Small hospitals in state shutting down
Medical equipment on sale, protocols costly, patients move online
THE REQUIREMENTS of the Covid-19 protocols in terms of creating a separate pathway for nonCovid-19 patients are too expensive for hospitals.
Operation tables, surgical tools, medical equipment and many other devices are being put on sale by more than 80 small hospitals in the state which are closing down.
The state has about 2,500 small hospitals but due to Covid-19 pandemic and patients moving to online consultations, they can no longer bear the costs of infrastructure and humanpower, making it difficult for them to operate.
Social media groups of doctors and hospitals are regularly seeing these messages of sale of equipment as many managements are finding it unaffordable to continue running their establishments.
The requirements of the Covid-19 protocols in terms of creating a separate pathway for non-Covid-19 patients are too expensive for these hospitals. The crunch is not only of space but also of staff and the overhead costs of personal protection equipment and safety protocols. To add to this, the patient footfall has fallen to about 10 per cent of what it was in the pre-Covid times.
Hospitals as sources of infection have led many people to shift to online video consultations. This has created a major impact on small medical establishments as for mild illnesses and follow-ups for co-morbid conditions like diabetes, hypertension and other conditions, there are video consultations which are safer and cheaper.
Dr C.R.K. Prasad, senior member of the Telangana Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association, says “Small hospitals were struggling to survive before Covid as the additional charges and operation costs rose. During the lockdown, there were no patients and only gynaecology cases were taken up at a few places.”
He said that during the unlock phases, it was noted that the overhead costs in terms of rent, safety equipment and separate pathways are too heavy.
“Even the smallest of surgeries requires a list of protocols to be followed which, for small hospitals, are draining. In these times, it is not possible for them to continue and they are shutting down,” Dr Prasad said.
Their patients are now being referred to medium and corporate hospitals for surgeries and follow-ups are carried out by their treating doctors.
The shift to online diagnosis, treatment and follow-up is not a temporary phase and many are of the opinion that it will continue in the future too. With patients able and willing to connect to their doctors from home, their costs of travel, waiting time and other risks are reduced. The only problem is that the cost of surgery will see a rise as there will be only medium and corporate hospitals services which will be too high for the lower middle class and the poor who frequented smaller hospitals.
Dr Sanjiv Singh Yadav, secretary of the Telangana Indian Medical Association, says “Emergency surgeries are the only ones which are happening as electives are reduced. For any elective surgery, the procedure is long and tedious and it has to now be planned ensuring that patient and healthcare workers are safe. This has reduced the numbers.”
These changes in the health sector are unfolding with the unlocking and many of them see that the long term impact will make it difficult for small hospitals to re-establish themselves again.
DR SANJIV SINGH Yadav, secretary of the Telangana Indian Medical Association, says “Emergency surgeries are the only ones which are happening as electives are reduced. For any elective surgery, the procedure is long and tedious and it has to now be planned ensuring that patient and healthcare workers are safe. This has reduced the numbers.”