CEO Insights Magazine

The healthcare industry is an extremely complex field with an ever-evolving host of challenges and opportunities that dynamically and constantly shift the priorities of the industry. Without effective leadership, it becomes impossible to meet the evolving needs of patients while also supporting the medical staff. Miranda Harumal, CEO, Ara Damansara Medical Centre has been rising to the challenges of tomorrow and encouraging group of a new generation of healthcare leaders to do the same.

Miranda has been in the healthcare industry for over 28 years and has evolved from various positions in reputable hospitals that have equipped her with the knowledge and aspects of healthcare management. Her career in the healthcare sector has fulfilled her desire of helping & nurturing others. She combines this passion and her exceptional abilities to contribute to creating a better healthcare ecosystem and also give back to the community.

Under her leadership, Ara Damansara Medical Centre has accomplished many successes. Her ability to walk the talk and lead by example has gained her immense respect in the workplace. Her courage, dedication toward the staff & the healthcare system, and determination to win have always influenced and motivated her team to deliver effectively in turbulent times. She finds her motivation in leading a multidisciplinary team and putting their diverse skills to provide the best patient care for society.

Let’s hear it from Miranda as she speaks about her journey.

Tell us about your leadership approach.

I believe in a collaborative and inclusive approach and leading by example. As a leader, it is vital to carry an empathic attitude toward people and their behavior. I also encourage transparency. Hence, I conduct regular meetings with my staff to understand and address their concerns. Diversity inclusivity is something that I make sure that every department practices to be able to make better decisions for the organization. My vision is not just to be an effective leader but also to create more leaders. Keeping that in mind, I conduct different programs every year in the hospital that helps my staff to be more creative and innovative in implementing their ideas. I make the effort to communicate with my team, provide support, connect them with resources, and help them define their career goals.

What has been your success mantra?

Throughout my journey, I have had an appetite for learning and taking on more responsibilities. There were many detours along the way that needed me to make prompt decisions. Even when a wrong decision was made, I have never let go of any opportunity to make things right. Despite the challenges, I have always been able to deliver positive outcomes and the best solutions in the form of constructive ideas to this industry. I am a strong believer in ‘the only way to do great work is to love what we do’. Anything is possible if we put our mind, heart, and soul into believing it so.

How would you define Ara Damansara Medical Centre as an organization and its current position in the market?

Ara Damansara Medical Centre was started in 2012 with the introduction of the first standalone facility focusing on heart, brain, spine, and joint cases. We leverage the expertise and also experience of our healthcare professionals to set a benchmark in the industry which is reflected over time. Today we stand as an 11-year-old hospital leading with the philosophy of people caring for people. Since its inception, the hospital has expanded its services to offer multidisciplinary specialties of various disciplines including state-of-the-art, imaging, diagnostic interventional, and also rehabilitation facilities and services. We cover a full range of medical and surgical specialties. Ara Damansara Medical Centre, in the past few years, has already gained a leading private hospital status in Selangor and is poised to be in the circle of the leading private hospitals in the region.

Could you reflect on some of the toughest challenges you have encountered in your journey so far? How did you overcome them?

The most challenging situation was the unprece­dented impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. One of the biggest challenges that we faced was ensuring the safety of our staff and patients while continuing to still provide essential medical services to the com­munities. We had to quickly adapt to the changing situation, implement new policies and procedures, and then at the same time procure enough medi­cal supplies to keep everyone safe in the hospital.

We also faced the challenge of rapidly increasing demand for medical services and the need to quick­ly expand our capacity. We had to find innovative ways to provide care and that included virtual con­sultations and adaptation of treatment protocols with the changes made by the Ministry of Health. However, the pandemic also highlighted the im­portance of maintaining open communication with patients. We realized that it is always essential to provide timely and accurate updates on situations and treatment options plans for patients to their families. We learned to be more agile and resilient and developed ourselves to be stronger and better prepared, in terms of technology and equipment, for any further unexpected developments in the fu­ture.

What is the future destination you are heading towards?

We aim to be at the forefront of the healthcare industry in this region and we have also laid down a robust strategic growth plan that focuses on pillars of care. We are committed to providing a culture of excellence that emphasizes on delivery of five-star patient services and experience. We always believe in preventive care and want ourselves to be the partner of health for our patients rather than just being a treatment center for them. We are gearing towards developing more new services and strengthening our operational excellence, making sure that we improve our efficiency and effectiveness in helping our patients.

What advice would you like to give to budding industry leaders who aspire to make a benchmark in the healthcare industry?

To be in the healthcare industry, it is very important to have an appetite and passion for serving others; healthcare is all about serving others. Aspiring leaders must be able to have the right and positive attitude in them. Be empathetic while treating others and honest while communicating with patients. Be resilient as a leader with courage, dedication to the staff & the healthcare system, and the will to win.

Miranda Harumal, CEO, Ara Damansara Medical Centre

Having 28 years of experience in the healthcare industry and unrivaled knowledge about hospital management, Miranda is leading a committed healthcare team and ensuring that it delivers high-quality medical care to its patients.

Hobbies: Reading, Travelling, Craftwork

Favorite Cuisine: Sweet & sour dishes

Favorite Book: Start with Why by Simon Sinek, Discover Your True North by Bill George

Travel Destination: Switzerland

Awards & Recognition: Masterclass Woman Achiever of the Year (Sabah), 2019, Global Woman Award by IKSNITA Sabah 2020