Centre tightens norms for ventilators in pvt hospitals

To curb hidden costs, standardized, transparent pricing structures have been introduced

- Priyanka Sharma

The latest guidelines to regulate the use of high-cost ventilators in private hospitals include obtaining informed consent, usage-based billing.

(AFP)

Obtaining informed consent, usage-based billing, and public display of charges are among the government's latest guidelines to regulate the use of high-cost ventilators in private hospitals.

Guidelines for Transparency in Ventilator Usage by Private Hospitals, posted on the Directorate General of Health Services website recently, and reviewed by Mint, aim to ensure that this lifesaving treatment is used ethically and not as a tool for financial exploitation.

“The government aims to restore trust in the private healthcare system and ensure critical care does not remain a challenge or a source of financial distress,” said an official close to the development, on the condition of anonymity. “Hospitals must justify ventilator use exceeding 14 days through internal reviews and expert committees, creating strict paper trail for government inspection.

Facilities have to establish time-bound grievance systems, allowing families to formally report billing discrepancies,” the official added.

India’s ventilator market, valued at $207 million in 2024, is projected to reach $351.12 million by 2032, as per global market research firm Credence Research Inc.