Can treatment costs be controlled? What changes are required in Kerala’s healthcare sector? Colonel Rajeev Mannali, CEO of SUT Pattom Super Speciality Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, shares his perspective with Dhanam. After 34 years in military service and senior roles in multiple hospitals, he now leads SUT with a focus on balancing efficiency, affordability and excellence.
With 39 years of legacy, SUT Pattom has functioned as a multi super speciality hospital from the outset. Uniquely, it operates from a historic royal palace, blending heritage with advanced medical technology. “Pulse before purse” is its guiding motto, underscoring that patient welfare takes precedence over profit. “Patient First” is not a slogan, he says, but a practice reflected in continuous review, feedback mechanisms and management oversight.
Patient feedback plays a central role in quality improvement. The hospital’s Google rating has risen from 3.3 five years ago to 4.8 now — a metric Mannali sees as evidence of progress, though he aims higher. Continuous training and staff motivation are prioritised to ensure consistent service standards.
As a tertiary and quaternary care centre, SUT provides comprehensive services. Over the past six years, it has successfully conducted 42 kidney transplants. Neurology, including stroke management, cardiology and orthopaedics are strong departments. The hospital has received multiple national and international recognitions, including the best hospital award from the Confederation of Indian Industry, along with accolades in mother and child care.
On expansion, SUT has acquired 54 cents within its campus and six-and-a-half acres at Kanyakulangara to establish a nursing college. Bed strength, currently 220, is planned to increase to 300–320 within five years.
Mannali believes Kerala needs efficient and smart hospitals rather than merely larger ones. While private equity-backed institutions bring advanced technology, he cautions against transferring high investment costs to patients. “Technology must support humane, patient-centred care,” he says, stressing affordability.
SUT has not raised its treatment rates for seven-and-a-half years, Mannali says. Cost optimisation, strict expense control and minimising wastage have enabled sustainability.
Looking ahead, he argues that prevention should become healthcare’s central motto. Strengthening primary and secondary care under government control, alongside public-private partnerships in tertiary care, can ease pressure on medical colleges and improve access to quality treatment for deserving patients.
