Soon, five-star hotels such as InterContinental at Marine Drive and Trident at BKC will be used as “step-down facilities” for COVID-19 patients from major private hospitals in the city that are on the road to recovery or require minimal medical intervention.
In a circular issued on April 14, the BMC has said that such facilities at star hotels will serve as an extension and an integral part of private hospitals.
For patients who do not require emergency medical intervention or oxygenation, ICU or ventilator beds will be moved to the hotels and hospitals linked to them will assess their clinical condition regularly.
While Bombay Hospital is linked to Intercontinental, H N Reliance Foundation Hospital is with BKC’s Trident.
The facilities will provide hospitality services in coordination with private hospitals. These hospitals may charge patients up to Rs 4,000, inclusive of taxes and meals, per day per bed. This amount will be paid to the hotels by the hospitals.
The hospital will charge extra for medical expenses, doctor visits and other incidental charges. If a patient’s COVID-positive close relatives are willing to share a room, the hospital may charge up to Rs 6,000 for two beds.
Any other positive, asymptomatic patient, too, can also utilise the service—after medical assessment by the linked private hospital’s medical team.
Surjitt Sahani
