving access to, and providing an affordable and quality healthcare system especially to tier 1 and tier 2 communities. Backed by Apollo’s expertise, I am confident we can transform how doctors practice medicine and how patients experience care – no matter where they are.” Vishal Gupta, Vice President, CISCO said: “We are certain that with Apollo’s feedback, the product will be refined further to suit specific needs worldwide.” CISCO Health Presence extended reach solution helps connect patients with medical providers conveniently and efficiently, regardless of distance. Using the network as a platform for telemedicine, it creates an environment similar to what patients experience when they visit their medical provider. It combines high-definition video and audio, end-to-end telemedicine workflow, and remote medical diagnostics to create an affordable, innovative and scalable solution.