“That there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon’s knife or the chemist’s drug….” said the modern understanding of the eternal document of medical ethics, the ‘Hippocratic oath’. And this became their mission statement , adding zeal in gradually expanding their team of allied health care professionals catering to services  from Cardiovascular care to other multispecialities, like Gastroenterolgy, Urology, critical care, Neurology , Orthopedics and trauma.

Assuring ‘Rhythm’ in your life, the tag line went on to ensure a 24-hour emergency services with fully equipped cardiac centres with high-end cardiac Catheterisation lab, 4-D Echocardiography machine, Zero Infection cardiothoracic operation theatre, dedicated Cardiac ICU, and  ‘ICU on the wheel’ ambulances for ensuring quick response to the health care needs.

Medical field is one area that is changes rapidly with dynamic technological advancement. Additionally rise in lifestyle diseases is another challenge to face with brave hands and sound capabilities.

While managing complex cardiac patients with swift interventional skills, Dr. Chirag Sheth earned Fellowships of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention (FSCAI) in year 2014 and further, that of the American College of Cardiology (FACC). With constant endeavour in upgrading the skill set of the entire team of fellow Cardiologists, the team ‘Rhythm’ could establish the centre-of-excellence in interventional cardiology bringing in concept of 3D coronary imaging with Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) and completing first ever successfully treated 100 cases of complex angioplasty in city of Vadodara by the year 2021.

Coronary Rotablation, intravascular Lithotripsy, Bioresorbable scaffold (so called self dissoving ‘stents’) implantation; percutaneous valve replacements, balloon valvotomies of narrowed heart valves and device closure of various birth defects, permanent pacemaker devices and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, Radiofrequency ablations for rhythm disorders , coronary artery bypass surgeries and surgical valve replacements encompass the wide spectrum of treatment modalities offered at Rhythm Heart Institute.

Blending in academic outreach , both for medical professionals in training and those early in their career, Dr. Anand Ahuja, a Fellow of European Society of Cardiology (FESC), established the core curriculum for knowledge sharing at ‘Rhythm’, which saw collaborations for academic programs in interventional cardiology for overseas cardiologists from countries like Uzbekistan and Cambodia.

Rhythm Heart Institute now offers post graduate diploma program in clinical cardiology initiated in collaboration with the Texila American University, since year 2017; and a dedicated 3 year program of Diplomat of National Board in Interventional Cardiology (DNB Cardiology), formally accredited by the National Board of Examinations since year 2019.

Organising workshops to demonstrate complex cardiac interventions to train cardiologists across the country and overseas through national and international conferences has been one of the key initiatives making Rhythm Heart Institute an leading model institution among emerging health care organisations.

With their vision succeeding in creating a brand ‘Rhythm’, Dr Arvind Sharma and Nirav Bhalani dreamt of pioneering establishment of similar health care set ups in the semi-urban and remote tribal areas of Western India. And that led to the inauguration of first ever superspecialty Cardiac hospital, Rhythm heart Institute in the city of Dahod in the year 2015 and later in Banswara, Rajasthan in the year 2021.

Establishing a positive work culture deeply rooted in integrity, mutual respect, dignity and accountability has been the core ideology adopted for the allied health care professionals, like nurses, technicians and administrative team at ‘Rhythm’. 

Dr. Arvind Sharma, again the prestigious Fellow of the Society for the Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventionan (FSCAI), feels that the organization should hire the employees for their values, like CURIOSITY, ETHICS & DRIVE and should train them to become aspirational in their own field.

Sharing the tip for the organizational success in establishing modern hospitals, Dr. Nirav Bhalani added that a sincere approach to upgrading the skills of all team members and to positively acknowledge their achievements is the key to success. He felt that the benchmark of ‘Rhythm’ as an organisation shall be to improve the value of our team member ,which eventually will stay with them as a bright mark on their CV.

As a mark of this success in establishing quality of clinical care, Rhythm Heart Institute has earned recognition from the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals (NABH).

“I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm”, mentions the modern Hippocratic oath.

Resounding in this conscience, Dr. Nirav Bhalani felt that the community outreach and their participation could go a long way in creating a heart healthy society. This marked various initiatives like theme based celebration of World Heart Day in the month of September every year; training programs for Cardiopulmonary resuscitation for students, factory workers, police-force and for gym trainers; and also organising talks aimed at public awareness, radio and media campaigns for preventive cardiac health initiatives.

Clinical research has been the core interest of Dr. Nirav Bhalani, which led to an institutionally affiliated and formally recognised ‘Rhythm Heart Ethics Committee’ dedicated for the purpose, ever since its inception.

Rural community outreach aligning with the health initiatives by the honorable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi led central Government became the driving force for Dr. Arvind Sharma. He drove the project to provide basic preventive and diagnostic cardiac care in smaller cities like, Godhra, Rajpipla, Bodeli, Halol, Bharuch, Chhota Udaipur, Lunawada, and  Ratlam, Nagda , Jhabua in neighboring Madhyapradesh and tribal villages in and around Banswara in neighboring Rajasthan.

There is a famous saying, “ A principle isn’t a principle until it’s cost you something”.

For the founders, the ultimate test of commitment to the vision and their mission came during Covid Pandemic in year 2019-2020. Dr. Nirav Bhalani and Dr Arvind Sharma successfully led the team in delivering critical care during testing times with resounding success in reducing morbidity and mortality, while balancing the social, economic and emotional impact to the the society at large.

Sharing his tips during a regularly held talk show, Dr. Nirav Bhalani continues to emphasize importance of the heart-happy tips for living healthy in the post COVID era, with focus on

• key lifestyle modifications for control of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and body weight,besides smoking cessation, stress management, and regular physical activity
• achieving a balanced heart-healthy lifestyle and
• most importantly, to learn to relax and give digital detox a chance for a better tomorrow.

Dr. Krishankant Sharma and Dr. Darshan Thakkar as Interventional Cardiologists, Dr Sandeep Soman and Dr. Margi Amin as eminent Cardiovascular and Thoracic surgeons, Dr. Akash Chavda as a critical care specialist, Dr. Abhishek Raychura and Dr Nitin Patni as cardiac anaesthesiologists completes the ‘Heart squad’ at ‘Rhythm’.

‘Rhythm’ continues to grow as a bright spot in emerging holistic health care organisation, nurtured by a finely nuanced aspirations of an everzealous team, who could commit to act in what they believed in.