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Philips Medical eyes JVs in equipment market
With the healthcare sector being opened up to private players, India is now
emerging as a lucrative market for global firms dealing in hi-tech diagnostic
and imaging equipment. Philips Medical Systems - healthcare arm of Royal Philips
Electronics is looking at setting up JVs with Indian firms to increase its
market share in healthcare segment in India.
According to Paul Smit, senior VP, Philips Medical Systems: "Our experience in
China has shown that 'local for local' policy cuts manufacturing costs to the
tune of 20%. In India, the bulk of the market is in the economy and mid-range,
and we are working on tie-ups with Indian firms to target this segment."
Philips Medical Systems currently has a 20% share of the $300 billion global
equipment market. The latest addition in this market is MRXO system that was
installed in the emergency operation theatre of Tokai University Hospital near
Tokyo. MRXO is an integrated operating system comprising X-Ray, MRI and CT
equipment.
The company also launched Motiva, a broadband network connection for remote
patient management and a portable cardiac defibrillator machine called
Heartstart.
"Traditionally hospitals have been found to invest between 1.5% and 2.5% of
their total budget on technology, which though expensive, has been found to
reduce costs in various ways, including reduction in hospital stay expenses,"
Smit said.
The company has been advocating patient-centric care cycles in hospitals,
including re-doing the interiors to make them friendlier. The company's "ambient
experience" model has already been introduced in a Chicago hospital where
patients undergoing MRI get to choose the ambience of the room where the
procedure happens.
"The hospital of tomorrow, as we envisage it, will have completely paperless
transactions so that patient information is available to everybody involved in
the care cycle at the click of a button. This ensures that all information
pertaining to a particular patient is systematically maintained to reduce
hospital errors that result in large numbers of casualties worldwide," Smit
said.
(Ref : The Times of India dated September 04, 2006)
Ashwini Kumar, Drugs
Controller General of India In-Charge Retires Today
Ashwini Kumar, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) in-charge for last
seven years, has retired from services on August 31, 2006. He would be
remembered as the drugs controller who has triggered the most revolutionary
changes in the history of the country's apex drugs regulatory agency.
Kumar has been instrumental in kick starting the comprehensive modernization
programme in the office of the DCGI. Months from now, with the inauguration of
the newly constructed National Food and Drugs Bhawan, his long cherished dream
to have a world class drug regulatory infrastructure in place would be
fulfilled. He vacates office at at time when Indian drug regulatory system has
started getting international recognition.
Having begun his regulatory career in 1976 as State Drugs Controller, Rajasthan,
he moved to the Central Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as Deputy Drugs
Controller (India) in 1986 and held different positions in Mumbai, Chennai and
Delhi. He was given charge as DCGI in 1999.
(Ref : Chronicle Pharmabiz dated August 31, 2006)
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