The Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) is a leading medical training institute in Pune, India, in the state of Maharashtra. The college is managed by the Indian Armed Forces.Established in May 1948 as a post-graduate teaching institution after World War II on the recommendation of the BC Roy Committee, remnants of various Indian Army Medical Corps units were amalgamated to create the Armed Forces Medical Services. The AFMC undergraduate wing was established on 4 August 1962, which is also celebrated annually as AFMC Day by its alumni.The institution primarily imparts training to medical undergraduates and postgraduates, dental postgraduates, nursing cadets and paramedical staff. Patient care forms an integral part of its training curriculum and the attached hospitals benefits from the expertise available at AFMC. The institution is responsible for providing the entire pool of specialists and super specialists to the Armed Forces. The college is also involved in conducting research in various medical subjects as well as those aspects which would affect the morale and performance of the Armed Forces both in war and peace.
Background: In-hospital cardiac arrest demands immediate response to improve survival outcomes. The Code Blue Response System (CBRS) was designed to streamline emergency interventions by reducing response times. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a CBRS on response times and outcomes before and after its implementation. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using “Code Blue” feedback forms collected between April 2023 and March 2025. During this period, 212 patients who experienced code blue events were divided into pre-CBRS (n = 105) and post-CBRS (n = 107) groups, based on whether their code blue event occurred before or after the CBRS installation. Demographic data, response times, interventions (such as defibrillation and central venous access), and return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) rates were analyzed. Results: Post-CBRS implementation, the mean response time significantly decreased from 2.65 to 1.71 min (P < 0.001), reflecting a 35.5% reduction. Defibrillation and central venous access rates also increased significantly (P < 0.001 and P = 0.03, respectively), demonstrating the positive impact of CBRS on patient outcomes. Although the ROSC rate improved from 42.3% to 53.3%, the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.78). No significant differences were noted in patient demographics, event location, or time of day. Conclusion: The implementation of CBRS significantly improved code blue response times and enhanced critical interventions, contributing to better immediate patient outcomes. While the ROSC rate improvement was not statistically significant, the trend suggests a positive clinical impact. CBRS stands out as an essential strategy for improving emergency response efficiency and patient survival rates in hospitals.
Background: This longitudinal study was conducted to assess the competencies of senior healthcare leaders with the broad objectives of assessing the existing competency levels, identifying the gaps in competencies, and proposing enhancement recommendations. Methods: The study aimed for a sample size of 384, which was calculated using Cochrane’s formula. Data were collected using a self-administered prevalidated questionnaire based on the National Centre for Healthcare Leadership Competency Model (version 2.0) through Google Forms. The assessment included the Likert scale-based questions on perceived importance and existing competence levels of 26 competencies across three domains: Transformation, execution, and people. Fifty-nine participants underwent an administrative course and were again administered the questionnaire to seek any response changes. Data analysis was conducted using Microsoft Excel and SPSS. Results: Out of 422 questionnaires distributed, 355 valid responses were analyzed. Participants were predominantly male (86.20%). The average self-assessment score was 4.39 across 26 competencies. Accountability scored highest (4.85), and talent development was lowest (4.03). Significant gaps were found between perceived importance and self-assessed proficiency. Transformational competencies scored lowest compared to other domains. Younger leaders rated themselves lower than older ones. Leaders with more than 25 years of clinical experience rated higher in analytical thinking, human resource management, and performance measurement. Administrative experience correlated with higher self-ratings. Gender differences were noted in IT management and innovative thinking perceptions. Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the complex interplay of factors influencing healthcare leadership competencies. Healthcare organizations can develop effective strategies for leadership development by focusing more on transformational competencies.
Background: Cutaneous granulomatous lesions are a heterogeneous group of disorders with skin inflammatory reaction which is caused by a wide variety of agents including infectious, foreign bodies, malignancies, metabolites, and chemicals. Granulomas are a type of type IV hypersensitivity reactions due to by poorly soluble reactive substances characterized by a focal collection of epithelioid cells, histiocytes mixed with variable number of lymphocytes and sometimes giant cells. They are a common skin pathology, often needing histopathological confirmation for diagnosis. The incidence and prevalence of different types of granulomatous lesions of skin depends on the geographic location. Granulomatous skin lesions can be histologically classified broadly into either necrotizing and non-necrotizing patterns. Histologically, six major subtypes of granulomas are found in granulomatous skin diseases – tuberculoid, sarcoidal, necrobiotic, suppurative, foreign body, and histoid/histiocytic type. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of lesions labeled as granulomatous lesions. Skin biopsies received in the Department of Pathology, INHS Asvini,from January 2014 to December 2015 were studied. Detailed clinical and histopathological features were analyzed, and granulomatous skin lesions were categorized according to type of granuloma and etiology. Results: One hundred and thirty-six skin biopsies of granulomatous lesions were received, of which tuberculoid granulomas were the most common (67.4%), and the most common etiology of granulomas inthe study was leprosy. Other etiologies were cutaneous tuberculosis, foreign body granulomas, fungal lesions, sarcoidosis, and granuloma annulare. Conclusion: The aims of the present study were clinicopathological evaluation of granulomatous skin lesions and their etiological classification based on histopathological examination.Many granulomatous lesions of skin have similar histomorphology findings and conversely a single aetiology can produce a spectrum of histological features leading to diagnostic confusion among dermatologists and Pathologists. To treat these lesions, definitive diagnosis by the demonstration of the etiological agent is essential, which will bear an impact on the patient management and outcome.
Background: The global consensus was established on newborn hearing screening for early identification and management of hearing loss, which is important in minimizing and preventing the negative impact of hearing loss in pediatric population. Aim and Objectives: This study was planned to assess the impact of universal neonatal hearing screening programme (UNHSP) on age of implantation, time takes for the process and candidacy evaluation for cochlear implantation (CI) in children with bilateral congenital profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), who underwent CI at a tertiary care teaching hospital of India. Material and Methods: Children with congenital severe to profound SNHL, who underwent CI after thorough evaluation were included in the study. The date of birth (DOB), date of first hearing screening, date of registration and/or enrollment at the center for further workup and reporting to the CI candidacy committee, date of CI surgery was reviewed retrospectively. Results: A total of 250 children who underwent cochlear implantation at a tertiary care center were included in this study. Out of which, approximately 68% children were screened for hearing loss (HL) through UNHSP, rest of the 32% were not screened for HL during birth due to several reasons. The difference between both the groups with respect to the age of diagnosis of HL and age of cochlear implantation is significant. However, the time taken for the evaluation process was not substantial between both the groups. Conclusion: The implementation of UNHSP has several positive impacts in respect to the age at diagnosis of HL, age at the time of receiving CI and the overall growth of the recipient. So, the UNHSP has several positive impacts with respect to the age at diagnosis of HL, age at the time of receiving CI and the overall growth in children with congenital severe to profound SNHL and the proper execution of this programme is the need of the hour.
