Safe OPD Management

How hospitals are managing their OPDs during the COVID-19 pandemic

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As the number of COVID-19 cases in India near 30,000 and the country is under an extended lockdown, various industries have been paralysed like never before. The healthcare industry has been witnessing major reduction in volume of patients, with experts pegging the potential operating loss of the private healthcare sector between Rs 14,000 – Rs 24,000 crore in Q1 FY21. During the lockdown, the OPD services has been reduced to 20 to 30% of the regular footfall as patients are hesitating to seek medical attention, and hospitals are encouraging patients to switch over to telemedicine.

More than a month back, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had issued an advisory to hospitals asking them to postpone all elective procedures and stating that all patients should be advised not to turn up for routine visits to the OPD if it can be avoided or postponed. “All OPDs may be organised in such a manner that patients exhibiting flu-like symptoms are attended separately from other patients and spaced out so as to avoid overcrowding. Patients suffering from chronic diseases and minor elements may be advised to utilise OPDs in primary/ secondary care facilities rather than crowding tertiary care centres,” it stated.

Private hospitals have to continue to run their OPDs and emergency services and at the same time abide by the rules and regulations issued by the Government. Below are case studies of how a key private healthcare organisations are managing their OPD services during this global crisis:

Zydus Hospital