Page 78 - MASALA Magazine Vol.15 Issue 7 | October - November 2024

A Ruchita Modi, the Manager,

Prescription for Corporate & Expatriate BD at
Bumrungrad International
Hospital on how the face of
healthcare is evolving, and on
PROGRESS maintaining a healthy outlook

in this space.
B Y AIDEN JE WELLE GONZ ALE S

hile it’s been said before, to this day, the that I didn’t want to just be in a lab. I’d come across a book
COVID-19 pandemic has changed the on hospital and healthcare administration in the library one
worldwide zeitgeist on healthcare, waking day, and realised this could be my niche. The course was the
people up to the importance of every aspect of wellness: from brainchild of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences and I luckily
maintaining a good lifestyle to finding the right hospital, the got accepted into the university, where I had the opportunity
right doctors and specialists, the right insurance, and more. do a lot of internships in renowned hospitals such as Fortis
While I was only an observer in this cultural shift, swept Healthcare, which in turn gave me an understanding of the
along by the tides of change, Ruchita Modi, the Manager, different aspects of healthcare.
Corporate & Expatriate BD at Bumrungrad International
Hospital, is someone who was in the driver’s seat during Afterwards, I was looking for a greenfield project, and there
this evolution, having worked in healthcare management was one in Bangalore to establish a cancer hospital from
for over a decade. the ground up, which piqued my interest. I spent two years
working for Cytecare Hospitals Bangalore, and we started
“It’s true that the face of healthcare is changing every day,” she from a team of five which grew into 250 personnel by the time
acknowledges when I meet her at Bumrungrad International I left. The learnings from that period, when I was involved in
Hospital’s luxe napa lounge, designed to put visitors at every aspect of the hospital, was what grew my base knowledge.
ease. “Patients from around the world are now looking for Afterwards, I went into home healthcare, which is huge in
the most experienced doctors, the best service possible, India and is growing in Thailand – it provides additional
and a full, patient-centric journey; and they’re willing to medical support at home for patients, including procedures
travel for it to Thailand, and especially to Bumrungrad such as blood tests or even at-home patient care. During my
International Hospital.” tenure as the region head for Mumbai of Nightingale Home
Health Care, I gained experience in the business side of
Having moved to Bangkok six years ago, Ruchita is someone the industry on top of my experience in the operations side.
who, she tells me with a rueful chuckle, “had a hardcore
healthcare background,” with a Bachelor of Pharmacy, and When my husband and I moved to Bangkok, I joined Vaidam,
a Master’s in Hospital Administration at the prestigious Tata who are in the medical-value travel field, and I had the
Institute of Social Sciences. After this, she held various opportunity to work with a network of over 10-15 major
management roles in healthcare institutions across India, clinics and hospitals in the Kingdom. However, prior to
and was even a mental health coach during the COVID-19 coming to Bangkok, I’d always wanted to work at Bumrungrad
pandemic. “It was a surprising but rewarding point in my International Hospital, which at one point was the only
career,” she recalls of the latter. “I took care of two aspects: hospital I’d heard of in Thailand – I’d even studied it back
workshops on self-awareness, and conducting grief support in India! So when I got an opportunity to work here, it was
groups to help others navigate through the death of loved a dream come true.
ones during that difficult time.” It’s clear that every aspect
of wellness holds great importance for Ruchita, and she At Bumrungrad International Hospital, you manage
talks me through the ways that healthcare needs to evolve expatriate business development. Can you share what
to meet patient needs, and gives me further insights from this role entails and how you ensure world-class healthcare
her years in the industry. for international patients?
Established 44 years ago, Bumrungrad International Hospital
You’ve mentioned your strong healthcare background, has a longstanding legacy that continues to this day. Part
and you’ve held leadership roles in healthcare operations of that is the growing expat community that comes here;
across different regions. What initially drew you to the a community that we want to build a relationship with in
healthcare sector, and how has your career evolved over order to gain their trust, and to know exactly how we can
the years? support them further. Personally, I work on a large scale with
Initially, I wanted to become an architect but I think my expats, and for obvious reasons, one of my focuses is Indian
dad wasn’t very happy with the idea! [Laughs] So I took up communities. We work very closely with the local and expat
pharmacy; I had a keen interest in chemistry and I was a very Indian communities, with publications like Masala, and with
research-oriented kid from day one. I enjoyed it, but I realised the Embassy of India in Bangkok.

78 | MASALA MAGAZINE OCT-NOV 2024