Date:21/01/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/01/21/stories/2005012102491700.htm

Back Health Conclave in Mumbai on February 4

Our Bureau

Mumbai , Jan. 20

NEW-AGE mantras in the healthcare delivery business, such as accreditation, branding and communication will be some of the segments that will be highlighted at the Health Conclave 2005 to be held in Mumbai.

This will be the first time that Mumbai is hosting the event, following New Delhi and Kolkata in the past. Jointly organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Indian Healthcare Federation and Pinnacle Healthcare, the event is scheduled for February 4.

The avenues for healthcare delivery are changing and so are the services and expectations of consumers, said Mr Vishal Bali, conference Chairman and the Vice-President of Wockhardt Hospitals Ltd.

He said that the event would look to pitch the hospital business differently, by shifting the orientation from illness to wellness. Other segments that would be deliberated at the one-day event include the opportunities for healthcare in the business processing outsourcing segment and medical tourism.

Mr Joe Curian, Chief Executive Officer of S.L. Raheja Hospital, said that the event would also look at segments such as health insurance and alternative systems of medicine.

CII's Deputy Director, Mr Zakariah Ahmed, said that they were looking to synthesise all the studies on healthcare done by the different committees and agencies and produce a report by April.

With medical tourism being the buzzword in the hospital business, the conclave will also host Dr Narong, Advisor to the Tourism Board, Bangkok. He was instrumental in getting Thailand to become a dynamic medical-services hub, giving Singapore and Malaysia a run for their money, said the organisers.