Dikhyaa Mohanty 
Dr Swetapadma Dash is one of the most farsighted and result-driven CEOs in the healthcare sector. Apart from being an experienced all-around professional with impeccable credentials, she is also a proven management leader. As the CEO of SUM Ultima Medicare, she sets new benchmarks in delivering responsive and qualitative healthcare and helping the institution grow phenomenally and garner accolades. The glowing testimony of her leadership is reflected in the recent conferment of the National Accreditation Board for Hospital and Health Care Providers (NABH) certificate on SUM Ultimate Medicare SUMUM). It is the highest national recognition and mark of quality patient care services and safety.
The NABH is a constituent board of the Quality Council of India (QCI) set up to establish and operate accreditation programmes for healthcare organizations. It is the principal accreditation for hospitals in India.
“SUMUM is the first hospital in India to get the NABH accreditation in its 5th edition and has been successful in complying with the stringent accreditation standards within a record time of 365 days,” Chief Executive Officer of the hospital Dr Swetapadma Dash said.
QCI and NABH have designed an exhaustive healthcare standard for hospitals and healthcare providers, comprising over 650 objective elements for the hospital to qualify for the NABH accreditation.
“With the COVID restrictions and attendant limitations, attaining the parameters set before us was a huge challenge as we had a brief window of time to make it happen,” Dr Dash, said adding the willingness and determination of all the hospital’s doctors and other staff made it possible.
“We view this certification as a milestone in our journey, and it reaffirms our ability to deliver world-class integrated healthcare services to our patients. It is often said that people make the brand, and we are proud of the people who have done it for SUMUM,” she said.
Among the NABH’s documented standards were access, assessment, continuity, and care of patients, management of medication, patient rights, quality improvement, leadership responsibilities, facility management, safety, and human resource management. Siksha o’ Anusandhan (SOA) is behind the state-of-the-art health care facility.
Dr Dash, who is one of the youngest CEO in the region, started her career as a Clinical Counselor. Over the next eleven years, she advanced up through positions of progressive responsibility holding multiple leadership positions and achieving purposeful and formidable performances. A native of Cuttack, Odisha, Dr Dash is the eldest of two siblings and was raised in typical Odia family values that emphasized hard work, education, and never say die attitude. Dr Dash showed promise early and hit the right notes by excelling in academics and extracurricular activities. She topped Berhampur University in her B.A. graduation course. She was also recognized for her all-around skills in debating, singing, expository writing, and other leadership initiatives.
She graduated from The Vani Vihar (Utkal) University of Odisha at Bhubaneswar and from Manasagangotri, Mysore University, where she was awarded the Gold Medal in Clinical Psychology. Her career spans many verticals, and she has deep experience in medical and hospital management combined with a broad background in research. She holds a PhD in (Clinical Psychology) from Utkal University. She has been a champion for women’s empowerment, acknowledged by several organizations for her leadership and motivation. Dr Dash spent nearly nine years in Bhubaneswar’s Apollo Hospitals, whose rise to seniority and power was impressive.
During her time at Apollo, she spearheaded entire functions of Quality Management, Patient Care, Audits, and Research. She was a key player in strategic initiatives. She was appointed DGM Operations, Quality and Research in 2016 for her ability to make things happen and her clinical efficiency in achieving organizational objectives. Most recently, she was designated Head of QMS for Odisha & Chhattisgarh Region for Apollo.
She has been a passionate learner throughout her life and subsumed by the desire to serve and use her talents to positively impact the region and beyond and create a stronger community. Dr Dash is a whip-smart problem solver with a keen eye for details. Her strength lies in her emotional intelligence and a conviction that makes her commit wholeheartedly to her projects. Dedicated to being the employer of choice for SUM Ultimate Medicare’s employees while constantly redefining the limits of healthcare for other people who follow, she is generous with her time and kind to everyone around her.
