Odisha: Private Hospitals Asked To Reserve 50 Per Cent Beds For Covid Patients; Know Fee Structure

Bhubaneswar: In its another step to fight Coronavirus and provide better healthcare to the COVID patients, Odisha government on Thursday directed the private hospitals to ensure provision of minimum of 50 per cent of available general beds and 5 per cent of ICU/HDU beds for treatment of Covid patients.

Additional Chief Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department, P.K. Mohapatra, in letter to all the all Collectors, District Magistrates, Municipal Commissioners and Chief District Medical and Public Health Officers (CDM & PHOs) said, “It is observed that the private hospitals are treating the non-Covid cases, but when they find such patients to be Covid-19 positive during the treatment they immediately request the Government machinery to shift the case to a Government Covid facility.”

“lt is also observed that the private hospitals are also not admitting the Covid positive patients with a plea that they do not have Covid beds. Many private hospitals have designated very few beds for Covid patients and have kept the rest for non Covid patients. This has resulted in increased load on Government Covid facilities,” the letter added.

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“Hence in view of the above the Private Hospitals having facility for 30 beds or more and registered under Odisha Clinical Establishment (Control & Regulation) Act 1990 and the Amendments there under are directed to ensure provision of minimum of 50 per cent of available General Beds and 5 per cent of ICU/HDU Beds for treatment of Covid patients and to follow the guidelines stipulated in earlier letters/instructions / Notifications /Resolutions issued by Government,” the letter said adding that they (the private hospitals) may go upto 100 per cent of such available bed as and when need arises. They should refrain from referring the patients to other Hospitals when such cases are detected positive.

The letter of the Additional Chief Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department further said, “On such provision of beds for Covid treatment, they have to intimate the Collectors and DM of the District concerned and the State Level Authorised Officer. They have to appoint one Authorised Medical Officer who will coordinate with state authorities and the contact numbers shall be intimated to the Government in the email lDcovidhfw.2021 @gmail.com.

The hospital shall charge reasonable fees from patient and refrain from collecting exorbitant fees, failing which action as deemed fit will be taken against the hospital.

Here’s the fee structure for the treatment of COVID patient at private hospitals:

“Where additional procedures are required for the medical or surgical emergencies during the treatment for Covid-19 patients, the procedural costs as per the BSKY package may be charged,” said the Additional Chief Secretary of Health and Family Welfare Department in the letter.

Moreover, the hospital shall create a help desk, accessible physically and telephonically for counseling of relatives of patients and share information on status of health to attendant of the patient regularly.