Encouraging Patient Education: An Interview with SMS Scientific Products Pvt Ltd CEO Naresh Ahuja

SMS Scientific Products Pvt Ltd has devoted the last thirty years to creating one-of-a-kind products that are specifically suited to the requirements of medical professionals. The creators of SMS, brothers Naresh and Haresh Ahuja, went with their father to Leelavati Hospital, the best hospital in Mumbai, for a prostate consultation in 2018. Even at a prestigious hospital, the doctor had trouble describing the required technique and had to rely on rudimentary illustrations on paper slips. As a result, the family departed the consultation room feeling much more perplexed than when they had arrived.

The CEO and founder of SMS Scientific Products Pvt Ltd is Naresh Ahuja.

The awareness of a serious communication gap between physicians and patients was spurred by this event. Inspired to tackle this problem, the brothers made the decision to come up with solutions. Having observed the dearth of accessible resources and user-friendly instruments for efficient and straightforward communication across heterogeneous patient populations, they conceived and launched Science for Doctors (SFD). This ground-breaking idea represented a significant advancement in the field of patient education (PE).

The founder and CEO of SMS Scientific goods Pvt Ltd, Naresh Ahuja, talks about their journey, the special qualities of their goods, the difficulties they face, and their outlook for patient education in an exclusive conversation with The Hans India.

If you were in the field of patient education, would you consider yourself a pioneer?

In India, patient education has been around for a while, but it was never given much priority and was mostly provided via paper-based materials, including pamphlets, tear-off pads, charts, and certain anatomical models in patient waiting rooms. They did not convey facts in an engaging way and were out of date.

We were the first to launch cutting-edge PCs with material that was understandable and pleasant to patients. The “Science for Doctors” (SFD) product line is distinctive because it makes medical professionals and patients’ talks more dynamic and interesting. With a whiteboard marker, the items’ distinctive write-and-wipe surface may be used hundreds of times, conserving paper and providing convenience.

The device is positioned such that the doctor may reach it easily from their workstation. Our invention, the 3D treatment frame, is a special tool for a physician as it integrates anatomical models and a chart into one unit. Our other innovative products—the write-and-wipe slides with a stationery holder and utility container connected, the flip wipe with an anatomical model on a stand, and the slides with patient leaflets in a tray—have become essential tools for physicians since they enhance the quality of consultations.

Our goods have brought a hitherto underappreciated level of freshness and intrigue to this significant field. You might say that we were early adopters of these cutting-edge patient education resources.

What distinguishes you in this field?

Our items are the result of much thought. First of all, we take great care in creating medical material that is supported by reliable sources and evidence. This is paired with the accurate picture selection of illnesses and anatomy, given in language that is simple to understand. To further its effectiveness, we additionally translate this information into regional Indian languages as appropriate. After that, we carefully consider how to visually appealing and patient-centered the presentations should be, with an emphasis on visuals.

After that, this material is transformed into items from our inventory, providing a variety of choices based on the quantity of slides needed. All of this, together with our in-house design, development, and manufacturing capabilities, along with our thorough understanding of the demands of the medical community and patients’ worries and inquiries, as well as our system of creating unique bespoke products, ensures high-quality finished products and quick delivery timelines for large quantities, setting us apart!

Do you think there’s a deficit in this area now in India?

Yes, there is undoubtedly a big gap since, historically, patient education has not always been given priority and has instead been centered on medical knowledge for physicians and their training. But things are changing quickly, and stakeholders like pharmaceutical corporations and medical professionals are starting to understand how important patient education is for managing illness. There is thus a great deal of work to be done in this field.

Could you provide a few samples of your hero merchandise?

Every one of our items has many features and is thoughtfully developed. The following goods are particularly well-liked among them:

3D Therapy Frame: This product is a board-mounted combination of anatomical models and illness depictions. It has printed material that explains important details and is housed in a strong frame with desktop support.

Flip Wipes with a 3D Anatomical Model: These boards are composed of ABS and are readily detachable. They have write-and-wipe slides with an anatomical model positioned on the side of a stand for simple flipping. The flip slides’ arrangement makes it simple to visually display the illness material.

Large amounts of material may be displayed on a desk thanks to this device, which is a 3-Slide Write & Wipe with a Stationery Holder. For interactive sessions, it has easily removable write-and-wipe slides and a connected stationery holder that combines all of the doctor’s writing supplies on a single stand.

How did you do research to create these products?

The medical team first reviews a variety of records, papers, reports, and other materials to get an understanding of the needs before moving further. They are able to efficiently collect and verify medical data thanks to this procedure. After that, a simplified procedure is used for its design and fabrication.

What are some of the day-to-day difficulties you have with this product line?

One of the daily difficulties is making sure the product is flawless in terms of design, content, and finish so that it effectively answers the main problems that patients face. It’s also critical to adhere to customer delivery deadlines. Preventing duplication and imitation is a top concern, as our items are our intellectual property (IP), including copyrighted content designs and registered product designs.

Reaching out to small and medium-sized pharmaceutical enterprises and medical professionals directly to get our goods for their clinics is another problem we confront. To take advantage of the significant potential that the industry presents, this is essential.

What upcoming plans do you have for launching new models or products?

Product development is a constant process at SMS. We are in the process of developing a number of new goods that will launch by mid-2024. Furthermore, we are concentrating on the creation of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) utilizing a special digital hybrid technique. The goal of this strategy is to make these technologies available as