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) has organized a joint program titled, “Healthcare Executive Management Development Programme (HxMDP). The program was formally inaugurated by Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu, and Prof. (Dr.) Shakti Gupta, Director, AIIMS Jammu on 20th Nov 2022 at Hotel Radisson Blu, Jammu. The HxMDP is a week-long residential program from the 20th of Nov-27th Nov 2022. The program has 25 participants from across the country and the list features top-of-the-league medical professionals.

The Program Directors for the above program are Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean Academics, IIM Jammu, and Col (Dr.) Rakesh Verma, RFHHA. The Program coordinators for the above program are 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 welcome address by Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean Academics, IIM Jammu, and Col (Dr.) Rakesh Verma, RFHHA. 

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. (Dr.) Shakti Gupta, Director, 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 overall development and progress of healthcare in India.”

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. B.S. Sahay, Director, IIM Jammu said, “I would like to let you know that Jammu is the only city where all three national institutes of importance namely IIM, IIT, and AIIMS are there. IIM Jammu has already an MoU with IIT Jammu and AIIMS Jammu where we have two courses B.Tech + MBA  ( Dual Degree) with IIT Jammu and MBA  Hospital Administration and Healthcare Management with AIIMS Jammu and IIT Jammu. The program offers the unique advantage of learning the basics of management and operations from IIM Jammu, technological aspects from IIT Jammu, and gaining subsequent practical, hands-on experience in the management of hospitals and health care services at AIIMS Jammu under the guidance and supervision of hospital administrators. The HxMDP is designed with a focus on essential skills and competencies relevant to senior healthcare professionals in administrative roles. This program tries 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.”

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Jabir Ali, Dean Academics, IIM Jammu said, “The Healthcare Executive Management Development Programme (HxMDP) is designed with a focus on imparting essential skills and competencies to senior healthcare professionals holding administrative positions in their organizations. I am sure this programme 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 that “The program aims 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.”

The domains covered under this program are 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 program HxMDP is designed as an HR intervention, through which it is envisaged to enhance the skillsets of Professionals in leadership roles, and experience sharing by key professionals and faculty. The program will also provide learning through Problem-based learning, Case methods, and experience sharing by the participants and faculty including interactive sessions and group discussions aimed at sharpening analytical skills.

HxMDP addresses 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 / tertiary care hospitals, etc. The inaugural ceremony ended on a positive note with a promise to create new milestones in the field of medical health.