Starting a hospital alone is not a sustainable means for equipping the people of India towards holistic health. Therefore, hospitals must train young men and women by introducing training programmes in medical, nursing, and allied health sciences. The medical college built within should challenge students to serve in areas of the country that lack proper healthcare. With an ardent desire, they shall continue to serve the nation even after their training. Keeping in line with this vision, Believers Church Medical College Hospital (BCMCH) was founded in 2014.
Moran Mor Athanasius Yohan I Metropolitan, of Believers Eastern Church, had the vision to provide quality holistic healthcare in an environment where patients can find both healing and wholeness.
An Erudite Leader
The hospital is under the leadership of Director and CEO, Prof. Dr. George Chandy Matteethra. He has an MD, DM (Gastro), PGDHA, FRCP, FIHS, and Fellowship in Liver Transplantation from Sydney.
Being the former Director and Head of the Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, CMC Vellore, he has been a pioneer in the field of Hepatology and Liver Transplantation in India. For his contributions in the field of healthcare in India, he has received the highest award in the field of Medicine, the Dr. B. C. Roy National Award from the President of India.
A Holistic Approach
BCMCH is a 750-bedded Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Kerala. It hosts eminent physicians and surgeons from a wide range of specialties and super-specialties, supported by ultramodern infrastructure and equipment.
With its committed team of medical professionals, BCMCH aims at providing quality and holistic care that is cost-effective to the common man. It offers primary care, preventive and curative services in general medicine, family medicine, maternal and child health care, immunizations & nutrition.
The hospital also provides a broad range of secondary care services in Internal Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics/Gynaecology, Paediatrics, ENT, Ophthalmology, Psychiatry, Anaesthesia, Pulmonary Medicine, Orthopaedics, Dentistry, and Dermatology.
Delivering Excellence
The academic programmes at Believers Church Medical College are centered on a vision to provide holistic training to the next generation of doctors – to enable them to be compassionate and competent medical professionals.
Apart from the structured curriculum laid down by the Medical Council of India, the college conducts vertically integrated seminars aimed at providing students a big picture of the disease. Classes on medical ethics are taken by trained faculty where case studies are discussed extensively.
Students are also trained in research methodology to encourage and empower them to carry out research projects right from their undergraduate years. BCMCH has already adopted all newer teaching methods and methodology advocated by the Medical Council of India.
The students stay on campus and have access to an expansive library and various recreational facilities such as a gymnasium, basketball, volleyball, and badminton courts, swimming pool, and many more.
Recognition in the Industry
For its holistic care, education, and contribution to society, the hospital has been bestowed with:
- National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers with grade ‘A’
- Nathan’s Learning Forum Leadership Award 2018 – Excellence for Medical Education
- Government of Kerala – Department of Labor & Skills (Certificate of Excellence)
- Delhi Quality in Healthcare Leadership Awards (Zee Business Awards)
Full-on Support
The faculty at Believers Church Medical College realize the importance of preparing students for the future while also inculcating in them, ideals of compassionate and ethical care. “We train our students to realize the importance of teamwork. Our ‘Inspire’ programme sees medical students posted in various areas of the hospital such as front desk, telephones, laundry, CSSD, nursing, laboratory, medical records, engineering, etc. This helps budding doctors to recognize the roles played by the various teams and departments in providing care to a patient. We believe that this integrated approach, where the contribution of each individual is recognized, will prepare students for the world that lies ahead”, cites management.
The medical students are also exposed to the medical needs of India through the Secondary Hospital Postings. Students are sent to hospitals in rural areas across India, from Himachal Pradesh to Tamil Nadu, where they see the need for quality healthcare services and are also provided opportunities to interact with the local communities. Consequently, this prepares students to navigate a field that grows challenging with each passing day.
Future Endeavors
In the short span of five years, BCMCH has grown to be a leading healthcare provider in South India. For forthcoming years, the hospital aims to establish Centers of Excellence in various fields such as critical care, gastroenterology, and gastrointestinal surgery, urology, orthopedics, haematology, endocrinology, neurology, and rheumatology. The hospital also envisions to remain committed to its goal of improving access to quality healthcare services across the country by setting up a telemedicine network.
