A total of 11 patients have been admitted since the beginning of this month at the newly opened private ward of the KEM hospital. According to the hospital authorities, the response has been good, despite the 10-day delay in ward number 39's opening.
The hospital refurbished its 17-rooms as private wards and opened them for the public last month making it affordable for the people to book private rooms at cheaper rates ina government hospital.
The wards were opened onMay 1 and the first patient was admitted on May 4. There are five patients undergoing treatment, while six have been discharged. KEM hospital dean Sangeeta Rawat said, “The response has been pretty good although it started with a delay of 10 days. We are happy with the response so far.”
The private rooms will help the citizens who can't afford treatments at private hospitals and also find it difficult to adjust in the general wards in public hospitals, she added. One of the relatives of a patient admitted at the private ward was seen making inquiries about all the details like the cost of the ward per day, patient facilities, restrooms, doctor visit chargers, etc.
He said, “My father is unwell and we wanted to get him treated where patient care and facilities will be better than in a general ward. Hence we opted for the private room in KEM which is much cheaper than a normal private room at a private hospital. I wanted to make sure that the room has maximum facilities to ensure the better treatment of my father.” Of the 17 rooms in the private ward, five are air-conditioned with new beds. The air-conditioned rooms cost Rs 1,200 and non-AC beds Rs 900 per day with no doctor's visit fees.
The rooms have common toilets for the patients. Moreover, one relative of a patient has to be present round the clock as there is no dedicated attendant in the ward. Food is also included in room charges.
According to a doctor from a private hospital, the rates of a private room in a private hospital are around Rs 5000- Rs 8000 per day depending on the location of the hospital in the city and the facilities they offer.
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