Prabhu Vinayagam, MBBS, Appointed New Asia-Pacific Managing Director

(OAK BROOK, Illinois, USA)  Joint Commission International (JCI) is happy to announce that Dr Prabhu Vinayagam assumed the role of Managing Director for the Singapore-based Asia-Pacific Office effective 3 July 2014.  Dr Vinayagam is responsible for regional and country-level strategy and business development for JCI advisory services, accreditation, and education. He will focus on developing and strengthening strategic relationships with international organizations, ministries of health, and leading academic medical centers and hospitals. 

 

Dr Vinayagam takes over the role from Paul Chang, MD, MBA, MPH, CPHQ, FACHE, who now serves as Vice President, Accreditation, Standards, and Measurement, where he leads JCI’s global team. Joyce Chang, MHSA, continues in her role as Director for the Asia-Pacific office, collaborating with health care organizations committed to improving quality and patient safety. Together Dr Vinayagam and Ms Chang bring multinational leadership experience and unique perspectives to their responsibilities. 

 

“Dr Vinayagam brings clinical experience as a physician and surgeon, strategic business acumen, and a wealth of knowledge of the Asia-Pacific region to his new role,” says Paula Wilson, President and CEO of Joint Commission International and Joint Commission Resources. “Asia-Pacific is a key region for JCI as we strive to help our clients reduce risk and improve health care outcomes. We are delighted to have Dr Vinayagam leading our Asia-Pacific initiatives, where he will be supported by a top-notch team that is passionate about health care improvement.”

 

Prior to his JCI appointment, Dr Vinayagam was Director of Pharmacy Solutions and Clinical Strategy, Central and South Asia Pacific Region, for BD Medical, a global medical technology company serving health care institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, and the general public. He has been a resource speaker for international forums on health care and leadership development and he was instrumental in developing an infection control audit successfully used by hospitals in China, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, and Australia.  

 

Vinayagam earned an MBBS from Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi University (India). He served as a surgeon and filled other key roles with Safdarjung Hospital, G.B. Pant Hospital, and L.N.J.P.N Hospital in New Delhi. Among recent accomplishments, he was instrumental in establishing the Infusion Nurses Society-India (INS-India) to develop and disseminate country-specific infusion standards and guidelines. Currently he serves as president of INS-India.

 

In his first months, Dr Vinayagam will work with health care organizations using the updated JCI standards for hospitals, academic medical center hospitals, ambulatory care settings, and clinical care program certifications. JCI-accredited organizations now have access to the Targeted Solutions Tool^® (TST^®) for Hand Hygiene, a highly effective product researched and disseminated by the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare, a not-for-profit group that develops targeted solutions to solve health care’s most critical safety and quality problems.

 

These new resources were highlighted at JCI’s International Practicum on Accreditation and Quality Improvement, the first event of its kind held in Tokyo this summer. Seoul will also host JCI events this year, including another practicum on 22-26 September and an Accreditation Update on 23-24 September. JCI’s Accreditation Standards for Hospitals, 5th edition, released in 2013, is now available in Chinese and Japanese as more Asia-Pacific health care organizations pursue JCI accreditation and its Gold Seal of Approval^®.

 

Dr Vinayagam notes growing regional interest in JCI accreditation and performance improvement. To effectively share evidence-based practices, JCI now offers diploma programs and certificate courses in quality management and infection prevention and control. He explains, “JCI is well-established and has developed great respect among its customers. It gives me immense pleasure to be part of an innovative team recognized for improving health care practices across the globe, in the face of challenging diseases and diverse patient needs.” 

 

Leaders from JCI-accredited organizations will meet Dr Vinayagam at Hospital Management Asia 2014 in Cebu City, Philippines, on 28-29 August 2014. JCI is a major supporter of this key regional event and CEO Paula Wilson and other JCI executives will speak at the conference. At that time JCI will unveil WorldHospitalSearch.org, a consumer-focused website that provides helpful health information to patients, including how to locate JCI-accredited organizations in specific countries.

 

Contact Dr Vinayagam:

Email pvinayagam@jcrinc.com

Voice +65 6829 7208