Transforming Trauma Care

He started MIOT Hospital from the premises of Vijaya Hospital with 40-beds. Over the years, the hospital has morphed into a state-of-the-art hospital with 500 beds in a new premise

Dr PVA Mohandas (74) Managing Director, MIOT Hospital Chennai

He was born in 1934 in a small town of Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. After doing MBBS from Madras Medical College (MMC), Chennai, he worked as Assistant Professor of Surgery at Stanley Medical College, Chennai. In the same college, he worked as an assistant to neurosurgeon and later orthopaedics. Later, he pursued MS in Orthopaedics from MMC. In 1969, Dr Mohandas went to University of Liverpool, England to do M Ch (Ortho). He later worked in University of Tubingham, Germany.

Before an entrepreneur

In 1974, he returned to India and joined MMC. He served for 15 years as a Professor of Orthopaedics in MMC and Kilpauk Medical College, Chennai after returning from abroad.

Why an entrepreneur

The Government sector failed to fulfill his aspirations for growth. He nurtured the dream of building a state-of-the-art hospital in India that he noticed in European countries. "Because you create your dreams. You can make your dreams come true," he says. He thus shifted to private sector- he started private practice in Vijaya Hospital, Chennai.

The first move

When the number of Dr Mohandas' patients at Vijaya Hospital started proliferating, he started the Madras Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (MIOT), as an independent entity at Vijaya Hospital in 1988.

In 1999, MIOT moved to a 14-acre premise at Manapakkam, Chennai. The source of funding of the then 40-bed hospital is an indication of popularity of that Dr Mohandas enjoyed and also about confidence of people in his dreams. "My initial investment at that time was about Rs 3 crore. People chipped in with some invested in lakhs, some in thousands, some in hundreds and some in tens. Those who could not, they brought plants, trees, manures and some offered to develop the garden, some gave free bricks, some donated iron bars and some funded the architects to go to Europe," he recollects. Now, the 40-bed orthopaedic and trauma care hospital has become 400-bed multi-speciality hospital.

Over the years

As the name suggests, the hospital was initially concentrating only on orthopaedics and trauma care. "In orthopaedics, we provided treatment for fractures, dislocation, joint replacement and spinal surgery," he recalls. Trauma care demanded more specialties. Thus, over the years, MIOT became a multi-specialty hospital, providing neurology, neurosurgery, maxillofacial surgery, head and neck surgery, thoracic, plastic surgery, cardiac, pelvic, urology and the latest addition — nephrology.

Because of emphassis on quality, cleanliness, hygiene and hospitality, foreign patients come in droves. The hospital especially has patients from Gulf and African countries. A retreat centre was started in the hospital premises called MIOT retreat. The patients along with an attendant stay in this centre. The centre has state-of-art facilities like restaurant, deluxe rooms, gym.

"Since its inception in 1999, the hospital has grown by leaps and bounds in terms of its revenue and reputation. Froma Rs 6 crore turnover in its inception year, its current turnover stands at Rs 120 crore," says Dr Mohandas.

Contribution to healthcare

Dr Mohandas is credited with the first joint replacement in India in 1975, which he learnt while pursuing his higher education in England. He also introduced rigid internal fixation for musculoskeletal injuries in India. Dr Mohandas is also credited with the coining of the word, 'keyhole surgery.' He pioneered computer navigated surgery in orthopaedics. These kinds of surgeries are beneficial for both patients and surgeons. Dr Mohandas introduced the concept of the 'ideal joint.' "Each one of us is different, so are the bones," he says.

Awards

Dr Mohandas has been conferred with Padmashri by Government of India in 1992. The MGR Medical University, Chennai awarded him the title of 'Doctor of Science.' He also received a German Fellowship in 1994 from the German Society of Surgery and made a Fellow of the German College of Joint Replacement Surgeons.

Overcoming roadblocks

Buying a piece of land in the era of land ceiling was an uphill task. "Permission from the Government was required to purchase land. The land ceiling took me almost a year. To get building permission from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority took me another two years," says he.

Being located in the suburban Chennai, it took some time for the hospital to get popular. But Dr Mohandas' expertise and fame drew patients in droves.

Mistakes made and lessons learnt

"I envisioned MIOT as a hospital for accident surgeries and orthopaedics, but soon discovered that you cannot treat accident victims without having other specialities," says he.

Any professional course in management?

"I do not think you need to have a professional course in management. You must have a flair for it. You develop the art of management as you grow," says he.

Tips for entrepreneurship

"Fulfill your statutory obligations at all costs, especially pay back the loan and interest to the bank on time or before time and build healthy relationship with your bankers. You must be a bold leader and not a coward because your colleagues should know that you lead them from the front," says he.

An entrepreneur that he admires in healthcare

Dr Prathap C Reddy.

Road ahead

His dream is to transform MIOT to become a Mayo of India in the years to come. "I would like MIOT to be the most sought after institution in the world," says he. Currently, he is building MIOT International within the premises of MIOT Hospitals — a 600-room facility with 15 OTs. He also harbours plans to build hospitals in Sri Lanka, West Indies and medical universities in Burma, Vietnam and Cambodia.