Dr. Ravindra Karanjekar, Group CEO of Jupiter Hospitals
After initial years of struggle as hand surgeon and spine surgeon during first 10 to 12 years, Dr. Karanjekar moved to full time administration. He has worked with the great institutions like, Lilavati Hospital, Global group and now is the Group CEO of Jupiter Hospitals. Dr. Ravindra still feels that his work is incomplete without creating few more centres of excellence across the country. His motto is simple – Affordable and Quality Health Care to All.”
Dr Karanjekar has also worked as CEO and ED-Medical Services and Quality at Global Hospitals, as Associate Vice President at Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai and CEO of DY Patil Medical College and Hospital in Navi Mumbai, besides several others like Fortis Healthcare, Tata Memorial and Krishna Heart.
He graduated in 1972 and further did his post-graduation in Orthopaedics, as well as Hospital Administration and Business Management. He has a keen interest in developing centres of excellence in the healthcare and to create a system whereby everybody will get health cover during his/her illness. Creating a system of patient safety in a quality hospitals is my passion.
He is also the member of American College of Healthcare Executive and member of International Liaison committee as representative from India. He is a lead accessor of NABH and presently he has been entrusted with the with responsibilities of promotion the quality in healthcare he is a chairman of (NBQB) (National Board of Quality promotion) an arm of QCI (Quality Council of India).He has delivered number of healthcare management lectures at various conferences in India & Aboard Speciality in Dubai, Taiwan and Bangkok. He is fond of travelling, devouring history and has a queer habit of reading maps. Always warm, beaming and vivacious, he also enjoys his moments of solitude- quietly observing strangers in market places or railway stations. What he told me once is still etched in my memory. “In my 40s, I decided that I would be more giving. I keep on helping people, irrespective of whether they reciprocate or not,” he stated magnanimously.
Here are some more insights from Dr. Karanjekar about his journey, as shared with team ABT
Who inspires you the most? Why?
Every day and in every action, somebody or the other inspires me with their good gestures. The towering personalities across the globe in various fields inspire and I try to follow them. The most inspiring personalities in India are Mahatma Gandhi and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Gandhi was example of truth and non-violence, using it as a great strategy and making the whole freedom struggle a value based moment. I am following this strategy while dealing with high and powerful people, when you want to prove your point, while Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is an ideal example of aggression with defence, an exemplary great leader and one of the finest examples of good governance. In business, I would like to follow the footsteps of Tata’s and Ambani’s, which inspire me for their value based business and value for money.
How does Technology & Innovative practice influence your services?
The technology advance of digitalization has made the decision making process smooth and efficient. Innovative process made the system much realistic. This reduced the unnecessary variations and consistent results. Technology has proved a boon for current management for effective governance.
Tell us about some of the challenges you face & how do you overcome them?
The biggest challenge is to create a model, which is self-sustainable and financially viable. In the era of every increasing consumable and HR cost, it is a challenge to maintain quality with affordable health care delivery. Also, the challenge is to keep pace constantly with current technology and train the people for the same.
One of the biggest challenges in health care industry is team building, especially, when you work with people from diverse origins. Value based culture creation is one of the biggest challenge; other smaller challenges are like political interference, resistance of the staff to learn new things, managing resources within given limit.
If you were to recall any proud moment / milestone, what would that be?
Creating centres of excellence like Krishna Health Institute, Global Hospital, D.Y. Patil Hospital, Wockhardt Hospital and now Jupiter Hospital, Pune, Achieving JCI for Wockhardt Hospital were all a proud moments.
Professionally, to head the Accreditation Committee of NABH as Chairman has given me immense satisfaction and I am proud that I could get help to contribute for the quality moment of the hospitals in this country
What would be your advice to young entrants to the Medical & Healthcare profession?
The young entrants must keep pace with the current technology and new methodology. Young entrants must understand the organization where their work expects 100% loyalty to the organization. It is very important to be patient fair to organization and honest in your approach. At the same time, it is critical to develop skills for logical and analytical decision making. The more you work in younger days, richer the benefits you earn in future.
What would you like to achieve in the coming years?
I would like to build and commission some great international health care facilities. I wish my name should be associated with healthcare quality, affordable health care for all types of patients in the country.