Hyderabad: Covid profile must for out-patient treatment

Hyderabad: People going for non-Covid treatments in private hospitals are being thoroughly scanned for the virus even if they don't have any symptoms. Only after a series of screenings, they are being given doctor appointments or consultations. Private hospitals, medical and dental practitioners are not taking any chances due to the risk of asymptomatic patients acting as carriers and spreading the disease to others. Those coming for consultancy are thoroughly screened by thermal scanners and also through oxymeters to find out any virus related symptoms exist.

This is being done at the front desk of all hospitals simultaneously as they register for non-Covid treatment. Meanwhile, non-Covid patients requiring surgical procedures are being told to undergo test for virus compulsorily as part of Covid profile before admission is given.

While some hospitals are doing rapid test or Lung CT scan for emergency cases to know if the patient is infected with the virus or not, for elective procedures RT-PCR, CT-Scan as well as some blood tests are being prescribed. The Covid profile is costing Rs 2,000 to Rs 6,000 on an average for admission of a non-Covid patient.Even NIMS, Panjagutta, has started screening out-patients with rapid tests from the last few days. On an average 600 patients visit NIMS a day for non-Covid treatments, including chronic ailments. However, all out-patients are not being tested. NIMS RMO Dr Satish said they are conducting rapid tests to only those patients who are prescribed by the consulting doctor. This test is being done free of cost, he clarified.

The reason for scanning patients coming for non-Covid treatments is to ensure safety of doctors, nurses and other medical staff and also other patients visiting the hospital at the same time. "An asymptomatic patient can infect others present in the hospital especially those in vulnerable age groups are having low immunity. The Covid profile will give a clear picture of the patient's condition and accordingly safety precautions will be taken by the doctors," he said.

"If a patient coming with injury and needs urgent surgery, the operating doctors and team can go ahead with their duties without worries if they have his Covid test report with them. Even if the person is found to be Covid positive and requires urgent medical attention, doctors, nurses, and other staff in the operation theatre will wear PPEs and other protective material for safety purposes," said a member of private hospitals association.