The conjunction of technology and healthcare has always played a prominent role when it comes to the comprehensive development of human civilization. Reformative innovations in healthcare have evidently saved innumerable lives and opened doors for discovery of novel treatments.
This edition, India’s Most Admired Medical Devices Companies, emphasizes on companies that are breathing life into such innovations, and are delivering the best of their potential while catering to the evolving needs of the healthcare sector.
One prominent company that has carved unparalleled benchmarks of quality in the medical device manufacturing space is AVANA Medical a trusted trade partner for Global Leaders in Orthopaedic, specializing in minimally invasive Orthopaedic Joint Preservation products across Continuum of Care for India and few SAARC Countries delivering innovative solutions to surgeons for best patient outcomes.
In an interview with Insights Success, Pandian Sundararajan, the Managing Director at AVANA Medical Devices shares with us detailed insights into the company’s continued success and his opinion the future scope of the medical devices manufacturing market.
“Since inception, AVANA’s strategy has always been to sustain a customer-centric culture by their focus and dedication.”
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Please brief our audience about your organization, its values, vision, and mission.
Incorporated in 2009 in Chennai with channel partners in all major cities, AVANA proudly unites best and direct industry talent of 70 and an indirect team of over 250 individuals dedicated to achieving their mission.
AVANA’s mission ‘Preserving Health’ comes from the concept of ancient Sanskrit definition of AVANA as Preservation. Since its inception, AVANA’s strategy has always been to sustain a customer-centric culture by their focus and dedication.
AVANA has well established three pillars of excellence, which are – Partnering with Orthopaedic Surgeons in their pursuit of medical education with excellence; Attracting Best in Industry Talent with continuous development of skills and knowledge; and Customer Centricity driven by building relationships within the orthopaedic and surgical communities, and also focussing on reach of innovative therapies which have proven success in patient outcomes.
What makes your company a preferred choice over your competitors? What exclusive products or services do you offer to your clientele?
AVANA is building on a strong history of success to enhance the value it provides to healthcare providers and their patients.
The company shares a commitment with healthcare providers to partner in providing the best and the most innovative technologies, treatments, and solutions to deliver high quality, cost-effective patient care. Each member of their team is absolutely committed in providing the very best medical devices available today at a realistic and competitive cost.
AVANA is the first organization in India to introduce Global leader Arthrex’s Adjustable Loop TightRope Technology and ‘Bone Conserving ACL Repair Solutions’ as GraftLink Technique, in shoulder, Knotless Technology for dislocations and rotator cuff repairs which have redefined early mobility and has significantly improved outcomes for patients with a reduced pain.
“AVANA shares a commitment with healthcare providers to partner in providing the best and the most innovative technologies, treatments and solutions to deliver high quality, cost-effective patient care.”
Recently AVANA has introduced an Arthrex’s Innovative Technology as NanoScope. The Nanoscope System provides a precision which leads to improved patient outcomes and a much higher satisfaction. The experience of the patients is improved with a far better and one of a kind patient-surgeon interaction using this technology, which leads to, a) Faster Recovery, b) Lesser Pain and Swelling, and c) Higher Patient Satisfaction.
AVANA’s partnership with RIWOSPINE, the successful Spine Endoscopy manufacturer, has helped many patients’ early mobilization with less pain after their surgery with special instruments. Herniated discs can be effectively removed and bone parts of spinal stenoses can be resected under a full-endoscopic view.
The company is successfully establishing a legacy of excellence, creating a healthcare ecosystem, with responsibility, ethics, and commitment towards innovative technologies, so that patients can get back to their active lives, early and better.
What kind of challenges has your company faced being in the medical devices business?
There had been many challenges faced by the company during the pandemic.
- Loss of Business: This is an obvious one, Complete stoppage of business during lockdown period till June. The elective surgeries had stopped both due to patient apprehensions and hospital bed allocations to COVID patients. Though post July, there had been some recovery of surgeries, though it would take a little more time for the complete recovery to take place.
- People: Retaining and motivating Talent during this time was essential, and at the same time ensuring team safety was of prime importance.
- Connecting with Surgeons: It has been a delicate balance of maintaining safety of employees while maintaining commitment towards helping surgeons treat their patients better.
- Logistics: Maintaining logistics consistency and stock in hand due to disrupted supply chains across the seas.
As one of the prominent medical device enablers, what steps have you taken towards tackling the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact, all the while safeguarding your employees and taking care of your clientele’s needs?
As you have rightly pointed out, employee safety has been on our foremost priority. We had taken a number of steps during COVID Pandemic including:
Digitalization of connect and reach to Surgeons: As physical channels of reach to the surgeons had been restricted, we had established digital reach to the surgeons opening up as one of the major channels of two-way communication for product, requirement support, technical assistance etc.
Protocoled service: To service the surgeries at the hospitals, we had established strict protocols for staff safety compliance in terms of Safety Kits, sanitization, Sanitized Instrument Transfer, Vehicle Protocol for Implant, and Instrument Delivery, in Hospital Protocol for Safety, and Post Surgery Protocols etc.
Digitalizing the logistics: to maintain uninterrupted supply despite disrupted supply chains.
Digitalization of medical education: We have trained more than 3000 surgeons through Online Platforms during the Pandemic. This includes Young Surgeons, Mid Senior surgeons and even Specialization Trainings with the Most Renowned and Best Surgeons in the World.
Digital channels for patient education: As almost more than 80% patients have done a digital research before visiting doctors, Right Awareness to the Patients had been an important initiative taken by us.
What advice would you like to give to the young entrepreneurs who are looking to enter in the medical devices and healthcare space?
Well, the expansion in the Sector has just started and we have a long way to go.
As young Entrepreneurs, the time is ripe to get into platforms that connect the continuum of care. Hence Heath Tech is going to play a very important role in future. The gamut of innovations that can be done in this field is immense, right from Medical Tourism, Telemedicine Opportunities, to monitoring of devices and patients on the broad spectrum. Hence, if you are enthusiastic about healthcare, this is the right time.
How do you envision on sustaining your company’s competency in this ever-changing dynamic of business ecosystem? Where do you see your company in the next five years?
The core DNA of our organization is Innovation, Medical Education, Knowledge, and Connect. Hence, we would continue to innovate in this space not only in terms of new and innovative medical device introduction to India, but also the delivery mechanism across the Continuum of Care.
We look forward to developing strong medical education in India for specialized areas like Foot and Ankle, Hand and Wrist, Biologics and train and develop young surgeons on these techniques.
We plan to have an India specific dedicated Wet Lab which would be the Power Training Engine for all young surgeons.
In the next five years, AVANA would not only strengthen its position in Musculoskeletal space, but it would also Innovate in HealthTech space to bring connected infrastructure to value Add to the Medical Device Industry.
About the Leader
Pandian Sundararajan, the Managing Director at AVANA, is a technocrat, a first-generation entrepreneur, and a successful leader. In his role as Managing Director at the helm, He is spear heading organizational growth and expansion plans, facilitating AVANA in accomplishing its vision. He is well respected and admired in Orthopaedic healthcare industry for his contribution in sourcing best of solutions in the field for best patient outcomes.
P Sundararajan has more than 25 years of rich experience in general management panning across multinational corporations and promoter driven organizations. In his last assignment, he was the Marketing Manager at Stryker Corporation and was entrusted with the responsibilities of driving Endoscopy and Instrument business.
“AVANA is establishing a legacy of excellence creating a healthcare ecosystem, with responsibility, ethics, and commitment towards innovative technologies.”
URL: www.avanamedical.com
