Hyderabad: Hospitals tie up with hotels to house asymptomatic patients

HYDERABAD: Now, asymptomatic coronavirus patients can opt for a hotel room to self isolate themselves.
This with some corporate hospitals in the city roping in hotels to provide accommodation, along with medical facilities, to those willing to quarantine outside their homes. Offering this service at present is Apollo Hospitals, that’s tied up with two hotels — offering 180 beds — which have been converted into exclusive Covid wards.
“It’s for asymptomatic patients or those with very mild symptoms,” said Tejas Rao Veerepalli, chief operating officer, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad explaining the model on offer.
“We have a nurse stationed at the hotel who checks the vitals of patients twice a day. The food is provided by hotels and prescription medicines delivered to the patients’ doorstep. We have trained the hotel staff on hygiene standards that need to be maintained,” he added. While the hotels have oxygen cylinders on standby, Veerepalli said that the hospital has arranged ambulances to shift patients to the facility, in case he/she shows any sign of deterioration. Cost of this service: between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,500 per day including food and medical services.
“We have spoken to some hotels but haven’t finalised anything yet. Maybe we will open it up in the future,” said a representative of another hospital with branches across Hyderabad.
Dr Bhaskar Rao, president, Telangana Super Speciality Hospitals Association (TSSHA) also confirmed that many hotels have been approaching him to provide quarantine facility for Covid-19 patients. “I have been getting calls from hotels every day,” he said.
While some hoteliers say that the model makes great business sense, especially since the footfall at most places, post reopening on June 8, has been negligible., others raise a concern. They say hotels’ infrastructure is not built to be used as hospitals. “Also, in the long term, there is a fear of it adversely impacting a hotel’s sales due to the stigma of being used as a Covid hospital,” said Ashok Hemrajani, president, Hotels & Restaurants Association of TS.