Roche developing innovative solutions to help labs and clinicians meet current and future demands: Raja Jamalamadaka

Roche Information Solutions India Pvt Ltd is developing innovative solutions to help labs and clinicians meet the needs of today and demands of the future. Roche is harnessing the power of data analytics and workflow integration to gain insights that help laboratories in improving patient care with more efficient management of data.

Raja Jamalamadaka, MD, Roche Information Solutions India Pvt Ltd, tells us more. Excerpts from an interview:

DQ: How is Roche assisting the overall transformation of the healthcare technology sector?

Raja Jamalamadaka: Healthcare is now, not far away from witnessing the rapid adoption of digitalization. Roche, a pioneer in various pharma and diagnostics innovations for the past 125 years is now, committed to transforming healthcare delivery through digital solutions.

Roche Information Solutions India Pvt Ltd, located in Pune, is developing innovative solutions to help labs and clinicians meet the needs of today and demands of the future. Roche is harnessing the power of data analytics and workflow integration to gain insights that help laboratories in improving patient care with more efficient management of data -- both operational and clinical -- and turn that data into actionable insights for fact-based decision-making for clinicians and patients.

Roche understands how vital the clinical laboratory is within the broader healthcare ecosystem and therefore, through its digital solutions aims to transform the way in which data is managed at every stage of the entire patient care continuum. Roche is helping in informed personalized healthcare decisions both for clinicians and patients.

DQ: What kinds of growth strategies are RIS India and Roche considering? Has the parent firm made any adjustments to its strategy?

Raja Jamalamadaka: Roche’s vision for a sustainable Digital Healthcare Business led to the formation of Roche Information Solutions (RIS).

The RIS India site at Pune is a key digital center within the RIS world. While initially focused exclusively on Roche Information Solutions, the Pune site has now spread its wings across all of Roche, positioning itself as a “one-stop” digital shop for all Roche business units. This has led to more internal Roche digital teams starting off their operations at Pune.

As a result of the ensuing growth, the Roche Information Solutions India site at Pune will be Roche’s largest footprint in India by the end of 2023. The site has emerged as Roche’s only 100% “healthcare digital Centre of Excellence” focusing on leveraging technologies for delivering actionable insights in the healthcare space. Currently, three business units- Roche Information Solutions, Integrated Informatics, and the R&D teams of Roche Diagnostic Solutions are co-located in Pune.

DQ: How committed is India to healthcare technology, and what part is Roche playing in that commitment?

Raja Jamalamadaka: India has always had a sharp edge over others in terms of the skilled technology talent pool. The country has been the preferred choice for recruiting technologists and the credit for this goes to world-class engineering education and English-speaking population.

At present, Roche Information Solutions India aims to provide opportunities to these talented technology professionals to develop cutting healthcare digital solutions.

Additionally, Roche plans to coaches this exceptional talent to become thought leaders of tomorrow in the healthcare technology space through a combination of professional development opportunities, access to media platforms, opportunities for patenting/white papering and access to coaching and mentorship from top healthcare technology professionals across the Roche world.

DQ: What is the roadmap for RIS India for 2023, and the assistance that the international team would offer to promote general growth?

Raja Jamalamadaka: There are two focus areas for RIS India for the year 2023 -- diversification and thought leadership.

The focus on diversification, in 2023, will be along two dimensions:

Diversity equity and inclusion - As an organization, Roche prides itself on its commitment to Diversity. At RIS India, we are committed to DEI in all its forms- chiefly diversity of ethnicity, cultures, thinking and gender. Roche is supporting RIS India in this initiative with support in instituting the DEI best practices, involvement in global events and coaching from top DEI experts.

Diversity of teams in Pune site - True innovation results from cross-pollination of ideas generated by exceptional talent from multiple teams with diverse thoughts, when collaborating together on global solutions. At RIS India, we aim to foster this culture of innovation by helping multiple Roche global digital business units start their own teams in Pune.

The thought leadership focus will manifest itself as:

Patenting, paper publishing - RIS India is a digital center of excellence that hires some of the best digital professionals that develop cutting edge products using innovative methodologies. RIS India will focus its efforts in 2023 on ensuring these innovations result in patents and published papers in reputed journals - taking steps towards establishing our professionals and RIS India as thought leaders in healthcare digital space.

Speaking at reputed fora/whitepapers in reputed technical journals - In 2023, we expect to see more of our professionals invited as industry experts to speak at reputed industry forums.

The global Roche office is supporting RIS India through major investments in facility, in access to Roche IP, in flying in top professionals like Roche’s global Chief Software Engineer to support such initiatives and partnerships with academic and industry forums.

DQ: What factors led to Roche's third business vertical's emergence, including Roche's strong emphasis on research, keeping current, and establishing a sustainable business?

Raja Jamalamadaka: Healthcare has been slower to go digital than the other industries. But, advances in innovative technology and the availability of meaningful data at scale has brought us to an inflection point. This is a moment primed with potential to accelerate the digital transformation in healthcare.

By harnessing digital insights and stepping up collaboration, we could close inequality gaps and improve the health of each individual through timely individualized decisions. This is not only about data, but creating better outcomes for all. With Roche’s rich heritage in healthcare innovation and care reinvention, Roche leveraged diagnostic data to inform decisions and improve efficiencies in labs and clinics. Armed with new technologies and backed by investment in infrastructure, Roche is applying this experience, expertise and creativity to the digital space.

We are building on trusted relationships with organizations -- large and small, from point of care to laboratory diagnostics, hospitals and the home. With our science-based approach, deep and broad medical expertise, extensive experience protecting confidential patient data and proven legacy of developing clinically-relevant technologies, Roche is in a unique position to drive this change in a sustainable way.