5th Patient First Summit & Awards and 3rd Smart Hospitals & Diagnostics Summit spotlight TENxCARE framework for a more empathetic, equitable and outcome-driven healthcare system
Hyderabad, India | May 12, 2026: The Integrated Health & Wellbeing (IHW) Council successfully concluded the 5th Edition of the Patient First Summit & Awards 2026 alongside the 3rd Smart Hospitals & Diagnostics Summit 2026 at Novotel HICC, Hyderabad, bringing together leading policymakers, healthcare institutions, hospital CXOs, diagnostics specialists, pharmaceutical innovators, technology providers, patient advocates, and public health leaders to accelerate India’s transition toward a patient-first healthcare ecosystem.
Driving India’s Healthcare Shift from Infrastructure to Patient-Centric Outcomes
Positioned as a national platform for human-centred healthcare transformation, this year’s summit moved beyond discussions on hospital expansion and technology adoption to focus on redesigning healthcare systems around patient needs, lived experiences, and measurable outcomes.
Held under the theme “TENxCARE: Guiding Principles for a Patient-First Future,” the summit introduced a structured framework for embedding empathy, equity, safety, accountability, and accessibility into India’s healthcare design and delivery systems.
Smart Hospitals & Diagnostics Summit Highlights Digital Healthcare Innovation
The co-located Smart Hospitals & Diagnostics Summit explored the transformative role of AI, digital systems, automation, and precision diagnostics in enabling connected, data-driven, and outcome-oriented healthcare. Conversations aligned closely with national priorities such as Ayushman Bharat, the Digital Health Mission, eSanjeevani, and India’s broader Health for All agenda.
White Paper Launch: Amplifying Patient Voices in Metastatic Bladder Cancer
A major highlight of the summit was the launch of the White Paper titled “Amplifying Patient Voices in Metastatic Bladder Cancer.” Based on a mixed-methods study, the report examined patient experiences, quality of life challenges, and unmet needs among metastatic bladder cancer patients in India.
The study identified critical concerns including:
- Diagnostic delays
- Severe symptom burden
- Caregiver stress
- Fragmented treatment pathways
- Financial toxicity
It also proposed actionable policy recommendations to strengthen patient-centric cancer care in India.
Spotlight on Quality of Life in Cancer Care
A dedicated session, “Voices That Matter: Patient Expectations from Bladder Cancer Treatment,” focused on the growing importance of Quality of Life (QoL) in holistic cancer management. Discussions covered treatment side effects, emotional wellbeing, survivorship, rehabilitation, caregiver support, and patient participation in treatment decisions.
The session featured:
- Dr. Udita Joshi, Director for Projects & Research, CanSupport
- Dr. Nikhil Ghadyalpatil, Director of Medical Oncology, Apollo Health City, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad
Dr. Nikhil Ghadyalpatil said,
“Cancer care today is no longer limited to treating the disease alone. Patients are increasingly becoming active participants in treatment decisions, especially as conversations around quality of life, treatment toxicity, survival, and organ preservation become more important. With advances in immunotherapy, personalized therapies, and bladder preservation strategies, the focus is not only on helping patients live longer, but also helping them live better with dignity, empathy, and stronger support systems throughout their treatment journey.”
IHW Council Calls for Measurable Patient-Centric Reform
Speaking at the summit, Kamal Narayan Omer, CEO, IHW Council, emphasized that healthcare transformation must be measured not just through infrastructure growth but through continuous, accountable, and experience-led care.
He stated,
“India’s healthcare transformation can no longer be measured only by the expansion of hospitals or adoption of technology. The real benchmark is whether care becomes continuous, accountable, and genuinely centred around the patient’s lived experience.”
TENxCARE Framework: Ten Principles Defining Patient-First Healthcare
The summit’s central TENxCARE framework outlined ten pillars for patient-centric care:
- Empathy and respect
- Equity in access
- Shared decision-making
- Personalized and predictive care
- Patient safety
- Family support
- Seamless continuity of care
- Feedback and accountability
- Patient advocacy
- Health literacy
The Purple Book Showcases Real-World Patient-Centric Innovations
Another key launch was “The Purple Book,” a collection of 21 case studies highlighting successful patient-centric interventions across hospitals, diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, and public health systems. The compendium aims to offer scalable, replicable healthcare models for broader adoption across India.
Recognising Excellence Through National Healthcare Awards
The summit concluded with the Patient First Awards and Smart Hospitals & Diagnostics Awards, honouring excellence across healthcare institutions, public health programs, diagnostics providers, innovators, and professionals advancing patient-centred care.
A National Call for Patient-First Healthcare Transformation
By convening stakeholders across healthcare delivery, diagnostics, government, pharma, and advocacy, the Hyderabad summit reinforced a larger transformation underway in India—from infrastructure-led healthcare growth to a future defined by accessibility, accountability, empathy, and outcomes.
The 2026 edition positioned patient-centricity not as an ideal, but as a measurable national imperative shaping the next phase of India’s healthcare evolution.
