Private hospitals in Hyderabad book ICU beds, rooms in advance for VIPs, face probe

HYDERABAD: The state government has decided to probe into complaints that some private hospitals were reserving rooms and ICU beds in advance for VIPs and moneybags in the city.
Among a slew of complaints received against private hospitals, authorities said advance booking of Rs 1.5 lakh per day for beds was being looked at as a serious offence as the practice has become rampant over the last one month.
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“Some VIPs suspecting that they may have contracted the virus or might need a bed in future are approaching hospitals who then reserve beds,” said director (public health) Dr G Srinivas Rao said. “Such cases have come to the notice of the health department and this is completely unethical. We will be conducting a detailed inquiry,” Rao told TOI.
Politicians, actors among ones booking beds in advance
At a time when patients are running from pillar to post to get a bed and even patients in critical condition are being turned away by hospitals, there are at least four hospitals in city where the unethical practice of booking beds in advance has been reported, officials said.

Officials said the entire process of approaching the hospital, background checks and handing over the money is carried out in a clandestine manner. Health department officials said jewellers, politicians, actors and businessmen are among the ones booking beds in advance.
“For VIPs, advance booking is a source of self-assurance that they will have an assured bed if they fall ill,” a source from the healthcare industry said. While the official bulletin of the state health department on Sunday says there are 2,420 beds available in private hospitals in Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal, health department officials and patients say the ground reality is different.

“Two hospitals demanded advance payments. I offered to pay whatever they demanded after which two hospitals said they can take the patient if an advance payment was made,” said Mohd Kazim, a patient’s relative. “I am not sure if there is a real shortage of beds or are they waiting for patients who can pay in advance,” said another patient’s relative.