IIM Sirmaur to Establish Centre for Healthcare Management & Innovation

One key aspect of this initiative is the ongoing discussion between IIM Sirmaur and AIIMS Bilaspur regarding a potential collaboration to provide hands-on training opportunities to students.

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh is set to establish a dedicated Centre for Healthcare Management and Innovation (CHMI) by November 2023. The proposal, which received board approval during a meeting on August 22, will be funded in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies located in the vicinity of the campus.

Director of IIM Sirmaur, Prafulla Agnihotri, said, "The centre will focus on healthcare research and consulting, addressing the paucity of rigorous healthcare research in India, particularly from a management perspective. This initiative aims to cater to the growing demand for healthcare professionals in the region, eliminating the need for students to travel to distant cities for education and experience."

One of the key aspects of this initiative is the potential collaboration with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bilaspur. IIM Sirmaur is currently in discussions with AIIMS Bilaspur to offer hands-on training opportunities to students.

This partnership also includes plans to launch a week-long healthcare executive management development programme (MDP) to facilitate knowledge exchange between expert faculty members from IIM Sirmaur and healthcare professionals from AIIMS Bilaspur.

Kiran Kumar Paidipati, an IIM professor who will co-chair the centre with two other faculty members, said, "The collaboration aims to promote entrepreneurship and innovation through programmes for incubation and ideation centres, start-ups, and centres of excellence. We look forward to fostering the exchange of experiences and opinions for mutual benefit and implementing joint social initiatives."

The research areas of the CHMI will encompass crucial aspects of healthcare management, including immunity and nutrition, correlation, outcomes, tuberculosis and nutrition coexistence, rehabilitation, and vitamin deficiencies and after-effects.

The centre will focus on research and offer a wide array of programmes, including MDPs and long-duration programmes (LDPs) in healthcare management and hospital administration. Additionally, certificate programmes in healthcare analytics, healthcare operations, and hospital administration will be rolled out soon.

To ensure the sustainability and success of the CHMI, director Agnihotri stated that local industry partners have expressed keen interest in supporting the initiative.

IIM Sirmaur has previously set up a Centre for Sustainability and Environmental Management.

This initiative by IIM Sirmaur aligns with the growing emphasis on healthcare management and innovation in the country. IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Udaipur have also established their own healthcare management centres, further highlighting this field's significance in addressing the evolving healthcare landscape in India.

These initiatives aim to bridge the gap in healthcare research and education in India.