Hospital Management

Daily Newsletter

07 August 2023

Daily Newsletter

The Medica Cancer Hospital, intended to provide organ-specific cancer care, has launched in Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

This marks the third such facility in eastern India following two others in Siliguri, West Bengal; and Ranchi, Jharkhand.

The new hospital is equipped to offer multi-speciality modalities for complete cancer care.

During the virtual inauguration, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was cited by Telegraph India as saying: “As of now, there is no cure for cancer, but with proper treatment, patients can be provided with some comfort. This is a big hospital and I would like to congratulate everyone associated with the facility for starting something like this.”

Expected to cater to cancer patients in Bengal and neighbouring states, the new hospital will have a multidisciplinary team of specialists to help treat various cancers, including head and neck, breast, GI & thoracic, in addition to offering urology, gynaecology, orthopaedics, haematology and paediatric services, reported The Times of India.

It will also feature facilities for reconstructive surgery, radiation oncology, pain management, palliative care, preventive gynaecology, nuclear medicine, as well as onco pathology, added the publication.

Telegraph India also cited Medica Group of Hospitals managing director R Udayan Lahiry, who said: “This hospital provides a dedicated cancer care facility and that reflects our commitment towards advanced healthcare in Bengal.

“We now have a state-of-the-art 500-bed medical institution, offering advanced cancer care and multi-speciality modalities for holistic care.”

Healthcare companies are hesitant to invest in the metaverse

The COVID-19 pandemic pushed the healthcare industry to rapid digitalization. Increased use of telehealth, telepresence systems, remote diagnostics, predictive AI, and wearable technology is changing how healthcare is delivered and improving patient outcomes. Emerging technologies such as AR and VR are becoming increasingly routine for professional training, surgical assistance, and treatment of psychological and neurological disorders. In the pharma and medical devices industries, AR, VR, and AI are rapidly accelerating drug discovery and manufacturing and generating supply chain efficiencies. New digital opportunities will look to build upon disruptive technologies. However, affordability is a limiting factor to widespread adoption. Per GlobalData estimates, the metaverse market is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 33% between 2023 and 2030. Although metaverse technologies could reinvent healthcare approaches and bring new experiences to healthcare providers and patients, adoption is still at an early stage. There are currently few use cases in the healthcare industry. The metaverse needs to overcome major challenges for healthcare, including regulation and data privacy concerns. Evidence of proven use cases and participation by a critical mass of users are imperative to drive a shift in metaverse investment.