About the Programme

The Improving Healthcare Practices programme is a joint initiative by ICHA and Medics Academy. It is an applied course based on the WHO’s Multi-professional Guide on Patient Safety. The programme has been contextualized and validated in Indian context through programmes all over India. It aims to build patient trust bycreating a culture of safer healthcare – a necessary prerequisite to sustainable excellence.


Today there is a global realisation of the need for Re-building trust in healthcare. The Global narrative has shifted thus.

About the Organisation

Indian Confederation for Healthcare Accreditation (ICHA)

The Indian Confederation for Healthcare Accreditation is a professionally-owned and driven Not-for-Profit organisation. ICHA is an organisation created in 2002 and established in 2004 under section 25 (now Section 8) of the Companies Act. ICHA is a globally recognized, highly respected and credible platform. The basic aim of ICHA is to strengthen our health system using a variety of tools e.g modified accreditation, patient safety, quality improvement and improving practice. Addressing the complexities of the healthcare system comprehensively requires a collaborative effort from all stakeholders. The values and guiding principles of ICHA are embedded in the basic pillars of excellence: TRUST – TRANSPARENCY – TRANSACTIONS (communication). It believes in a partnership paradigm instead of adversarial relationships. ICHA is the National multi-stakeholder Confederation of National Associations/Institutions for establishing validated excellence in healthcare in India, in line with similar bodies in all developed countries. ICHA comprises all stakeholder groups across the health sector, viz. Providers, Receivers and users, Payers and funders, Educators and regulators. Currently, all the major National Associations/Institutions of Medical Sciences and practitioners (Clinical, Lab, Admin), Nursing, Pharmacy, Therapy, Consumers, Management and Architects are our subscribers. All the Associations/Institutions are well established and are recognized as apex bodies in their respective fields. ICHA’s logo depicts its mission of Patient Centred Healthcare. ICHA: Vision & Mission The Vision of ICHA is to attain global leadership and make India the health destination of the world by providing continuously better quality healthcare through actualization of our tremendous expert resource potential. And the Mission is to establish validated excellence in healthcare through collaborative team effort to achieve ever-higher optimal levels of quality, access, cost and risk minimisation. We endeavour to bring about all round improvement and happiness to all stakeholders in healthcare.

About the Instructors

Dr Poonam Rajput

CEO & Director ICHA

A medical graduate and postgraduate (Gynae) from Lady Hardinge Medical college and allied hospitals. MBA in healthcare Administration from Faculty of Management Studies and specialized in Quality Management in Healthcare. Has a Rich and diversified Clinical and Managerial experience in the Public Sector, Armed Forces and Private Sector for almost 40 years. Teaching subjects related to Management and Quality in Healthcare and Patient Safety. Assessor for NQAS and CII Baldridge Performance Excellence in Healthcare. Presently holding the post of CEO & Director Indian Confederation For Healthcare Accreditation and Director, Morpheus Healthcare Pvt Ltd, a self owned Healthcare Coy

Dr Akhil Sangal

Honorary Director - Indian Confederation for Healthcare Accreditation

Dr. Akhil Sangal, Hony. Director –founded ICHA – Globally envisaged as the optimal format, two decades ago and nurtured as CEO till last year. Practising doctor, Management teacher, Excellence in Healthcare, CQI are some passions of his multifaceted persona. Intensive and extensive experience with all stakeholders in healthcare has endowed him with a holistic view at macro and micro level globally. Pioneered Accreditation movement, spearheaded Pt. Safety awareness in India through the multi-stakeholder platform of ICHA; with his vision, keen research, impeccable execution, prophetic foresight and creative ideas have resulted in path breaking initiatives consistently – latest being the Covid Pandemic.

Dr Sangeeta Sharma

Professor & Head Department of Neuropsychopharmacology Institute of Human Behaviour & Allied Science (IHBAS) President, Delhi Society for Promotion of Rational Use of Drugs (DSPRUD) Director, Indian Confederation for Healthcare Accreditation (ICHA)Delhi

Department of Neuropsychopharmacology Institute of Human Behaviour & Allied Science (IHBAS) President, Delhi Society for Promotion of Rational Use of Drugs (DSPRUD) Director, Indian Confederation for Healthcare Accreditation (ICHA)Delhi. Dr. Sangeeta Sharma is an MD in Pharmacology and heads the department of Neuropsychopharmacology at IHBAS, Delhi. She has served as Secretary, Medical Council of India, Technical Coordinator of INDIA-WHO Essential Drugs Programme. She is also the honorary President of, Delhi Society for Promotion of Rational Use of Drugs (DSPRUD), an NGO in the forefront of promoting rational use of medicines and improving accessibility/availability of quality drugs since 1996. She has conducted ~300 workshops for doctors, nurses and pharmacists in the area of rational use of medicines, antimicrobial stewardship, patient safety and quality of care. One of her pioneering works is the book “Standard Treatment Guidelines: A Manual for Medical Therapeutics” which is in its 6th edition. Besides these Six Special editions of the book have been adopted/adapted by Indian States.

Adv Dr Nilima Vaidya Bhamare

MBBS , MD , DGO , DNB , LLB

Dr. Nilima is a Proprietor, Matushree hospital Charkop. She is a practicing Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, and infertility specialist. She serves as a Medicolegal expert. She is the President Elect of AMC 2022-23. She is the Secretary, Being Doctors and Founder member, Mumbai Dhadkan. She has conducted awareness programs for menstrual hygiene, save the girl child, medicolegal topics all across the nation. During COVID times she has worked at all levels free of charge, done blood donation camps, was national co-ordinator for plasma donation, provided N95, PPEs, volunteer doctors, etc for government facilities.

Dr Indu Arneja

Director, Indian Institute of Healthcare Communication

Director, Indian Institute of Healthcare Communication She is founder Director of Indian Institute of Healthcare Communication. A pioneer in the field of Healthcare Communication in India, she has conducted around 1500 Clinical Communication programs for doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. She is an external assessor for NQAS, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and is a core group member of Advisory Board on Health and Mental Health for Nation Human Rights Commission . She is Affiliate with ICHA.

Dr Sudipta Dutta

Consultant Healthcare Quality

Dr Sudipta Datta is an alumnus of AFMC Poona, MD (Pathology) from Army Hospital Delhi. He served 25 years in the Army Medical Corps, headed multiple hospital laboratories and Blood Banks. Dr. Datta worked as Professor of Pathology at Cancer Institute Adyar, Chennai. He has been an NABH Assessor since 2007 and also worked on International Practicum on Quality Improvement and Accreditation conducted by Joint Commission International (JCI) and is Lean Management, and Six Sigma certified professional. In Columbia Asia Hospitals, Dr. Datta worked for 13 years, mainly in the areas of Quality Assurance including Accreditation (NABH, JCI & NABL), and Laboratory Services, Hospital Projects and Operations. He retired on 1st April 2018 as Sr VP – Quality Assurance & Laboratory Services.

Dr Abel Asirvatham

Consultant Healthcare Quality

Dr.Abel Asirvatham is a Senior Healthcare Professional with about 15+ years of experience in Hospital Process standardization, Quality and Accreditation (JCI and NABH standards), Operations and Risk Management. He is an NABH assessor and has assessed many hospitals pan India and led hospital teams for about 50+ NABH assessments and 5 Joint Commission International Surveys till date. Dr.Abel also had the privilege to serve as the Joint Director – NABH, Quality Council of India, New Delhi , where he was program head for some of the programs of NABH. He is Visiting Faculty for Healthcare Quality Management at Loyola Institute for Business Administration (LIBA), Chennai. He has received the “50 Most Impactful Quality Professionals” award for healthcare category by the World Quality Congress, Mumbai in 2016. He is an Affiliate with ICHA.

Dr Neeraj Mishra

Lecturer & HOD, Occupational Therapy, CRC Davangere,MSJE, Govt. of India

A Graduate from Patna Medical College and Postgraduate Occupational Therapy (Pediatrics ) . Has more than 13 years of experience in the field of Neurorehabilitation and Ergonomics. Certified in Workplace Ergonomics From IIT Kharagpur. Has been a faculty member for various National & International level conferences and recipient of 5 best scientific paper awards by AIOTA. He is a regular member of the Ergonomics certification committee of All India Occupational Therapists’ Association. He is an affiliate with ICHA

Dr Chethana HS

Consultant Healthcare Operations, Quality and Audits

Dr. H. S. Chethana is a medical professional with over 20 years of experience in clinical practice and hospital administration. Post MBBS, she did an M. Phil in hospital and health system management from BITS Pilani and a diploma in medical law and ethics from National Law School of India, Bangalore. Dr. Chethana is passionate about medical laws and ethics and has expertise in operationalizing and commissioning multi-specialty hospitals. She is an affiliate with ICHA

Dr Veena R

Director – Healthcare Programs, ISBR Business School

Dr Veena is a seasoned Healthcare Management Professional who carries the rich experiences gained through various roles of an administrator in the healthcare organization, public health researcher, healthcare quality consultant, management trainer and faculty for postgraduate management teaching. She has participated in hospital quality accreditations, consultancy studies, public health research, and monitoring and evaluation. She is trained in Lean- Six Sigma. She is a NABH Assessor. Currently, she is working as Director-Healthcare Programs at ISBR Business School, where she spearheaded curriculum development for healthcare management. She is an Affiliate with ICHA.

Dr Mymoona Akhter

Associate Professor and Dy. Coordinator of BIF-JH

Mymoona Akhter holds Ph.D. Pharmaceutical Sciences (2005), M. Pharma in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from Jamia Hamdard (Hamdard University) New Delhi. Akhter is working as an Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry in School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research and is Deputy Co-ordinator of the Bioinformatics Facility Jamia Hamdard. Akhter has been bestowed with several honors like the SERB- fast track research project award for young scientists by Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India (2012), the Career award for young Teachers by All India Council of Technical Education (2010), SERC Visiting Fellowship by DST (2005). She is supervising scientific research of the post-graduation and the doctoral level. She is an Affiliate with ICHA.