KATRA: The 69th Meeting of Governing Body of SMVD Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Kakryal (Katra) was held at Kalika Dham, Jammu under the Chairmanship of Dr Ashok Bhan, Member, SMVDSB. The Meeting was attended by Sh. Suresh Kumar Sharma, Member SMVDSB, Sh. Anshul Garg, CEO, Sh. Alok Kumar Maurya, Addl. CEO, SMVDSB, Dr. Yashpal Sharma, Executive Director/CAO SMVDIME and other senior functionaries of Shrine Board and Narayana Health. Sh. Viren Shetty, Group C.O.O., NH joined the meeting virtually alongwith his team.
The Governing Body expressed satisfaction with Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital's steady growth, reflected in key performance benchmarks like patient footfall, bed occupancy, revenue, and clinical capabilities. Notably, the hospital has seen a footfall of over 8 Lakh patients since commencement with nearly a third receiving free treatment under the UT-sponsored Ayushman Scheme, solidifying its position as the largest Ayushman service provider in the state. As a mark of clinical reputation of the Hospital, the beds of the Hospital; particularly critical care beds are in great demand. Consequently the ICUs of Hospital are almost full at all points of time.
Since its inception in 2016, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital has provided free treatments worth over Rs.46.83 crore to nearly 92k beneficiaries under the Medical Support Policy of the Board. This policy aims to support the poor and needy patients, demonstrating the hospital's commitment to making quality healthcare accessible to all.
The Governing Body also convened to review the operationalization of the fully funded 50 seater Medical College (upgradable to 100 seats) scheduled to commence classes from academic year 2025-26 as per NMC norms, aiming to boost healthcare services, education and regional development as per the decision of the Board at its 72nd Meeting.
The Governing Body was updated that the procurement of medical equipments, consumables and over 2,700 books & journals is progressing rapidly and nearing completion. Additionally, a swift and transparent recruitment process for the Medical College faculty has been initiated, resulting in the hiring of 38 faculty members and makeshift arrangement for accommodation in SMVD University premises is underway for the college's future expansion.
Several important decisions concerning further growth of the Hospital with the introduction of “positive interventions” to strengthen the quality of patient care were taken in the Meeting. This included various decisions to address operational issues, critical review of progress of early expected Organ Transplant Programme of Hospital, finalizing plans for incurring capital expenditure for growth of Hospital upto 500 beds, extensive review of feedback / suggestions received from patients / attendants and firming-up of a road map for expanding services-framework of Hospital’s Jammu clinic.
The meeting also saw key decisions made to expand the hospital's bed capacity, enhancing its operational capabilities to meet growing demands. Strategic plans were put in place to ensure the hospital's continued growth with Dr. Bhan stressing the importance of swift execution in driving future success for both the hospital and medical college. This development promises to elevate healthcare services and education in the region, aligning with the Shrine Board's philanthropic vision.
