Dr. Maheshwari Jayant M.D.(Bom.)
Consulting Obstetrician & Gynaecologist

Tell us about yourself?
My father, Late Mr.R.L.Maheshwariwas a businessman & always wanted his children to study maximum which he could not due to social circumstances. I attended Matunga Premier High school, Matunga, Mumbai-19. We belong to the business community kutchi and were residents of Matunga. And shifted to Thane in 1994 when I started my practice along with my wife Dr.Varsha M.D.S.(Dental Surgeon). I did my HSC from Ruia College,Matunga Mumbai-19 and had a great time studying Medical education at Seth G.S.Medical College & K.E.M.Hospital where I did my MD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 1987.

This is premier institute for medical education not only in India but prrpbably best in Asia. After that I went into the same institute to join as lecturer in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology . Where I worked for around 6 years in the hospital. I have spent around 2 years doing clinical research in Diabetes & Hypertension in pregnancy at N.W.Maternity Hospital, Parel,Mumabi-12.I have also published many papers on the same work & delivered lectures on the same at many conferences.

Tell us about Matrutva Women Care Clinic?
I always wanted to be associated with problems of women as whole not only medical but also social problems .But devoting separate time and place where I can concenterate my knowledge & expertise needed complete different atmosphere from hospital so I started "Matrutva" At "Matrutva" we are going to have comprehensive women care from Childhood to elderly women especially Adolescence problems, sex education ,planning of pregnancy, screening& Guidance for familial(congenital) disease, family planning advice,Medical Termination Of Pregnancy,Infertility treatment, Ante-natal & Post-natal care,Geriatric Problems(esp Osteoporosis,Cancer of genital tract).Also consultations for associated speciality shall be available for patients.

Tell us about Jay Maternity & Surgical Nursing Home special ?
We started this venture in 1994 when I left KEM Hospital after having experience of 6 years & started my own hospital. It is 10 beded hospital located in quiet Brindaban Society. Simple yet pleasing to the eye. We have well equipped operation theatre,Labour Room & patient rooms.We also have facility of computerized monitoring of foetus. Also we have facility of USG by appointments.

We carry out all major Gynaecological Surgery and Laproscopic Surgery apart from deliveries & cesarean operations & MTPs. All our staff-nurses are qualified nurses so patients realise that they are been looked after by professionals. More than anything else, the fact that we have a dedicated place for maternity & Gynaecological patients & only admitting female patients ,means privacy for the ladies. As we are doctors ourselves, we personally look after the hospital maintenance with experienced staff . The premises are clean and uncluttered by other infectious patients.

Also I stay in the same building as my hospital so patients can be assured of availability of doctor 24 hours. Our generator can take care of all theatre equipment so in case of a power failure, the patient does not get less quality care. Also we have computerized all medical records of our hospital.

How Has medical-care changed over the last decade? In what way?
In India the main change has been accountability and transparency that the patients expect. Currently it is common to blame the consumer courts for increased litigation in the medical field however, in many ways I think the threat has improved the quality of care patients expect and doctors provide. Also lot of patients need to understand day by day the healthcare cost are increasing due to expensive equipments, pathological tests & defensive medicine practiced by doctors.

Health care in the western world has changed a lot and mainly because of the insurance companies dictating the type of care that a patient could have. The main change I think is that quality has become more accessible to the masses. The other thing is the doctor patient relationship, this has greatly altered. In olden days, doctors were gods and their eccentricities were tolerated or even appreciated and now patients like to participate more in their treatment. Doctors now like to invite patient questions and are themselves patient about answering those queries.

We are instituting patient information sessions to encourage this process.The doctors are professionals and medicine is a way they make their living is now accepted and doctors too are not too hypocritical about their medical practice as their means of livelihood. Patients now expect a professional performance from their doctors and will not take shoddy treatment or tolerate mistakes. Having said this, if you have a good rapport with your patients, you still get good respect from your patients and you can enjoy your work as well.

How satisfied are you in this profession ?
As a gynaecologist, I attend to all my patients but I feel that even today 50 kms away from thane you will see medical care is so different & lots of preventable complications are occurring. I have a different perspective to termination of pregnancy. I think that is not the right thing to do. What is definite that we should consider all aspects critical of such patients. They should be supported and counselled not critisised or embarrassed. Medicine and ethical dilemmas are inseparable, but I could perhaps mention one of my biggest area of moral confusion.

Abortion or medical termination of pregnancy for "social reasons". To address this, I am very keen on promoting contraception in the population and will be happy to answer any queries free of cost either on the web or in person.

What are your future plans?
IT is coming of age and it means that the patient care will improve hugely. E.g. Xrays and ECG's and all reports and doctors notes can be archieved and when a patient comes even years later, the reports are accecible to us in minutes. With help of IT we plan to have a complete rural hospital to serve the rural community of our country & give them best facility in under one roof with expertise of urban doctors due to use of IT.

We have great plans for improving our services, making more treatments available for more patients as a reasonable price. In future at "Matrutva" Women Care Clinic we plan a day care surgical unit with IVF & at
Jay Maternity & Surgical Nursing Home we have a neonatal intensive care in mind.

Message for thaneites?
Doing quality work is crucial, money is a byproduct, it will come your way, you dont have to chase it. Be sincere to everybody.

As told to Thaneweb.com