The Indian Healthcare sector has been experiencing a rapid surge in progress over the last decade, thanks to the continuous evolution of advanced technology as well as the addition of many globally acclaimed hospital chains. While there are adequate numbers of hospitals across the country offering a gamut of healthcare services, we are still a long way to go when it comes to Patient safety as well as high-quality healthcare service. Even people have become more aware after the pandemic and are also prioritizing patient safety as well as Hospital accreditation over anything else. Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital, one of the leading hospital chains in Uttar Pradesh led by Upasana Arora, has been at the forefront of providing quality healthcare service at an affordable price range with a Patient's Safety- First approach. After joining Yashoda as its Director in 2000, Upasana has pushed the hospital chain to new heights by leading the hospital in getting its NABH accreditation and prioritizing patient safety and quality healthcare service at an affordable rate and through the addition of different healthcare verticals, and cutting-edge technologies. In an exclusive Interview with Women Entrepreneur, Upasana shares the business strategies that she leverages at the hospital chain to achieve success, and much more:

Give us a brief overview of Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital. What are some important features of your expertise as a business leader that you want us to highlight through the article?

Yashoda Super Speciality hospital was established in 1999 in memory of my mother-in-law Late Sri Yashoda Devi. She was suffering from cancer and after her death, my husband and the whole family decided to start a hospital in her name. So the hospital was started in 1990 with another branch being started at Kaushambi in 2006. I have been looking after the Kaushambi branch from the beginning and am responsible for the overall operation of this branch. At Yashoda, we provide quality healthcare service with the help of cutting-edge technologies with sympathy, empathy as well as a personal touch. The safety and well-being of our patients have always been our topmost priority. Even during the pandemic, while other hospitals were maintaining distance as well as precautions while treating patients, staff and doctors at Yashoda were providing healthcare services to patients without any hesitations.

Coming to my area of expertise, I am trained in Quality Leadership from Harvard Medical School and also a certified CII and NABH Assessor, which help me excel in `quality' as well as `patient safety'. The patient's length of stay and infection rate at Yashoda is very less, thanks to our patient's safety-first approach. We don't believe in marketing, and it's the goodwill and positive word of mouth that have been helping us throughout the journey.

Take us through your early educational journey and the prior industry experience that you bring to the table.

I have done my graduation in Educational Training and then my Master's in Political Science. Later on, I started preparing for UPSC exams, but couldn't continue the same due to my mother's passing. Later on, I got married and even joined Yashoda Hospital. I wanted to gain more knowledge regarding the healthcare industry and did many courses in some of the universities in the UK including a Lean Management course from Cardiff University. Later on, I also did my NABH-accessor course as well as the CII course, and went to Harvard Medical School to learn more about quality & patient safety. I have also attended my MDP programs at IIM Ahmedabad to learn more about healthcare and leadership. I have always tried to be a good leader who can create a safe atmosphere for everyone to own their responsibilities, and have also empowered and encouraged many leaders at our hospital to create more leaders.

What are the various roles & responsibilities that you shoulder as the Director at Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital?

Tell us about some key business challenges that you face in your current role and how do you counter them?Apart from being the Director at Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital, I wear many hats as the Chairperson for Service Export Promotion Council of the Ministry of Commerce, Healthcare Chairperson for India American Chamber of Commerce, Empowerment Council Co-Chairperson for ASSOCHAM, and Co-Chair for ICC as well as CII. Through all these forums, I try to spread awareness of healthcare as well as patient safety.Coming to the challenges, the healthcare sector itself has been suffering due to a shortage of beds and skilled staff. There is a gap in proper medical infrastructure as well as in the number and skillsets among the medical staff. Apart from the need of adding more nursing & medical colleges and giving proper training, we need to add more beds at the hospitals across the country. Even in rural areas, we need to improve our healthcare infrastructure, so that the patients from those areas won't suffer.

In your opinion what are some of the most significant milestones that you have achieved throughout your professional journey? What has been the driving force behind your success as a business leader?

One of the major milestones throughout my professional journey has been my hospital receiving NABH accreditation in 2010, which was also a huge turning point in my life. We have been running Yashoda for the last 32 years, whereas I joined the hospital in 2000. Even though I have been giving my best throughout this whole time, I was unaware of the quality and patient safety and how to take care of that. However, I went through the books and all the guidelines of NABH during the accreditation of our hospital, which made me realize the importance of accreditation and patient safety. I have received many awards and recognitions both personally and for the hospital after that. My hospital was also the first NABH-accredited hospital in this area. Later on, I did my NABH- accessor course and ISQua fellowship. I am also the first person in India to go for ISQua Fellowship. After the accreditation, I have experienced a lot of growth both personally and from my hospital's point of view. I would like to give the whole credit to NABH for all these successes.

“At Yashoda, We Provide Quality Healthcare Service With The Help Of Cutting-Edge Technologies With Sympathy, Empathy As Well As A Personal Touch”

What are some of the key business strategies and tools that you leverage to ensure organizational success? What would your advice be to young women and girls who also aspire to become business leaders and entrepreneurs in the future?

I believe in being slow and steady while providing the best healthcare service at an affordable price. Presently, we have three hospitals and are going to expand into more hospitals. We are coming up with a 1200 bedded hospital in Indirapuram. I am trying to provide high-end technologies and different transplantation procedures to the public that are unavailable in this area, especially in Uttar Pradesh. Presently, we have healthcare facilities available for kidney transplants and are going to start more transplantation procedures, such as heart transplants, liver transplants, and lung transplants. Our new hospital will be the solution for all kinds of healthcare problems under one roof.

The advice I would like to give to young women and budding entrepreneurs is to believe in themselves. Be focused on your work and always do SWOT analysis before putting your money on it. Nothing comes before hard work. To earn respect and be a role model for others, you have to put your blood and sweat into it. As I don't have a Medical background, people had a lot of doubts when I initially joined Yashoda. However, I decided to prove myself as well as improve my hospital. I have computerized the whole hospital and have also introduced all the new cutting-edge technologies. I lost my father when I was just ten years old and also my mother before my marriage. I have faced a lot of challenges throughout my life. The message I want to convey to everyone is not to feel bad about their circumstances, and instead work on changing them. Don't lose hope if you experience failure. Be enthusiastic, and energetic, try hard, and you will get success.

Upasana Arora, Director, Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital

Upasana Arora is a multiple award-winning and renowned leader in the Indian Healthcare sector and is the Director of Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital, a UP-based leading hospital chain. She is a passionate leader with the utmost focus on Patient Safety and providing quality healthcare service at affordable prices. A staunch supporter of Women Empowerment, Upasana has completed the Harvard Medical School Quality Leadership Program from Harvard Medical School and is also the First Indian to be awarded the prestigious Fellowship of ISQua.

· Headquarter &Other Office Locations : Yashoda Super Speciality Hospital, Kaushambi with other branches in Nehru Nagar,

. Sandhya Nagar· Awards of Recognitions won so far : . UP FICCI FLO Women's Award for Leading Lady in Healthcare in 2018 and 2021

. Uttar Pradesh Ratan Award 2017·

. A business leader you admire : Indra Nooyi