With home isolation for mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 patients becoming the new norm, healthcare providers are innovating with special packages that offer medical care kits, video consultations with doctors and nurses and even diet plans during the quarantine period.
Civic health officials have said nearly 80% of patients have mild or no symptoms, and do not require hospitalisation. “As per the guidelines from the Centre, patients who have mild symptoms, no co-morbidities and have enough space in their home to remain quarantined in a separate room can consult their physicians while being under home isolation,” said an official.
Some patients may develop serious manifestations of the infection due to undiagnosed underlying ailments.
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“The patients who are advised home isolation need a sense of security. It calms them down if they are under some kind of clinical supervision,” said Dr. Tarang Gianchandani, chief executive officer of H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, which has launched home care packages in Mumbai starting at ₹375 per day. “We offered the services to a few patients and got good feedback. Patients get to talk to the doctors on video chat, and nurses and paramedics are also available for video consultation to ensure constant monitoring,” she said.
Many hospitals in Delhi have started similar services. For example, Max Healthcare has started offering the service at ₹333 per day, including a medical kit consisting of thermometer and SpO2 probe to check oxygen saturation. The facility has even offered an ‘on-site’ package, which consists of a dedicated nurse at home.
Home healthcare provider Portea Medical has started offering such services in Chennai and Delhi. “All patients under home isolation are monitored remotely through a comprehensive tracking system involving government doctors and experts from Portea for the entire mandated isolation period of 14 days in Chennai and 17 days in New Delhi,” said chief executive officer Meena Ganesh.
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