Q: What are the key milestones that Nawaloka Hospitals has achieved since it began its journey 38 years ago?

A: What we have done is introduce what was previously not in Sri Lanka, beginning with the CT scan, MRI and cardiac open heart surgery, which nobody else had in the country.

We did the first coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procedure in 1994 and introduced radial artery grafting in 1999. And in 2009, we commissioned the largest operating theatre complex in Sri Lanka.

The hospital introduced its second MRI scanner in 2018. Then in 2021, we introduced the state-of-the-art Philips Azurion 7 C20 to elevate the quality and accuracy of diagnostics for cardiovascular patients in Sri Lanka.

Nawaloka Hospitals achieved another first in 2022 with the introduction of the hybrid bypass in the private sector.

Q: In your assessment, what factors have made Nawaloka what it is today?

A: There are two things – one is the prices of the services we offer and the other is the quality of service. Whether it is someone from Colombo 7, Polonnaruwa or Hambantota, the same service is provided.

Q: How has the hospital helped to improve the health of the nation?

A: We live up to our motto of ‘healing with feeling’ with our staff following the adage of ‘prevention is better than cure.’

Additionally, we educate the public – this could be patients or those who come with the patients. We also have seminars to educate people on how not to fall sick.

We ensure that our staff are equipped with knowledge and skills through continuous training. This includes both formal training and in-service sessions for our clinical staff.

Q: What differentiates Nawaloka from other hospitals?

A: Firstly, it is easily accessible for consultants. And most patients come with these consultants as they are their patients. Given this, it’s very easy for patients even if they come by bus.

Moreover, visiting is convenient with the facilities we offer such as parking, security, catering and more. We look after patients well.

Q: How do you stay ahead of the competition?

A: There is no competition as such – we merely try to provide our best service. We don’t look to compete with anyone. As I said, prevention is better than curing. And if somebody comes here, we treat them.

On the other hand, we’ve had a nursing school for the last 20 odd years. And we also offer an education to caregivers who want to leave the country. We train them here and provide them with government approved certificates.

Q: Does Nawaloka have any special services on offer?

A: We have the Nawaloka Elite Center on the 10th floor of the hospital, which is a dedicated place for people who want to get things done quickly – if you have a channelling appointment at 4 o’clock, the doctor will see you then. Other services such as X-rays, CT scans and more are done immediately.

That’s a major service that we have been providing to diplomats and the like for the last year and a half. Everything is available in-house like a one stop shop.

Q: Healthcare has come under increasing scrutiny especially in the post-pandemic period. What are the challenges faced by the sector?

A: We faced a lot of challenges during COVID-19 and the aragalaya. During the COVID-19 period, we were asked not to admit patients to the hospital at the beginning so we leased out four hotels.

However, the decision-making process is very quick here as we don’t wait for the board to sit and discuss or anything of the sort. Major decisions are made immediately and as a result, many lives were saved during these periods.

Then there was the shortage of drugs. But we don’t import anything as we buy from pharmaceutical agents who represent manufacturers. They found it difficult to open letters of credit due to the shortage of dollars in the country. So while there was a shortage of drugs among some hospitals, we never had that issue. In fact, we had ample stocks to look after patients.

What we really need is government intervention in helping the private sector ease controls and overcome red tape. When we make requests for urgent matters, it takes time. This has been the case for many years.

Q: Does Nawaloka have any plans to improve services by leveraging technology?

A: We are introducing an electronic medical recorder where all patient data will be stored. The process has already started and it will be fully functional soon. This is our next step because we’re looking to implement a paperless environment. So doctors will record details on a portal and patients need not carry files in the future.

Q: How did the hospital mark its anniversary?

A: We had a medical exhibition on the ground floor of the hospital on 18 September, which was attended by many schoolchildren. And we also celebrated it with all our staff members including the cleaners and security team on 24 September in the hospital.

– Compiled by Allaam Ousman
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Telephone: 5777777 | Email: nawaloka@slt.lk | Website: www.nawaloka.com