COVID-19 has driven healthcare sector to adopt innovative practices to survive and manage during the unpredictable course of the pandemic. From having to rapidly scale-up operations to accommodate the growing number of corona virus infected patients to postponing elective/non-emergency procedures, hospitals have made sweeping changes to their modus operandi in the last few months, noted a panel of experts.
Even though India has witnessed an evolution in hospital infrastructure with multi-specialty care, single specialty offering and even day-care centres across the private sector, the government facilities too with increased beds and installation of new devices and novel technologies, the pandemic exposed lack of preparedness on all fronts, they said at a webinar on ‘Re-designing Hospitals Models in India for and Post COVID: A Paradigm Shift’.
The expert panel highlighted the changes that hospitals brought in. These included scale-up of operations, focus on use of technology platforms and optimize the use of scarce resources. The healthcare industry should accelerate its preparedness for an unpredictable future as the corona virus disease and other contagious infections attack the world. Healthcare infrastructure is found wanting during this ongoing pandemic. It has brought to the fore the gross shortfall of ICU beds, dedicated facility for infection isolation and the shortage of doctors and nurses too.
The sector is facing an acute cash crunch as revenues generation is impacted. Post pandemic phase would propel mergers and acquisitions, said Suresh Ramu, co-founder and CEO, Cytecare Cancer Hospitals, Bengaluru.
Sharing the stark reality of a financial debacle was Dr. Purvish Parikh, group oncology director, Shalby Cancer and Research Institutes, former Prof & Head of Medical Oncology at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai who said that revenue earnings are hit by 30-35 per cent. Elective surgeries have come to a standstill. With the community transmission already happening, we need to take care. Investments in PPEs, masks and disinfectants contributed to the Capex.
According to Joseph Pasangha, COO, Narayana Health City, Bengaluru, hospitals currently allot 30 percent for ICU beds and 70 percent for various wards but the post COVID phase it would be the reverse. Going forward, all out-patient consultations will be via telemedicine platforms. Even ICU care is already being remotely managed just like our Cayman Island facility, where a dedicated team of intensivists have already been functioning for the last couple of years.
Dr. Jayesh Shah, senior radiologist and founder, Jayprit Diagnostics, Vadodara, said that COVID-19 has brought about uncertainties to the healthcare sector. People fear hospital visits. Contrary to patients being wary of doctors, the latter fear the former as being probable asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. Challenges of managing a healthcare facility during COVID-19 included rise in expenses to boosting the morale of medical teams. This resulted gross decline in earnings as healthcare providers just about managed to survive, said Pasangha. Healthcare is all about processes, practices and protocols. Going forward investing significantly new technologies and clinicians will need to optimise patient care in an efficient and convenient manner ensuring high recovery rates. |
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