Dr. Santosh Haridas Vhatkar
Dr. Santosh Haridas Vhatkar (born 18 November 1988) is an Indian physician and critical care specialist based in Kalyan, Maharashtra. He holds an MD in Medicine and an Indian Diploma in Critical Care Medicine (IDCCM) and is known for his work in internal medicine, intensive care, infectious diseases, and emergency medicine, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is associated with Amrut Clinic, Kalyan West, and is part of the core clinical team at Anantam Hospital, a newly established multi-specialty hospital in Kalyan. His professional work reflects a strong commitment to evidence-based medicine, ethical clinical practice, and patient-centered care.
Early Life and Education
Dr. Vhatkar completed his MBBS from Government Medical College, Miraj in 2013. He subsequently pursued postgraduate training in internal medicine at B.J. Medical College, Pune, where he earned his MD (Medicine) degree in 2017. During his residency, he completed a thesis titled “Relation Between Acute Ischemic Stroke and Diabetes Mellitus,” which examined the impact of diabetes on stroke outcomes.
To further specialize in intensive care medicine, he completed the Indian Diploma in Critical Care Medicine (IDCCM) at Apollo Hospitals, Navi Mumbai. His training focused on ICU management, ventilator support, sepsis, and multi-organ failure management, providing him with advanced expertise in managing critically ill patients.
Medical Career
After completing his MD, Dr. Vhatkar served in several key clinical roles. He worked as Senior Registrar in the Department of Medicine at Cooper Hospital, Mumbai (2017–2018), where he supervised inpatient and outpatient care and was involved in teaching and mentoring junior doctors. He later served as Senior Registrar in the Department of Medicine at Kasturba Gandhi Infectious Disease Hospital, Mumbai, managing complex infectious diseases including tuberculosis, malaria, HIV, and other communicable illnesses.
He subsequently worked as a Consultant Physician and Critical Care Specialist, managing ICU patients with severe infections, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis, and multi-organ dysfunction. During this period, he independently managed the clinical operations of a 30-bed hospital, overseeing patient care, staff coordination, and critical decision-making.
Role During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Dr. Vhatkar played an active frontline role during the COVID-19 pandemic. He treated over 1,000 outpatient cases and managed more than 500 critically ill patients, many of whom required ventilatory support and advanced ICU care. He led clinical teams during peak pandemic periods and independently ran a 30-bed hospital under high-pressure conditions. His work involved managing severe complications such as cytokine storm, ARDS, and secondary infections, contributing significantly to regional pandemic response efforts.
Clinical Interests and Expertise
His clinical interests include:
- Internal Medicine
- Critical Care & Intensive Care Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Diabetes, hypertension, and thyroid disorders
- Acute medical emergencies, sepsis, and ventilator management
Current Practice
Dr. Vhatkar currently practices at Amrut Clinic, Kalyan West, where he provides comprehensive adult medical care for both acute and chronic conditions. He is also associated with Anantam Hospital, Kalyan, contributing to inpatient services and the development of structured critical care systems.
Vision for Critical Care at Anantam Hospital
At Anantam Hospital, Dr. Vhatkar is actively involved in developing critical care services with a vision rooted in clinical excellence, ethical practice, and patient dignity. The ICU model is designed as a 24×7 intensivist-led, protocol-driven system guided by evidence-based standards for sepsis, septic shock, ARDS, respiratory failure, neurocritical care, and post-operative critical care. Early recognition of deterioration, timely intervention, and regular clinical audits with outcome monitoring are key elements of this approach.
The infrastructure emphasizes state-of-the-art critical care, including fully monitored ICU beds, advanced invasive and non-invasive ventilatory support, high-flow oxygen therapy, bedside ultrasound (POCUS), infusion and syringe pumps, and infection-control-oriented ICU design with isolation capability. A central pillar of the ICU philosophy is humanized, patient-centric care, with structured communication and daily counseling for families, compassionate end-of-life and palliative decision-making, and respect for patient dignity, autonomy, and cultural values.
Dr. Vhatkar emphasizes the development of a highly trained multidisciplinary ICU team, including ICU-trained nursing staff, optimal nurse-to-patient ratios, continuous training in ACLS, BLS, ventilator management, and sepsis protocols, and collaborative rounds involving physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, and nutrition experts. Ethical and transparent practice underpins all ICU decision-making, with clear consent processes, rational investigations, transparent cost communication, and a focus on patient benefit over commercial considerations.
The ICU is designed to integrate seamlessly with emergency services, enabling rapid triage, early ICU admissions, coordination with advanced life-support ambulance services, and referral support for surrounding clinics and hospitals. Quality assurance is maintained through continuous monitoring of ICU outcomes, including mortality, morbidity, infection rates, and ventilator-associated complications, supported by regular morbidity and mortality meetings and alignment with national and international critical care standards. The long-term vision includes tele-ICU adoption, academic activity, clinical research, and training of young doctors and nursing staff.
Professional Memberships
- Indian Medical Association (IMA)
- Association of Physicians of India (API)
- Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine (ISCCM)
- Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI)
Personal Interests
Dr. Vhatkar maintains an active interest in continuing medical education, fitness and sports, and participation in public health outreach initiatives aimed at supporting underserved communities.