Ashok Pathrage appointed brand ambassador for the healthcare sector of INFOTEL 2013
Tuesday, 17 September 2013 00:27
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Sri Lanka’s largest ICT exposition ‘INFOTEL’ organised by the Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS), will be opening its 2013 edition from 24 – 27 October 2013 at the Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centre (SLECC).
INFOTEL 2013 will be focused towards being a platform to re-imagine everyday products and services as a whole new world of intelligent devices and systems to improve the efficiency of Sri Lankan businesses. Thus, INFOTEL 2013 will be giving special attention to six sectors namely, Education, Medical Science and Healthcare, Transportation, Tourism, Agriculture and Communication.
Softlogic Holdings Chairman and Managing Director Ashok Pathirage stepped forward as the Brand Ambassador for the Healthcare sector for INFOTEL 2013. Pathirage who burst into Sri Lanka’s corporate scene by pioneering Softlogic and bringing many well known international brands into the local market, was also instrumental in revolutionising the healthcare sector in Sri Lanka by taking over the Aisri Hospital chain and building it as a successful venture, that today meets the international standards of any leading hospital chain worldwide.
Pathirage is today slated as the face of one of the country’s leading contemporary business personalities, whose quintessential blend of spirit and style makes him an ideal brand ambassador for an event such as INFOTEL 2013 that stands for cutting-edge innovation, value and quality.
Pathirage stated, “It is a pleasure and privilege to lend myself as an ambassador to an exhibition of this nature that has today become a brand in itself. The mission and values that INFOTEL stands for are what we need for the businesses in our country today and I am delighted to be associated with the pioneer of an initiative of this nature, that has evolved to be the largest technology exhibition in Sri Lanka.
Expressing his thoughts on the challenges faced by the industry he said, “Ageing societies and the rapid increase in patients with chronic conditions are putting an immense strain on our healthcare systems. To simply tackle these problems with more financial resources is not an option anymore. There is an urgent need to develop services that are more flexible, patient-centred and cost-effective. In such a scenario, technology will undoubtedly sit at the heart of the efficiency drive in healthcare with the use of data-sharing analytics and digital practices to deliver healthcare services predictively.
Pointing out how Information Technology has helped the healthcare sector he affirmed that “Thanks to IT, people today can book their doctor’s appointments by simply dialling a designated number from their phones, and the charges for this service will comprise of the doctor’s and hospital fee and the processing fee, offering a seamless hassle-free channelling process. In the event a doctor cannot honour the appointment, it can also be informed to the patient and be rescheduled online.
Another example is the digitisation of patient records, which can deliver a better quality of patient care by getting the correct insight of the required treatment to the relevant practitioner in real time. IT will also reduce time spent on administrative tasks by building advanced systems to support paperless working practices. Whilst this will greatly improve efficiency, it will also drastically cut down on cost and improve profits, which in turn will enable hospitals to offer better rates for treatment.
He also cited that “IT has played a key role in improving and minimising the risk of surgeries. Technology is revolutionising the medical field with the creation of complex imaging such as CT and MRI scans. Surgical procedures that were once performed only with open surgery are today carried out, using small incisions and using computer aided instruments to operate within the body. It also allows for better visualisation and targeting of sites as well as improved diagnostic capabilities, giving it a significant advantage over conventional techniques. The precision of computer assisted surgery gives surgeons better vision, maneuverability and control when performing surgeries. It also offers them an unprecedented level of information during a procedure, enabling to execute the surgery exactly as planned.”
Pathirage concluded by saying, “Sri Lanka needs to improve our healthcare system and I commend INFOTEL for giving prominence to the healthcare sector at this exhibition which is certainly a forward thinking approach.”
