Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu” in partnership with the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Jammu and the Research Foundation of Hospital & Healthcare Administration (RFHHA) successfully organized a joint program titled, “Healthcare Executive Management Development Programme (HxMDP) at Hotel Radisson Blu, Jammu. The HxMDP was a week-long residential program from the 20th of Nov-27th Nov 2022. The program featured 25 participants from across the country and the list features top-of-the-league medical professionals. The valedictory session had the gracious presence of Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, and Prof. (Dr.) Shakti Gupta, Executive Director and CEO, AIIMS Jammu on 26th Nov 2022 at Hotel Radisson Blu, Jammu. 

The Program Directors of HxMDP were Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean Academics, IIM Jammu, and Col (Dr.) Rakesh Verma, RFHHA. The Program coordinators were Dr. Sajit M. Mathews and Dr. Kapil M. Gumte from IIM Jammu, and Dr. Khalid Mohammad, and Dr. Pranay Mahajan from AIIMS Jammu. The program commenced with a welcome address by Col (Dr.) Rakesh Verma, RFHHA followed by the open session for feedback.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. (Dr.) Shakti Gupta, Executive Director, and CEO, AIIMS Jammu said, “Medical Administrators are often appointed to leadership roles by virtue of their expertise and eminence in clinical domains but, the need for the development of core competencies related to the administrative skills of their roles is most often overlooked. Formal Management training generally is not a part of the career progression, even though knowledge in the domains of human resources, legal and ethical issues, equipment management, financial management, hospital operations, hospital performance, quality, and patient safety, etc. is required to the success of healthcare organizations and systems. This program is sure to address such needs and is sure 

to upskill and contribute in a way to the overall development and progress of healthcare in India. I would like to compliment Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu for his support and his visionary approach of getting all three Institutes of national importance namely IIM, IIT, and AIIMS housed in Jammu on a single platform and thereby contributing extensively to the progress and development of the U.T of J & K as part of the nation-building exercise.  I would also like to urge you all to think out of the box, innovate, be a daydreamer, and think out of the sky for the infinite possibilities, imbibing entrepreneurial skills for bringing an overall change in your organization and contributing to the nation.”

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu said, “The HxMDP offered the unique advantage of learning the basics of management and operations from IIM Jammu, medical aspects from AIIMS Jammu, and gaining subsequent knowledge, practical, hands-on sessions for effective management of hospitals and healthcare services.  Now it is up to you, how you utilize the knowledge that you have imbibed from the experts during the week-long programme.  The HxMDP was designed with a focus on essential skills and competencies relevant to senior healthcare professionals in administrative roles. This program has successfully tried to fulfill the knowledge gap for those involved in healthcare administration by providing comprehensive learning in management concepts along with upgraded contemporary tools and techniques.  I would also like to take this opportunity to compliment my friend, Prof (Dr.) Shakti, Gupta, CEO and Director, AIIMS Jammu for doing such an amazing programme and sustaining it for 17 long years. This is indeed commendable. I would also like to assure you that all your feedback and observations provided in the open session will be incorporated and next time, we look forward to a bigger participation and welcoming you all to our new campus where the program will be held on a very grand scale.”

Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean Academics, IIM Jammu said,“The programme is sure to enhance healthcare leaders' abilities to plan, organize, control, and lead their organizations and enable them to discover new ways to handle issues, seize challenges and take their organizations and people to new directions. I am sure this program will open newer vistas in the understanding of managing healthcare facilities and hospitals that will be of immense value for one and all.”

Col (Dr.) Rakesh Verma, RFHHA added, “The 18th HxMDP has come to a close and I am sure it has sensitized and provided wide exposure to a range of topics to all the participants. I am sure all the participants will take meaningful lessons from the programme and try to implement them at their workplace”

The domains covered under this program were human resources, strategic planning in hospitals, hospital services and operations, healthcare communication, healthcare technology, safety, quality and accreditation, healthcare ethics and law, materials and supply chain management, population, health and pandemics, hospital facilities planning and designing, Gen Next Healthcare. 

The addresses were followed by the distribution of certificates to all the participants by Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, and Prof. (Dr.) Shakti Gupta, Executive Director and CEO, AIIMS Jammu. This was followed by a vote of thanks and the recital of the national anthem by the participants and the esteemed guests.

The 18th HxMDP addressed the learning needs of medical professionals in leadership roles in the public and private sectors, like Facility Directors, Directors of Health Services, Medical Superintendents, Directors, Principals of teaching and tertiary care hospitals, etc. The valedictory ceremony ended on a positive note with a promise to return on a grand scale and with a promise to create new milestones in the field of medical health.