Indian-origin healthcare professional Dr Keshav Dhawan has been recognised as one of Australia’s leading healthcare administrators after being named Practice Manager of the Year at the Australian Association of Practice Management (AAPM) National Awards for Excellence.
The prestigious award was presented during the inaugural AAPM Recognition of Excellence Evening held at the Hyatt Centric Melbourne. The honour recognises outstanding leadership and contributions to healthcare administration across Australia.
Originally trained as a dentist in India, Dr Dhawan’s career took an unexpected turn after moving to Australia. Financial constraints prevented him from pursuing dentistry locally, prompting him to retrain as a practice manager while remaining committed to the healthcare sector.
“My passion for healthcare never left me,” Dr Dhawan told AusDoc after receiving the award.
“Moving from India, where you can see that many people can’t afford healthcare, and seeing how things work differently here, I wanted to make a difference so people here can afford it.”
Today, Dr Dhawan manages three Melbourne medical clinics — Essence Healthcare, East Keilor Clinic and Hume Medical Centre — while also serving as a mentor with the Western Victoria Primary Health Network and a surveyor for Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited.
Known for his collaborative leadership style, Dr Dhawan said building strong teams has been central to his success.
“I always believe that if you can find a good team, practice management is not hard, whether it is managing one practice or five,” he said.
“Just show empathy, listen to your staff, and understand what your team and patients actually need.”
Reflecting on his achievement, Dr Dhawan thanked his partner Maddie for her support throughout his professional journey and revealed that owning a medical practice is among his future ambitions.
The AAPM National Awards for Excellence celebrate outstanding achievements in healthcare management and recognise professionals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation and commitment to improving patient care and healthcare operations across Australia.
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