Here’s how home care services are a better bet than expensive hospitals!

For all of us, visiting a hospital for our loved one is no less than a nightmare. It’s not just painful to see our dear ones lying in the hospital bed in pain, it’s also the long lofty bills that can really hurt our pockets.

But, there’s an alternative to it! Home healthcare services is increasingly being preferred by many in the city in order to not just give the best health care but also to save themselves a few grand.

“We offered our services to a patient who lived in Khirki Extension in Delhi and needed intensive care. The patient was spending nearly Rs 70,000 per day at Max hospital in Saket. We gave him an ICU like setup at his home for Rs 10,000 per day. Thus, it home care is such cost-effective alternative,” Dr. Gaurav Thukral, vice president and business unit director at HealthCare at Home, a joint venture between the Burman Group and UK’s leading home care services firm Home Care at Home, told BI India in an exclusive interview.

Off late, the home care segment in the health care sector has been attracting a lot of start-ups. However, the challenges are many. While logistics continue to be a challenge for many, it’s the expectations of their clients that remain the biggest task.

“We also cater to very high-end clients, who sometimes are unreasonable. For instance, we have had clients, who demanded infection-free environment at their homes or wanted the nurse to keep standing for 12-hours continuously,” added Thukral.

Globally home healthcare services constitute 6% of the overall healthcare industry. However, in India, this segment segment is still in nascent stages despite having the best nurses and health practitioners in the country.

At present, the largest players in the market include Portea Medical, India Home Health Care (IHHC) & Homital. HealthCare at Home currently operates primarily in Delhi, Punjab, Jammu, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. The company aims to expand rapidly pan India and plans to raise funding for its future course of action.

Image Credit: ehealth.eletsonline.com