Every technology we implement must be ethical and adhere to biomedical principles: Shuvankar Pramanick, Manipal Hospitals

In today’s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, digital transformation is not just a trend; it’s a necessity. From AI-powered diagnostics to seamless patient engagement and robust cybersecurity frameworks, hospitals are reimagining their operations to deliver smarter, more personalised care.

In this exclusive interview with Express Computer,  Shuvankar Pramanick, Senior Director-IT & Deputy CIO at Manipal Hospitals, shares how one of India’s leading healthcare providers is navigating the complexities of digital integration. Pramanick shares deep insights into Manipal’s strategy across clinical innovation, data security, AI implementation, and the patient experience; painting a compelling picture of the future of healthcare delivery.

Manipal Hospitals has been at the forefront of adopting digital technologies. Could you tell us how you’re driving end-to-end digital transformation across clinical, operational, and administrative processes? And what would you say has been the most impactful change so far?

In the healthcare industry, there’s immense scope for digital transformation—from patient engagement to post-care monitoring. We aim to digitise the entire journey.

Let me take a simple example. When a patient searches online for the best cardiologist in Bangalore, we capture that lead digitally and engage with them automatically. This is similar to how targeted ads follow you across platforms—only here, it’s applied to healthcare.

At Manipal, we’ve implemented Electronic Health Records (EHRs), which are a cornerstone of digital transformation. These records enable data analytics that not only enhance clinical outcomes but also open new business and revenue streams. Through analytics, we can personalise care, optimise supply chains—for instance, ensuring surgical equipment is available just in time—and improve processes like insurance pre-authorisation.

Telehealth, integration with insurance providers, and faster approvals have also been significant. Together, these efforts deliver real value, both for the organisation and, more importantly, for the patients.

With AI becoming increasingly important in clinical diagnostics and treatment planning, how is Manipal Hospitals leveraging AI and ML for decision support? And how do you ensure these systems are reliable and explainable?

We use AI/ML in several ways. Firstly, in clinical decision support—helping clinicians make faster, more informed choices. Secondly, we’re using these technologies for staff training—skilling and reskilling nurses and support teams to fill knowledge gaps.

Another focus is striking the right balance between automation and human judgement. Technology should support—not replace—the clinician’s expertise.

As for reliability and explainability, that’s a challenge, especially in clinical settings. Every technology we implement must be ethical and adhere to biomedical principles. We’ve adopted a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating legal, technical, and clinical perspectives to evaluate the explainability of medical AI.

Crucially, we consider the patient’s point of view. Healthcare is fundamentally about human relationships. If patients lose trust because of impersonal technology, the system fails. Their confidence in AI systems is just as vital as the clinical validation.

With patients expecting a seamless and personalised experience today, how is your technology team enhancing patient engagement—from online consultations and digital health records to personalised follow-ups?

Personalisation starts with data—clinical, personal, and behavioural. We analyse patient preferences. Some don’t like frequent texts or WhatsApp messages from the hospital, while others expect reminders for medications or follow-up tests.

So, it’s about understanding how each patient wants to be communicated with and tailoring the approach. Even a simple lab report needs to be clear. If it’s full of medical jargon, it’s meaningless to most patients. We ensure reports include plain-English explanations and suggested next steps.

That’s where personalisation really matters—meeting patients where they are, in the way they prefer.

Healthcare data is a prime target for cyber threats. What cybersecurity strategies has Manipal Hospitals implemented, particularly with evolving data regulations?

Cybersecurity is a sensitive and critical area. While I can’t speak about specific products, I can share some general strategies.

We follow standardisation practices—data retention policies, structured processes across the organisation, and compliance with legal requirements. This includes journaling and access control mechanisms.

We’ve adopted multi-factor authentication, routine audits such as SOC 2, and infrastructure safeguards to prevent phishing, botnet, or ransomware attacks. Our approach is proactive, not just reactive, to ensure patient data is well protected.

Interoperability is another pressing challenge in healthcare. How is Manipal tackling the integration of legacy systems with modern digital platforms?

Interoperability is indeed a major challenge in India. Unlike in countries where healthcare is standardised around insurance systems and GDPR compliance, India has fragmented ecosystems and varying data structures.

Adding to that, Manipal has rapidly expanded in recent years by acquiring several hospitals—each with its own system. To address this, we’ve created a cloud-based data lake that consolidates all data into a unified structure.

Our B2C applications are built on top of this unified platform, so patients get seamless access to their records regardless of which hospital they visited within our network.

What role do you see APIs and cloud-based health ecosystems playing in achieving unified care delivery?
APIs are central to building a unified ecosystem. Whether you use Google Cloud, AWS, or Azure, healthcare-specific APIs like FHIR, HL7, and DICOM are available.

For example, DICOM APIs help process medical images like X-rays, while HL7 APIs enable smooth data exchange between systems. By leveraging these APIs, we can build scalable, interoperable systems that are both cloud-native and patient-friendly.

These tools allow us to stitch together diverse components into a coherent, patient-centric platform.