Hospitals keen on home treatment for mild cases

>>Many private hospitals have expressed interest in joining a home isolation scheme for Covid-19 patients with asymptomatic or mild conditions who requested medical treatment at home.

Speaking at the Ministry of Public Health, Tares Krassanairawiwong, chief of the Department of Health Service Support, said staff had discussed the matter with the private hospitals association.

The meeting decided private hospitals could introduce a home isolation scheme for patients, based on a voluntary basis and their doctor’s consideration.

He said the ministry will write a regulation for reimbursement, to go before cabinet shortly.

“Private hospitals in Bangkok and the vicinity are key for fighting Covid-19 disease. We found many have already implemented home healthcare services, which suits Covid-19 patients fine,” he said. Many private hospitals had asked if they could join.

The ministry recently changed its treatment policy from having all patients treated at hospital to allowing patients with mild symptoms to stay at home. This stems from the steep rise of new Covid-19 cases, which has now reached new almost 10,000 cases per day and is placing pressure on the health system.

Self-measuring tools for monitoring a patient’s condition, including thermometer and oxygen measurement tools will be distributed to patients, along with provisions for three meals a day, as well as medicine.

A video call would be made to the patient every day. Immediate transfers to hospital would be arranged should the need arise.

Home isolation is also applied to patients who have stayed at hospital for seven to 10 days and recovered enough to receive further treatment at home.

The ministry said 76% of infections are mild cases, followed by 20% moderate cases and 4% severe cases. Meanwhile, bed occupancy is at around 10,000 beds per day.