‘People Come Here Looking for HOPE, LOVE & CARE’- Bishop of Mangaluru Diocese Rev Dr Peter Paul Saldanha during Launch of Five Renovated Facilities, namely- Emergency Medicine and Casualty Department; Radiology Department; Medical Records and Billing Departments; Lab Phlebotomy Section; and Office of the Medical Superintendent,at Father Muller Hospital, Mangaluru, held today, 3rd July 2020 at 9:30 am.
Mangaluru: The Father Muller Brand is itself an epitome of quality in health care and ever-evolving in its approach through the latest technology and advancements providing affordable medical treatments to those who suffer and need care. The Father Muller Medical College Hospital has become a beacon of service in the health care sector. The upkeep through the remodeling of the hospital with time and the increase in doctors and staff has also helped in providing care.
Father Muller Charitable Institutions [FMCI] is a registered society owned by the Diocese of Mangaluru and has a history of over 140 years. FMCI was started by Rev. Fr Augustus Muller in 1880 by dispensing homoeopathic medicines in Mangaluru a South Indian town in the state of Karnataka. Even in the early years of the starting of the institution, the dictum, “Heal and Comfort” had become operational and treating patients with love and compassion was a Divine decree.
FMCI is primarily involved in medical education and health care delivery for the last several years and provides yeoman services to the public at large. FMCI focuses its attention on charity work by providing health care benefits to people who cannot afford expensive medical care. Currently, over 2500 doctors, nurses, technical staff paramedical and other health care providers are working for FMCI. FMCI runs the following Medical educational institutions: Medical College, College of Nursing, School of Nursing, College of Allied Health Sciences, College of Speech and Hearing and a Physiotherapy College providing both undergraduate and postgraduate training which are supportive systems to the health care fraternity.
The Father Muller Charitable Institutions is celebrating its 140 years of service to humanity in the Coastal city of Mangaluru. What started as a clinic under a banyan tree has grown with age and stature into a national and internally renowned educational units and hospital. FMCI through the Father Muller Medical College Hospital has served the people of this region irrespective of caste, creed, religion or socio-economic status. In its 140th celebratory year the Father Muller Charitable Institutions has embarked on a journey to be at the pinnacle of medical and allied health care to the people of the region and afar. The Inaugural and blessing of five renovated facilities namely- Emergency Medicine and Casualty Dept; Radiology Dept; Medical Records and Billing Departments; Lab Phlebotomy Section; and Office of the Medical Superintendent, was held today, 3rd July 2020 at 9:30 am.
The Father Muller Medical College Hospital, one of its units has been succour to many during the past century and more. The current Casualty and Out Patient Reception area was constructed in the year 1972, and has served the unending lines of patients for 50 years. It has been a part of the FMCI history and has been the facade where one recognizes the hospital with. Nevertheless, with the untiring efforts of the Governing board to upkeep the hospital, a plan was set into motion to refurbish the hospital keeping in mind the aesthetics and intricacies of the new era. The refurbishment was the need of the hour to enhance the rate of patient footfall and the need to provide advanced optimum care with dignity.
In today’s competitive health care environment, organizations must educate and engage their stakeholders — patients, doctors, staff, volunteers and the community. A hospital’s strategic plan, consisting of both short- and long-range versions, should do just that by establishing several strategies that focus resources to better achieve goals that support the organization’s mission and vision. Renovation can be a cost-effective and appeasing option, but it also is the most complicated one. The entrance of the hospital speaks volumes of the quality of services it provides. Hence the Patient Waiting Area and the Medical Records Department, Department of Radiology along with the Billing and Casualty has been medically condign for.
The efforts put in by Rev. Fr Rudolph Ravi D’Sa, Administrator of the hospital and Rev. Fr Nelson Dheeraj Pais, Asst. Administrator of the hospital has seen the new change of these departments and areas of the hospital. Their meticulous and hawk-eye approach has seen that the refurbishment completes well on budget and time. Fr Rudolph has gone beyond his call of duty so far as even supervising all the works even through nights resulting in the work being completed beyond the stipulated time. The efforts put in by Rev. Fr Ajith B. Menezes to provide statutory guidance according to the National Medical Commission has also borne fruit. The Director FMCI, Rev Fr Richard A. Coelho has been the backbone to all the progress that goes in the institutions. His belief in inclusivity for all dimensions of patients in health care and the community approach has seen the conceptualization and implementation of the face lift.
Rev. Fr Richard Coelho welcomed the Bishop and conveyed the auspiciousness of the day to the gathering, the day being, the Feast of St Thomas, the Apostle of Jesus to India and the day the when the current Bishops name (Bishop to be) was announced simultaneous in both in Rome and Mangaluru two years ago. Rev Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, Bishop of Mangaluru Diocese in his presidential address echoed the sentiments of the people that the Father Muller Hospital is of the people, pro poor and treats everyone with empathy and care.
The Bishop further said, “We often hear being said that “First Impression is the best impression”, or “Love at First Sight”. “Kannare Kandaru, Parambarisi Nodabeku”, is the ancient wisdom that guides us. What impressions people have, especially the poor about our beloved institution Father Muller Medical College Hospital? The people come with hope that they will be treated well and taken care with love. Here the doctors, nurses, administration and everyone are patient friendly. Here the charges are affordable to the poor. Those who work here and the administration have made their dream come true, by transforming few facilities with a new look. “A dream does not become a reality through magic, it takes sweat, determination and hard hard work” said Colin Powell, former US Defense Secretary”
“And today, the dream has come true to the facade of Father Muller’s. Happily today, the differently-abled are given extra care and our hospital cannot be exception. Our ultimate goal is to heal and comfort and everything must be geared to that. On 1 July, we celebrated Doctors’ Day-belated wishes on Happy Doctors’ Day, to the warriors and protectors of all during these days of crisis. And St Thomas Feat to you all, which is celebrated today. Father Muller Charitable Institution will remain strong with its motto “Heal and Comfort”, to serve the suffering and the needy patients” added Bishop.
The Patient Reception Area cum Waiting Area-
has been given a pleasing yet modern outlook with wood finish aluminum decor and false ceilings with energy saving lights and fans. The brightness of the hall has opened it up making it look bigger and spacious. The reception desk has been ergonomically designed for the benefit of the staff and the patients. The entrance has been widened with sliding toughened glass doors with protective steel gates to facilitate easy movement of personnel and patients alike.
The Medical Records and Billing Departments for Out-Patients & In-Patients-
has been refurbished with the latest technology and a glass facade. Patients and bystanders can now interact with the staff in a more responsive manner making it convenient for the staff as well. The medical records department has seen a complete overhaul with the digitization of records and thus help in paperless processing. Files of yester years have been scanned and saved so that patients can access them when they come on later dates. Original files of MLC’s, psychiatry and oncology patients throughout the years have been preserved just in case.
The Billing section for out-patients and In-Patients have more windows with a separate counter for private/corporate rooms numbering 7 in total. This will help ease the queue at the windows and fasten the billing process.
Emergency Medicine and Casualty Department
There was a need felt for a separate well-equipped department of emergency medicine to help in faster triage and care of critically ill patients. Hence, the casualty has been refurbished with the latest in modern emergency medicine unit with a fully centralized air-conditioned casualty, operation theatre, critical care room with 5 beds, triage area, with over 30 beds. The department has been rewired to provide continuous oxygen supply, energy-saving electrical fittings, tiled flooring and walls for easy sanitization. There are rooms for the CMO, separate male and female faculty, pg’s and intern duty rooms.
The Department of Radiology –
Has been given a facelift resulting in a wide and spacious feel with a modern staff counter and private ultrasound rooms with attached changing facilities giving the patients a sense of security and privacy. The new centralized reporting hub with latest gadgets in computing and reporting has been added to fasten the delivery of reports to doctors and patients. The seating area has been made comfortable with pleasing aesthetics. The new 128 slice CT machine has been added to the equipment in the department.
The Sample Collection Laboratory (Lab Phlebotomy Section) –
In the hospital building where many health enthusiasts come for their regular check has been modernized with spacious seating, blood collection cubicles, reporting counters and pneumatic Chute system to carry samples to the centralized lab. The area also has attached toilets for male, female and differently-abled patients which have been retrofitted with the latest bath fittings.
Office of the Medical Superintendent-
Keeping in mind the importance of the office of the Medical Superintendent the management decided to overhaul the entire section, now having its own secretariat and the private office of the Medical Superintendent. The makeover has brought even more decorum to the office, having an exclusive waiting area.
With the necessity to maintain social distancing the hospital has erected a massive roof covering the erstwhile car park in front of the OPD, which will help patients and bystanders by providing enough space to maintain optimum distancing and protection from the weather too. The whole ground floor section has been illuminated and redecorated keeping in mind the patients’ needs and the daily disinfection/cleaning needs. Signage is put up in Kannada and English to help patients commute through the different sections. With the pandemic in mind, social distancing in the queue and seating have been marked. The doctors’ list has been redesigned and displayed in the reception area, code of ethics and the hospital scope of services and patient’s rights and responsibilities are displayed in the LED TV and electronic standees.
Fr Rudolph D’Sa called on the workers involved in the facelift to be honoured by the Bishop. Fr Ajith proposed the vote of thanks. The ceremony was compered by Fr Nelson Pais. The formal blessing ceremony was looked over by Fr Felix, Chaplain of the hospital. Every renovation had skilled craftsmen who honed their skills to help this refurbishment. Joy Varghese and team of Brite Aluminium, Alwyn of Florine Iron Works, Maxim and team of Melina Electricals, Sandeep and team of Sri Nidhi Enterprises, Noel “Asha Deep” and team for Civil works, Vincent Pinto for the sanitary and plumbing, Ganesh Baliga “Vaishnavi Associates” for gas pipelines, Suraj “Active System” for the fire safety works, Leslie Rego of The Matt Shop, Reggi and team for the painting and Micheal Periera and Ronald Crasta for his constant supervising of the work.
The Father Muller Medical College Hospital Stands tall in the health care sector with reaccreditation by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH), National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and the Bureau Veritas certifications. OPD is open between 9 am-4:30 pm throughout the week with speciality and super speciality branches. The Hospital has 24-hour casualty, emergency medicine, ICU’s (BICU, ICCU, MICU, NICU, PICU, SICU, RICU), burn’s unit, blood bank, IP’s, haemodialysis, Radiology (X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound), laboratory services, pharmacy, ambulance and mortuary.
The Father Muller health card and Father Muller Health check-up schemes are provided at subsidized rates until August 31st, 2020 for all those wanting to keep their bodies in check. The Father Muller Medical College has over 1250 beds with over 850 free beds providing care to the suffering with the motto of “heal and comfort”. What began under a banyan tree and now grown in compassion with inclusivity irrespective of caste, creed or religion. Father Muller Hospital is happy to serve humanity with care at Father Mullers.
On this occasion Fr Roshan Crasta, Administrator of Father Muller Homeopathic Medical College Hospital, Deralakatte; Fr Vincent Sylvester Lobo, Administrator of Father Muller Hospital Thumbay; Fr Felix and Fr George, Chaplains, Dean of the Medical College, Dean of College of Allied Health Sciences, the Medical Superintendent and Chief Nursing Officer along with the faculty and staff were present.