Vellore to get boost with SMH college plan

Besides increased patronage and the addition of facilities, the hospital is now expecting medical college status in a few years’ time, administration sources revealed.

Currently having around 375 staff to serve an outpatient (OP) strength of above 400 and 60 inpatients daily, hospital medical superintendent C Anbu Suresh Rao, however, says, “This is nothing short of a miracle as arrangements were made to close down the hospital in 2010 due to a total lack of patronage. The hospital then had only 20 inpatients and 60 outpatients daily, four doctors, 180 nursing students and 175 staff, and mounting dues. The pharmacy department alone had a one-crore rupees deficit,” he added.

Now seeing an increased monthly revenue of Rs 25 lakh—from an earlier Rs 12 lakh turnover, improved patronage has even led to an annual budget of Rs. 2.50 crore in 2010 spiralling to Rs. 20 crore in 2018-19, with plans afoot to increase it to Rs.25 crore for 2019-20, sources revealed.

According to Dr Rao, over 40 insurance companies are now empanelled with the hospital, while Ranipet being an industrial hub has resulted in many companies signing deals with the hospital to treat their employees.

“The latest to join is tyre manufacturer MRF who will soon sign an agreement with SMH to provide quality treatment for their 2000 employees in the Arakkonam-Tiruttani area,” he added.

“We adhered to the vision statement which emphasised quality, affordability and access to all sections of society and this has resulted in a total makeover for the institution,” Dr Rao said.

Started 150 years ago by the late Dr. John Scudder-grandfather of Dr Ida Scudder who founded CMC hospital at Vellore, many people native to the district and working abroad have even volunteered to provide facilities at SMH, sources revealed.

The hospital thus plans to install a Rs 1.85 crore cath lab and a Rs 6 crore MRI scanning equipment in three months, they added.

“Such results have led to plans for a Rs 10 crore Scudder Academic Centre in two years, while in four years’ time, the addition of a multi-storied OPD block estimated at Rs 48 crore will enable the hospital achieve medical college status as then there will be 550 beds available as against the MCI norm of 500 beds,” Dr Suresh Rao said. The hospital currently has 240 beds.

While a DNB course was started this year with two students, plans are on to offer two paramedical courses also at the hospital. “The hospital is in the final stages of getting accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals,” Dr Rao added.