In a significant boost to medical education and healthcare in the region, Nagpur's Super Speciality Hospital is poised to achieve its long-awaited full academic status. The institution, originally envisioned as a postgraduate medical institute, will soon add postgraduate seats in four new departments, transforming it into a comprehensive teaching hospital.
Expansion of Postgraduate Medical Education
For years, the hospital primarily functioned as a healthcare service centre with limited postgraduate training. Currently, it offers PG seats in only three departments: Cardiology (4 seats), Gastroenterology (2 seats), and Neurosurgery (4 seats). This is set to change dramatically following recent inspections by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
The NMC has recommended granting two PG seats each in four new departments: Endocrinology, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery (CVTS), Pulmonary Medicine, and Urology. Once formally approved, the hospital will provide postgraduate training across seven departments, finally fulfilling its original mandate as a full-fledged PG teaching institution.
Major Infrastructure and Diagnostic Upgrades
Parallel to the academic expansion, the hospital is undergoing rapid infrastructure modernization. A key development is the acquisition of an MRI machine, expected to be operational within a month. This addition is crucial as the hospital already provides sonography and CT scan services.
The availability of all three major imaging facilities in-house is a game-changer. Patients will no longer require referrals to the Government Medical College (GMC) for these scans. This will significantly reduce waiting lists at the GMC and ensure faster diagnosis and treatment for patients at the Super Speciality Hospital.
The hospital administration has strategic plans for the current sonography unit, which operates near the OPD. Once separate, dedicated facilities are created for the CT scan, sonography, and MRI services, the existing sonography space will be repurposed. This area will be used to expand the Outpatient Department (OPD), which has become overcrowded due to a steadily rising patient load. The OPD expansion work is slated for completion in the next few months.
Enhanced Surgical and Critical Care Facilities
The hospital's modernization drive extends to its surgical suites and critical care units. A dedicated transplant operation theatre (OT) has been developed on the fourth floor. Furthermore, additional operation theatres have been constructed on the third floor.
These new OTs, equipped with modern facilities, will allow transplant procedures and other major surgeries to be conducted simultaneously. This parallel processing capability is expected to substantially reduce waiting times for patients needing surgery.
On the first floor, the establishment of a cath lab and a Cardiology Intensive Cardiac Care Unit (ICCU) has been completed. This enhances the hospital's capability to handle complex cardiac interventions and provide intensive post-operative care.
A senior hospital official highlighted the impact of these expansions, stating they will provide even better facilities to patients. As the only government institution of its kind in Central India, these upgrades are set to benefit a vast number of patients. Additional patient-centric amenities include a newly constructed shed near the Nuclear Medicine Department where relatives can stay, offering them much-needed relief. Work has also commenced on the hospital's C-2 wing, signaling continued growth.
