Dr. Ashley Jacob, a current Executive MBA student (Mumbai Class 1), presented at the Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) 21st Innovation Conference on his successful hospital transformation which increased patient quality outcomes using innovative technology and processes to reduce overhead and patient wait times.

With a population of 1.2 billion people, India has extreme competition where medical facilities and doctors vie for customers who prioritize value, reputation, and quality. Though Dr. Jacob comes from 7 generations of Ayurveda doctors (version 7.0 as he states), he had to differentiate his system and practice in order to become the leading eye hospital since 2001.

Dr. Jacob instituted new policy and operational changes by implementing a new management system which put employees first and customers second. Realizing that 80% of patient interaction is outside of his control (average direct doctor interface is 7 minutes), he developed a training program to ensure his staff were certified and cross-trained to handle every task that would arise.

Additionally, he implemented a digital check-in process where patients used their thumbprint. The system would automatically alert the staff of the patient arrival, lead patients through the various treatment areas, and then send the bill and follow-on appointment reminders automatically.

Incredibly, he utilized YouTube to showcase his operation on a patient to remove the longest eye worm known which became the most downloaded medical video with over 1.2 million views, ( YouTube link ). This global reach allowed him to interact and provide honest and ethical feedback gaining a following.

The results are staggering:
• Reduction of staff (76 to 24)
• Reduction of patient wait times from 211 minutes to 48 minutes
• “Word of mouth” advertising increasing customer base from Indian subcontinent to worldwide

Innovations are not limited to just technological advances but rather a change to an existing action or process. Dr. Jacob applied innovation to mature hospital operations by daring to change the status quo. He has applied these principles, coupled with Olin’s EMBA program, to his other enterprises (financial services, education, entertainment) to continuously innovate and create value.