Dr Venugopal Balaji
Senior consultant in vascular & endo vascular surgery
Bring acknowledgeable 33 years of experience in the vascular surgery realm today, Dr Venugopal Balaji began his basic medical education at Madras Medical College, where he also completed his master's in surgery. That laid the foundation for his medical and surgical training. At that time, many had aspirations to pursue further training abroad, and he was among those interested in going overseas. After completing the necessary exams, he received fellowships from the Royal College of Surgeons in both Edinburgh and London. His specialty training in the United Kingdom lasted nearly 10 years. During this period, he noticed a significant difference between the training in India and the one in the UK. The variety of cases he encountered was vastly different due to the diversity of Western patients, and he began to see a higher incidence of vascular cases. When he left India, vascular surgery was still in its infancy; there was limited technology available, and very few surgeons were trained in this field. However, during his time in the UK, he encountered a large number of vascular surgical patients, advanced technology, and experienced vascular surgeons. This exposure sparked his interest in pursuing vascular surgery as a career, and that’s how his journey in vascular surgery took flight.
Advancement & Challenges Looming Indian Vascular Heathcare
It's important to note that over the years, the Indian healthcare system has vastly improved. Today, about 70 percent of patients seek care from private or corporate healthcare providers, many of which deliver standards comparable to, if not better than, western hospitals. Now, the outcomes and results in Indian healthcare are on par with international standards, particularly in transparency and efficiency.
Despite improvements in Indian healthcare, a significant gap remains between patient demand and available services. With a population of around 1.4 billion, only 10-20 percent have access to tertiary-level care comparable to Western standards, leaving roughly 80 percent without adequate healthcare. Barriers such as financial constraints and limited access, especially in rural areas, exacerbate the situation. The high cost of healthcare is another major challenge. Many patients with critical illnesses often pay out of pocket or face inadequate coverage, leading nearly seven crore people to fall into poverty each year due to medical costs. This underscores the urgent need for improvement in healthcare services in India.
Additionally, the role of nurse practitioners and physician assistants has been evolving to support healthcare physicians, a practice that has existed in the US for many years. However, in the country, this support has gained traction in the last decade. While the number of vascular surgeons may increase in the future, the prevalence of diseases is also on the rise. Therefore, the demand for nurse
practitioners and physician assistants is expected to grow significantly.
Dr. Venugopal Balaji says, “Our goal is to help more patients benefit from new technologies, though these innovations often come with significant costs due to the extensive research involved. In vascular surgery, treatment methods have changed dramatically. While we once relied mainly on open surgeries, most patients now undergo endovascular procedures, which are minimally invasive techniques like angioplasty and stenting for both heart and vascular conditions”.
Notably, recent advancements in technology, including improved diagnostic tools like CT scans and ultrasound machines, have been impressive. However, one needs comprehensive progress across all areas to effectively support surgeons. Overall, there’s been a shift primarily to endovascular therapy as the main treatment method in vascular surgery.
Even, robotic surgery has yet to significantly impact vascular surgery. However, the introduction of robotic catheterization labs promises to bring notable changes, though it may take another decade to refine this technology for better patient benefits. Mean while, artificial intelligence has already been integrated into diagnostic and treatment processes, with advancements in CT scans and catheterization labs providing precise imaging and accurate diagnoses. These innovations are emerging but are still not fully implemented in robotic surgery centers.
Focus on the Latest Industry & Skill Updates
Dr. Venugopal Balaji realizes that keeping pace with evolving technology can be very challenging. To stay updated, it's essential to participate in workshops, academic meetings, and group discussions with experts. Fortunately, in India, there’s the Vascular Society of India, which organizes conferences and workshops. These events bring in experts from around the world for discussions and hands-on workshops. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about new techniques that are being practiced in the Western world. It's often difficult to travel overseas for training when new technologies emerge. However, fortunately, some professionals come to India to provide all such surgeons with training.
Intriguing Career Achievements
Dr Venugopal Balaji has been practicing as a surgeon for nearly 33 years, with almost 30 of those years dedicated to vascular surgery. Throughout this time, a significant number of patients have benefited from his surgical procedures. He with the collaborative team effort has received support and appreciation from the community and the patients alike. For instance, he has been accredited by the Indian Medical Association for his services, as well as recognized by his alma mater, Madras Medical College. Many other organizations have also acknowledged and appreciated his hard work in vascular surgery.
This recognition comes from various sources, including individuals, academic institutions, and corporate entities. It's gratifying to receive this appreciation, as it motivates all to work even harder. However, he wants to emphasize that the success is not solely his, but the result of the teamwork. He has a team of anesthesiologists, nurses, assistants, and surgeons, who all help him collectively in giving the best result to the patient. So, it is a boost and incentive for the whole team as such.
Future Aspirations
Moving forward, he endeavors to focus more on training junior surgeons and enhancing their academic efforts. Additionally, he emphasizes the need to prioritize research, which is currently lacking in the country. This requires significant support from various sectors and public organizations.
In terms of patient treatment, India is already on par with international standards. However, there’s still gap in research and development. For medical devices, approximately 90 percent are imported, highlighting the need for India to develop its own technology and manufacture its own devices. Doing so would help lower treatment costs, making healthcare more accessible to everyone, including the poorest individuals in the country. This will be his future direction, and there will be required to invest efforts in this area to ensure that all patients benefit from evolving technologies.
He signs off relaying an advice to upcoming professionals in vascular surgery, “India is seeing an increase in vascular surgeons in training and training programs, which is essential for underserved areas. While these programs were once mainly available in South India, they are now spreading across the country. Training requires significant dedication due to the nature of emergency procedures. Aspiring surgeons must be ready to make personal sacrifices and commit to ongoing learning to keep up with rapid advancements in the field, ensuring they provide the best care for patients”.
Dr. Venugopal Balaji says, “Our goal is to help more patients benefit from new technologies, though these innovations often come with significant costs due to the extensive research involved. In vascular surgery, treatment methods have changed dramatically. While we once relied mainly on open surgeries, most patients now undergo endovascular procedures, which are minimally invasive techniques like angioplasty and stenting for both heart and vascular conditions”.
Notably, recent advancements in technology, including improved diagnostic tools like CT scans and ultrasound machines, have been impressive. However, one needs comprehensive progress across all areas to effectively support surgeons. Overall, there’s been a shift primarily to endovascular therapy as the main treatment method in vascular surgery.
Even, robotic surgery has yet to significantly impact vascular surgery. However, the introduction of robotic catheterization labs promises to bring notable changes, though it may take another decade to refine this technology for better patient benefits. Mean while, artificial intelligence has already been integrated into diagnostic and treatment processes, with advancements in CT scans and catheterization labs providing precise imaging and accurate diagnoses. These innovations are emerging but are still not fully implemented in robotic surgery centers.
Dr.Venugopal Balaji realizes that keeping pace with evolving technology and advancements can be very challenging, hence he essentially participates in workshops, academic meetings, and group discussions with experts
Focus on the Latest Industry & Skill Updates
Dr. Venugopal Balaji realizes that keeping pace with evolving technology can be very challenging. To stay updated, it's essential to participate in workshops, academic meetings, and group discussions with experts. Fortunately, in India, there’s the Vascular Society of India, which organizes conferences and workshops. These events bring in experts from around the world for discussions and hands-on workshops. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about new techniques that are being practiced in the Western world. It's often difficult to travel overseas for training when new technologies emerge. However, fortunately, some professionals come to India to provide all such surgeons with training.
Intriguing Career Achievements
Dr Venugopal Balaji has been practicing as a surgeon for nearly 33 years, with almost 30 of those years dedicated to vascular surgery. Throughout this time, a significant number of patients have benefited from his surgical procedures. He with the collaborative team effort has received support and appreciation from the community and the patients alike. For instance, he has been accredited by the Indian Medical Association for his services, as well as recognized by his alma mater, Madras Medical College. Many other organizations have also acknowledged and appreciated his hard work in vascular surgery.
This recognition comes from various sources, including individuals, academic institutions, and corporate entities. It's gratifying to receive this appreciation, as it motivates all to work even harder. However, he wants to emphasize that the success is not solely his, but the result of the teamwork. He has a team of anesthesiologists, nurses, assistants, and surgeons, who all help him collectively in giving the best result to the patient. So, it is a boost and incentive for the whole team as such.
Future Aspirations
Moving forward, he endeavors to focus more on training junior surgeons and enhancing their academic efforts. Additionally, he emphasizes the need to prioritize research, which is currently lacking in the country. This requires significant support from various sectors and public organizations.
In terms of patient treatment, India is already on par with international standards. However, there’s still gap in research and development. For medical devices, approximately 90 percent are imported, highlighting the need for India to develop its own technology and manufacture its own devices. Doing so would help lower treatment costs, making healthcare more accessible to everyone, including the poorest individuals in the country. This will be his future direction, and there will be required to invest efforts in this area to ensure that all patients benefit from evolving technologies.
He signs off relaying an advice to upcoming professionals in vascular surgery, “India is seeing an increase in vascular surgeons in training and training programs, which is essential for underserved areas. While these programs were once mainly available in South India, they are now spreading across the country. Training requires significant dedication due to the nature of emergency procedures. Aspiring surgeons must be ready to make personal sacrifices and commit to ongoing learning to keep up with rapid advancements in the field, ensuring they provide the best care for patients”.
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