Kali Chaudhuri and City of Kolkata Join to Develop State of the Art Public Healthcare

News Release

The KPC Group and the City of Kolkata Join Hands to Develop a State-of-the-Art Public Healthcare Infrastructure for Kolkata

IT-enabled System to Bring Quality Healthcare to Citizens at All Socio-Economic Levels

January 22, 2008

RIVERSIDE, California (January 22, 2008)

The KPC Group of Companies announced today that it has teamed up with the City of Kolkata, India to develop a world-class healthcare infrastructure for the city. A company spokesperson said that a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with city. Mr. Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya, Hon. Mayor of Kolkata and Dr. D. D. Chattopadhyay, Chief Medical Officer of the city were present during the signing event. Officials of the City of Kolkata and The KPC Group are now working on a definitive agreement and a detailed project report that will outline the entire scope of the project.

“A major current need for the metropolitan community of Kolkata is enhancement of the existing Primary Healthcare Access system that will result in providing easy and cost- effective access to primary healthcare for citizens at all socio-economic levels”, said Dr. Kali Pradip Chaudhuri, Chairman and Founder of The KPC Group of Companies. “The project was conceived by Mr. Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya, Hon. Mayor of Kolkata and we worked with him and his team to develop a comprehensive technology-enabled system that will combine world-class healthcare practices with modern IT tools.”

The goal of the project will include

• Expeditious identification of infectious diseases, epidemics and similar health hazards
• Substantial reduction of “response time” for preventive action
• Integration of medical information for analysis, interpretation and predictive action
• Comprehensive Public Health education, Health & Hygiene related awareness programs
  
  
  An IT-enabled “Integrated Healthcare Services” (IHS) is being developed that will integrate and enhance healthcare delivery facilities through a network implementing state-of-the-art information technology tools for
  
  
  • Medical Information integration, share and exchange
  • Web or network based communication/collaboration
  • Analysis, Interpretation and Response prediction
    
    
    The integrated system will have two key advantages. First, the integration will allow sharing of critical resources and facilities – resulting in an extremely cost-effective healthcare solution. In addition, by integrating and centralizing, all necessary information will be available in an organized manner. The organization of information, in turn will result in expeditious response to potential crisis situations and enhancement of community awareness.
    
    
    The proposed plan will function through a four-tier system. The existing facilities like Ward Health Units & Dispensaries, Maternity Hospitals and Infectious Diseases Hospital (TB Hospital) will become part of the networked system. It is recognized that the existing facilities will have to be enhanced with medical equipment, necessary computer hardware and other information technology tools.
    
    
    Anatomy of the proposed system
    
    
    A four-tier system – integrated physically and electronically - is being proposed (see figure 1 for a schematic representation of the system). Following will be the elements of the proposed Integrated Healthcare Services (IHS).
    
    
    The “core facility” will serve as the center of operations. This unit will have centralized facilities like Laboratories, Imaging facilities, Advanced Diagnostics Center, Surgical Center, Trauma Center and Data Center. All biological testing, sample testing, image processing/interpretation, data processing and similar other processing activities will be carried out here. A pool of expert medical practitioners, specialist physicians and related healthcare professionals will be available here. This facility will also serve as the center of the system’s business activities.
    
    
    It is proposed that the KPC Medical College & Hospital be utilized as the “core facility”. With its advanced facilities, state-of-the-art equipment, world-class medical research center and its pool of elite medical professionals, the KPC Medical College & Hospital will provide a unique value-addition to the proposed Integrated Healthcare Services.
    
    
    

    “2nd Tier Satellite facilities” will serve as the second tier of the system. It is proposed that the four existing Kolkata Municipal Corporation Maternity Hospitals and the MTM TB Hospital at Boral be part of this tier. Depending upon needs and future growth, this tier may be enhanced with addition of future facilities.

    
    
    The existing maternity hospitals may be developed as specialized Women’s Health & Wellness Centers. The TB Hospital can be developed as a specialized Infectious/Contagious Diseases Care & Prevention facility. All of the second tier units will be physically and electronically linked to the “core facility”. In addition, the “core facility” will provide all the sample testing, laboratory, imaging, advanced diagnostics, surgical and other centralized services to the second tier facilities.
    “Local points-of-presence” and “Mobile points-of-presence” will represent the third and fourth tiers of the system respectively. They will be developed to serve the first level of medical & healthcare needs of the community. Particularly, the “mobile points-of- presence” will access the underserved areas or the economically disadvantaged segment of the population.
    
    
    All the above facilities will be connected through a state-of-the-art information network. Patient interactions will take place at the “local” and/or the “mobile” points-of-presence. Physical information (patient data, images, scans etc.) will be collected at the points-of- presence and transmitted electronically to the core facility for further processing, storage and interpretation activities. Biological samples collected physically at the points-of- presence will also be processed at the laboratories situated at the core facility.
    
    
    It is proposed that the existing Ward Health Units & Dispensaries be utilized to serve as the “local-points-of-presence”. As the need grows, the network may be enhanced to include new facilities. The strategic locations of the new facilities will be determined based on population and demographic analysis.
    
    
    The centralization of facilities will result in cost-effective utilization of resources.
    
    
    Most importantly, by utilizing an integrated network, mobile units and central processing, potential hazard situations can be identified expeditiously and response time can be minimized. The mobile units along with integrated data processing will also be very effective in delivering preventive actions and educational/awareness contents.
    
    
    The “mobile points-of-presence” is a unique concept that addresses the special needs of the economically disadvantaged segment of the metropolitan population. Traditionally, it has been noticed that the economically disadvantaged areas are often sources of infectious/contagious diseases and similar such health hazard situations. A proactive solution is required to address the needs of this segment.
    
    
    The typical “mobile point-of-presence” will consist of a Mobile Medical Center which is built on a large van or trailer. This concept epitomizes the Millennium imitative to bring healthcare technology closer to the beneficiaries within the underserved segment of the metropolitan area – particularly to the economically disadvantaged areas. The aim has been to bring advancements in modern medical sciences at the door step of the common man, who otherwise would have been neglected of its benefits.
    
    
    The Mobile Medical Center is designed to address the specific needs of the economically disadvantaged segments where negligible modern health care is available to the needy and poor people. It should also be kept in consideration that these areas are prone to outbreak of infectious/contagious diseases that can eventually result in socio-economic impacts of catastrophic proportions for the entire metropolis.
    
    
    The “Mobile Medical Center” addresses this issue by being proactive and taking quality healthcare to such areas on a regular basis. In addition, the “Integrated IT enabled
    model” allows data collected to be analyzed expeditiously resulting in quick response as necessary.
    
    
    This unique healthcare delivery model is already available in many developing countries, and has been found to be extremely popular & a practical health care model for communities that are difficult to reach and where a proactive approach is needed.
    
    
    This health care model will make it possible to provide state of the art comprehensive health care to the needy and poor people at their doorstep throughout the entire metropolitan area of Kolkata.
    
    

    INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE SERVICES FOR KOLKATA

    Anatomy of the proposed system
    

    About The KPC Group

    
    
    The KPC Group is a worldwide conglomerate – founded by Dr. Kali P. Chaudhuri. Dr. Chaudhuri is recognized worldwide as a visionary who has successfully integrated modern medical science with state-of-the-art technology tools and today’s Information Technology-enabled management techniques to create a unique business model in the healthcare industry.
    
    
    A highly successful physician/entrepreneur with extraordinary credentials, Dr. Chaudhuri has practiced in four major continents and in countries like USA, Canada, UK and South- East Asia.
    
    
    Today’s KPC Group is a highly successful worldwide enterprise consisting of –
    
    
• Healthcare Services and Facilities – Premier hospitals and healthcare facilities in Orange County, Riverside County and India
• IT-enabled Services : Engineering, Information Technology and specialized “knowledge verticals” Research & Development : Pharmaceutical, Medicinal Chemistry & Molecular Medicine
• Educational Institutions : International network of specialized Medical, Engineering & Information Technology institutions
• Real Estate Enterprises : World-class Real Estate Development and Management : Prime commercial properties, Resorts and Recreational facilities, Tea plantations, Vineyards, Agricultural Nursery, Fisheries and Prime Timber plantations
• Worldwide Travel Services : Network of IT-enabled travel service support centers in the USA and India

For more information contact: J. Chatterjee, (951) 782-8812 Email: news@thekpcgroup.com