Insurance make quality care a reality at Kolkata's clinics

Thanks to the corporatisation of healthcare, opening up of the insurance sector and affordable packages offered by luxury hospitals, quality treatment is no longer limited only to a few with deep pockets in the eastern region.

Kolkata has emerged as the medical capital of the zone and today attracts patients not only from all of east and north-east India, but also Bangaldesh.

Naturally, medical establishments are going all out to woo these visitors.

Says Dr Narottam Puri, medical director and chief executive (medical care division) of Max Healthcare, "It's unfortunate that so far, being in a hospital has always been a traumatic experience for the patient and relatives".

"At Max Healthcare, we are quite competitively priced compared to some government-aided hospitals and many of our facilities, treatment ranges from five-star to free," he says.

And what does this five-star treatment amount to?

To begin with, it means a superior hospital environment with polite staff and qualified doctors working with state-of-the-art equipment.

But most corporate hospitals go beyond these 'basics' and work towards providing patients amenities that are tailor-made for their lifestyles.

The Ruby General Hospital in Calcutta has a lifestyle floor catering to NRIs and corporate heads who can't afford to be away from work for long.

Hence, the floor has eight apartments complete with Internet-connected computers, fax machines and microwave-armed kitchenettes.

The spacious apartment can accommodate a couple of family members too "" all for Rs 3,500 a day.

Says Dr Anupam Sibal, medical director of Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, "The idea behind offering such facilities is for the patient's mental comfort, essential for quick healing. People who come to our hospitals have their deadlines and issues and if by providing a fax machine or a computer in their rooms, we can ease their lives, why not?"

Kolkata's Apollo clinic on the EM Bypass offers rooms that range from Rs 1,200 to Rs 12,000 per day, the latter for a luxury suite with a pantry, lounge, attached bath, attendant's bathroom, remote control bed for various reclining positions, TV, refrigerator, walk-in closet et al.

"Besides medical treatment, we also provide post and pre-medical benefits. Package deals with insurance companies and medical insurance is also provided," says Vishal Bali, vice president for marketing at the city's Wockhardt clinic.

Tapas Mukherjee, joint director, Ruby General Hospital, explains, "Packages are tailor-made depending on individual needs and the payments vary accordingly."

Patients are examined by a team comprising a diabetologist, an endocrinologist, eye specialist, in rare cases even a chest specialist, all of whom examine the patient.

"This takes in everything including diet, things/activities to stay away from and the schedule that should be followed," he adds.

Costs range from Rs 1,000 for out-patients to Rs 10,000 onwards for cases that need hospitalisation.

Says a spokesperson at Fortis in Calcutta, "It's important to make the patients realise that chronic diseases call for a holistic approach where medicines, diet, exercise and mental fitness supplement each other."

While this can be criticised as luxury healthcare, the truth is that it has become affordable to many thanks to rising purchasing power, willingness to pay more for quality healthcare and better health insurance coverage.

Typical packages cost anything from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000. If patients enrol in a group, the costs are further reduced.