Ask A Question

Express Healthcare‘s interactive FAQ section titled – ‘Ask A Question’ addresses reader queries related to hospital planning and management. Industry expert Tarun Katiyar, Principal Consultant, Hospaccx India Systems, through his sound knowledge and experience, shares his insights and provide practical solutions to questions directed by Express Healthcare readers

Question: How can investing in hospital infrastructure save money and lives?
– Dr Prahllad, Bijapur

Answer: Ask yourself: What would happen to patients and staff if your hospital’s electricity went out? What would you do if an infectious and deadly disease started affecting the patients and staff in the hospital? What would be your response to rising flood waters around your hospital?

Hospitals need to be able to operate during the worst of conditions. They serve patients who are not capable of healing at home. They are not able to get up and walk to safety. Most are in a compromised state and their welfare is guarded by the people around them and the environment that protects them. Hospitals are places where the injured go when a catastrophe strikes. So, the hospital must continue to operate.

It is important that a risk assessment is carried out on each hospital facility to determine what will happen if a serious event that will affect the infrastructure of the hospital occurs. This means playing the ‘what if’ game to determine the effect of a failure on the hospital if the utility systems fail or the emergency back-up system components fail. So investing money on hospital infrastructure is always a sound choice to maintain hospital efficiency.

Question: What does network infrastructure refer to?
– Dr Srinivasan, Bengaluru

Answer: Network infrastructure refers to a hospital’s interconnected computer and information technology (IT) systems. Largely it is closed infrastructure, meaning the computer network can only be accessed within the hospital and is not connected to the Internet or other networks at large. It enables doctors and patients to connect, as well as hospitals to connect to larger health information networks.

Privacy and security are big concerns for a hospital’s network infrastructure. Implementing security systems to prevent data breaches and leaks keep patient health information (PHI) secure, and managing the secure transmission of electronic medical record data are all major issues in the industry.

Question: What is included in health infrastructure?
– Mrinalini Pathak, Hubli

Answer: Health infrastructure includes land and building, medical equipment, general furniture, communication instruments, logistics for medical supplies, ambulance etc.

Question: What are the barriers in rural infrastructure development?
– Dhani Malhotra, Delhi

Answer: Poor infrastructure has always been a barrier to growth in the Indian healthcare industry.

Poor energy and transport infrastructure has traditionally posed a problem for companies. Some areas lack basic hotel facilities, preventing reach and penetration. With the government gradually increasing investment in infrastructure, the situation is improving, but it is still to be seen as an investment opportunity in the country. Lack of education and knowledge lead to misunderstanding among the public towards infrastructure development in the rural area.

Question: How does social infrastructure help in patient care?
– Anoop Awasthi, Jabalpur

Answer: Social infrastructure can broadly be defined as long-term physical assets that operate in markets with high barriers to entry and enable the provision of goods and services. In the healthcare sector, it refers to medical facilities and ancillary infrastructure like offices, car parks and training facilities etc. Behaviour of staff with patient and their relatives etc are also examples of social infrastructure.