PPE spends will sharply spike operating expenses, say private hospitals

Coronavirus blues

Small and medium medical facilities are afraid of incurring higher costs per patient while following the civic authorities' guidelines to use protective gear.

They say bed occupancy levels have dropped to about 10% to 20% as they
only attend to emergency cases. Also, people are avoiding hospitals in the fear of contracting coronavirus, making it harder for them to bear the cost of providing personal gear to their staff.

BBMP Commissioner B H Anil Kumar issued guidelines to private hospitals mandating N-95 masks and a pair of gloves for medical workers deployed in sections where the exposure is termed 'moderate' while recommending triple-layered masks at sections of the hospital where the risk of exposure is regarded low.

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Places where it mandates N-95 masks and gloves include the hospital’s triage area, help desk, registration counter, outpatient department and doctor's chamber, waiting area and isolation ward. The area where hospital staff record temperature for the patient, it has asked the use of a triple-layered mask.

Asking the hospitals to provide the personal protective equipment suitable to the risk of exposure, the BBMP has also urged them to refer to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare guidelines on the rational use of PPEs.

'PPE costs Rs 15K'

“The cost incurred per patient is Rs 15,000 in terms of PPE as each set costs Rs 2,000,” said Oncosurgeon Dr Srinivas Chirukuri, CEO of the 200-bedded Prakriya Hospitals in Nagasandra, which has just 10% occupancy.

“Last week, Shifaa Hospital was closed down since the doctor didn’t know that his patient was a (corona) virus carrier,” Dr Chirukuri added. “It is convenient for the government to pass rules.”

He said the hospital must pay the electricity bills despite not having regular patients. “Bescom informed us of levying a 2% late fee even in these crises times. We have paid staff salaries, but can’t afford the protective gears. Without government support, we would rather close the hospital than risk putting our doctors in harm’s way,” he added.

Urologist Dr Suri Raju, who runs a kidney and multi-speciality 50-bedded Regal Hospital in Thanisandra with a bed occupancy of 20%, said dialysis of patients is happening 24/7 and providing the gears would spike the costs.

“An N-95 mask now costs Rs 350, while it was originally priced Rs 200. Non-sterile gloves cost Rs 20,” he listed out.

'BBMP should chip in'

“For operating on emergency cases, PPE for surgeons, anaesthesia staff and assisting staff costs Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000,” Dr Raju said.

He also urged the BBMP to supply PPE on a no-profit-no-loss basis since the hospitals are not getting them from private vendors. “We shouldn’t become infection hotspots,” he warned.