IIM Bodh Gaya hosts first healthcare leadership summit focused on integrated care services

Bodh Gaya: The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bodh Gaya successfully hosted its inaugural Healthcare Leadership Summit, “CONVERGENCE,” aimed at fostering dialogue on the future of integrated care services in India. The two-day summit brought together key figures from academia, industry, and government to discuss innovative solutions for improving healthcare delivery through integrated care.

Dr. Vinita Sahay, Director of IIM Bodh Gaya, inaugurated the event, highlighting the institute’s commitment to strengthening India’s healthcare ecosystem. She underscored the role of IIM Bodh Gaya’s MBA in Hospital & Healthcare Management (MBA-HHM) program in bridging the gap between academia and industry to nurture future leaders in healthcare. Dr. Swapnarag Swain, Chairperson of the MBA-HHM program, introduced the curriculum, which was praised by industry leaders for its innovative approach.

The summit featured three panel discussions focused on patient-centric healthcare services. Leaders from various sectors, including hospitals, pharmaceuticals, medtech, and insurance, explored opportunities for collaboration.

In the first panel, experts like Dr. Rana Mehta, Senior Partner at PwC, and Chhitiz Kumar, founder of TDR Enterprises, discussed how IT innovations and medical technologies are reshaping healthcare. Dr. Nitin Barekere Ramachandra, Vice-President at Omega Healthcare, highlighted the growing role of software solutions such as chatbots in healthcare innovation, while Gaurav Mundra of IKS Health emphasized the importance of collaboration between stakeholders, particularly educational institutions.

The second panel addressed transforming hospitals and insurance models. Ranjan Pandey of Fortis Hospitals noted the need to provide growth opportunities for healthcare professionals to overcome staffing challenges, while other speakers stressed the importance of balancing affordability and efficiency as healthcare systems shift towards high-tech solutions.

The third panel, which focused on pharmaceuticals and life sciences, featured industry leaders such as Saji Daniel Mathew of Agappe Diagnostics and Salil Pandey of Sun Pharma. The discussion centred on the transition from product-based to service-based healthcare, with an emphasis on personalized medicine and value-based pricing.

The summit concluded with a call for stronger partnerships between academia and industry, reinforcing IIM Bodh Gaya’s mission to prepare future healthcare leaders and drive innovation in the sector.