Page 11 - KZN Top Business Portfolio - EBOOK 2019

Manager at Lenmed Ethekwini Hospital and Feeling blessed to be leading a world class
Heart Centre facility and being part of the hospital’s phenomenal
growth, Bechan says that patient care, clinical
IRESH BECHAN, Lenmed Ethekwini governance and training are imperative to managing
Hospital and Heart Centre’s hospital a successful facility.
manager, says “Even with the most careful
Nplanning, the road of life is unpredictable. “Our doctors are handpicked, and our nursing
The upside of unpredictability is that you may surpass staff is highly specialised. We have strict protocols
any goals you set yourself.” to measure clinical outcomes. Our goal is for every
patient to leave this hospital healed and satisfied.”
Bechan, a chartered accountant who completed his
BCom degree at University of Durban-Westville (now Management tracks each patient’s satisfaction and
the University of KwaZulu-Natal), accepted a job as a quality of care, from their initial visit to the doctor,
management accountant for a hospital. through the admission process right through to
discharge from the hospital.
His first job was working in a small, independent
hospital, but after gaining some experience, he joined Lenmed Ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre
a major South African hospital group and moved into was voted as one of KZN’s top five and SA’s top
the corporate world. Bechan began to take an interest 20 hospitals by Discovery Health patients for ‘Best
in the clinical side of the business and rapidly moved Patient Experience of Hospital Care’ in the large
into general management within the group. hospital category.
When the Ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre Running a hospital can be extremely stressful, but
opened eleven years ago, Bechan was recruited as Bechan is calm and collected under pressure. “Our
general manager. During his leadership, Bechan patients and their families are under enormous
managed to revive this facility that was then on the strain, and if we can help relieve their anxieties
brink of ceasing operations. A leader passionate with compassion and care, with sophisticated
about people and numbers, provided Bechan with technology that gives them the best chance of a
the insight to swiftly turn this business around. positive clinical outcome, and with doctors and
The Lenmed Health Group became the majority specialists with impeccable skills, that will go a
shareholders of the hospital in 2017. long way to helping them deal with their personal
circumstances,” said Bechan.
As the head of the hospital, Bechan’s responsibilities
range from the pharmacy to facilities management, He attributes the success of the hospital to a strong
and from patient care to finance. According to team, and state of the art clinical facilities. When
Bechan, every day is unlike any other. “We are in asked about his management philosophy, he replied
the business of care; therefore, it matters deeply to that people need to be given the opportunity to grow
me that we do our very best always.” He relishes and he has a keen interest in mentoring those who are
every challenge. committed to hospital management.
The Lenmed Ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre In his free time, Bechan is a keen jogger. He also
is highly specialised with a top-notch clinical team enjoys golf, which helps him clear his mind, strategise
across a range of specialties. The hospital’s numerous and network. He says that managing his time is a
accolades include being a paediatric and adult heart, vital part of his approach, and he regularly spends a
stroke, and renal dialysis centre of excellence. “Many couple of hours meditating at his ashram on a Sunday
of our patients are critically ill, and this drives what evening, to revitalise, recharge and prepare for the
we do, and how we do it. They could be suffering week ahead.
from anything from cardiac failure to a deep vein
thrombosis, and our patients often need urgent, “Balance is key… Once you have that, life is such
specialised care.” a pleasure!”

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