COO - Lukman Ponmadath

Aster MIMS Calicut

Interview 

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What are the main patient pain points you have experienced as a COO?

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Ans: The major pain points are often associated with pediatric cases, especially those involving bone marrow conditions and congenital abnormalities. In many situations, the child’s family struggles to manage the financial burden of treatment, rehabilitation, and ongoing care. To support them, we raise funds through various means—insurance, known sponsors, and even contributions from their local communities.

However, the most challenging part is witnessing the emotional trauma of the parents. Even when a family is financially stable, the mental stress they endure can be overwhelming. I recall a heartbreaking case where a child was diagnosed with a congenital abnormality that went undetected during pregnancy. Despite multiple counseling sessions for the parents and their loved ones, the emotional burden remained heavy. Tragically, the child’s father took his own life.

Such experiences are deeply painful and remind us that beyond medical treatment, emotional and psychological support is just as critical in healthcare.

 

Has there been a shift from operational excellence to clinical excellence in healthcare?

 

Ans: In the initial stages, hospitals in Kerala were focused on infrastructure. Later, the focus shifted to being doctor-centric, and now it has become patient-centric. Today, all operational policies revolve around patients’ wellness and well-being. In the Indian scenario, healthcare is heading toward a massive transformation with the entry of venture capital investments. During this phase, many new technologies and advancements will emerge worldwide, and more patients will seek quality care. To provide these services to everyone, we need strong operational excellence—but that alone is not sufficient. For example, dependence on insurance and other schemes requires robust operational systems. Therefore, it is the combination of both clinical excellence and operational excellence that delivers real results.

 

How do you see patients’ perspective on clinical awareness?

 

Ans: Nowadays, many patients record everything and rely on Google for information about medicines and treatments—but this is not always correct. Limited or incomplete information can be dangerous. Today, patients often record entire conversations with doctors during consultations and live under the constant influence of social media. This has led to a decline in the personal bond between doctors and patients compared to earlier times. I strongly suggest that people should not depend on social media or Google for medical information. For example, when a doctor screens a patient for heart disease, the results depend on multiple factors such as lifestyle, age, family history, stress levels, and type of job. However, Google provides generic solutions to everyone, which are often inappropriate and even wrong.

Therefore, personalized treatment and a strong doctor–patient bond are always important, and clinical excellence must come from medical experts.

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What is the core USPs in MIMS operational excellence?

 

Ans:

Patient Requirements and Outbound Calls:
I have been closely monitoring patient requirements at the highest level. Every patient call must be addressed properly, and our staff ensures prompt call-backs so that no patient is left waiting for a reply.

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Trust:
No patient is denied treatment due to financial constraints. At MIMS, we treat all diseases, and no patient is sent back. If a patient has financial concerns, we raise funds through multiple channels to ensure they receive the necessary treatment.

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Placement of Differently Abled Persons:
One percent of our total employees are differently abled, with 17 such staff members currently working at MIMS. Their disabilities do not overshadow their talent, and we place them in suitable departments such as CSSD and others where they can contribute effectively.

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Hospital Library:
We have started a well-equipped library for patients, recognizing that some of them need leisure time during their stay. For those admitted for weeks, this initiative provides a productive alternative to social media. The books have been collected from our staff and doctors, inspired by Calicut’s recognition as a "City of Literature." I am happy to note that even our staff members make use of the library in their busy schedules.

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Piravi:
We provide a sapling to every child born here, symbolically connecting them to the environment and nurturing their bond with society. Our upcoming generation should grow with awareness and appreciation of nature.

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RRR – Respond, Resuscitate, react:
By calling +91 751035566, anyone facing a medical emergency at home or elsewhere can immediately access an AI-linked service for rapid response. Once the call is made, the AI system activates and arranges a virtual consultation with our emergency team, ensuring timely treatment.

The greatest advantage of RRR is in stroke management. If a patient experiences stroke onset, we can provide primary care within the first 45 minutes—maximizing the “golden hour” and significantly improving survival and recovery chances. In most cases, this critical window is lost because patients need to travel long distances to reach a hospital. With RRR, timely intervention can save lives.

 

RRR Success Story:
We saved a young girl from Thamarassery who was experiencing massive bleeding. Her hemoglobin count was critically low at the time of her call, and the bleeding was severe. When she used the RRR system, we immediately advised her to come with a mobile ICU from her location. At the same time, we dispatched our 5G ambulance. Along the way, with AI-enabled medical advice from doctors, we stabilized her and transferred her to BMH, as she was primarily a BMH patient.

The idea behind starting RRR came from a case we witnessed earlier, where a patient from Meenchantha took 45 minutes to reach us—precious time that could have been saved. That incident sparked the thought of providing immediate response wherever patients are. Similarly, through RRR, we recently saved a child from choking by giving a live demonstration during the emergency call.

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Aster Respect:
With the rise of the geriatric population in the coming years, we must address not only their medical needs but also their mental and social well-being. Aster has launched Aster Respect, a program for senior citizens above the age of 65, organizing monthly events such as trips, classes, and interactive sessions.

The objective is to create a well-balanced, socially fulfilling, and happy life for them. Interestingly, among this group are engineers, photographers, musicians, and other talented individuals who actively engage with our patients, mentor our staff, and foster a joyful community. The WhatsApp group formed by them has been a source of daily positivity—I personally check it whenever I feel stressed. At times, they even interact with our medical social workers (MSW), helping us continuously improve their quality of life.

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Pediatric and Geriatric Emergency:
Our objective is to achieve clinical excellence in both pediatric and geriatric emergency care.

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Is there any operational USP or dream you wanted to implement here but couldn’t be due to infrastructure limitations?

Aster’s management is very fast and supportive—they usually say, “Go ahead with everything,” and approvals are given without delay. However, one dream I still carry is to establish a Pain and Palliative Care Unit under the wing of Aster. In most hospitals, around 70% of OPD patients are senior citizens. To provide them with more focused care, we need a dedicated setup. Often, elderly couples come together—one accompanying the other—with no one else to look after them. Building a strong foundation for such a unit feels essential to me, and it remains a dream I truly want to realize

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