Walk in,get operated and walk out the same day

Suresh Soni,chairman of Nova Care,said,“Considering Mumbai always faces a dearth of beds in hospitals,it’s only logical we start the most centres here. After Tardeo,the next centre in Chembur will be operational by December. By the end of next year,we plan to start five such hospitals here.”

These centres will offer day care surgeries in ENT,gynaecology,urology,orthopaedics,ophthalmology and paediatrics disciplines. They will also provide out-patient departments (OPD) and pathological and radiological diagnostics facilities. “The Bangalore centre is our inspiration. We have even conducted a breast cancer surgery,where a lump was surgically removed and the patient was allowed to go home after eight hours of recovery time,” Soni said,adding that 1,050 surgeries have already been completed in their Bangalore centre.

About 70 per cent of all surgical procedures can be done on a day care basis,said a senior doctor from a private city hospital,who will also consult in the upcoming Tardeo Nova centre. “Unfortunately,In India healthcare is seen as a money minting business,so private hospitals refuse to acknowledge this concept,” he said. “Insurance companies too provide reimbursements more readily in cases with overnight hospital stays,as the patient’s grievances are perceived to be more genuine then. It is a mentality that has long existed in India,” he added.

Nova care surgeries,however,will be 100 per cent insured,Soni said. “Patients will pay only for the surgical procedure. It required some negotiation,but we have finally managed to get several private sector insurance providers on board,” he added.

Besides reducing costs of extended hospital stay,these centres also reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections,Soni said. “The centre has facilities for overnight stay in case of emergencies. But as a policy,if there are complications like diabetes or obesity in patients,we will advise them to consult regular hospitals as we have done in Bangalore,” he said.