The Karnataka government has allowed private medical establishments to expand capacities by setting up step-down hospitals in collaboration with hotels/hostels.

The idea of ‘step-down hospitals’ is that these will be care centres to treat Covid-19 patients, said Jawaid Akhtar, Karnataka Additional chief secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare in a note.

The model of ‘step-down hospitals’ is advised based on the idea that the place identified is in close vicinity (within 500 mts) of an existing hospital caring for covid-19 patients.

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Akhtar further said “As the State is witnessing rapid surge in Covid-19 cases during the past weeks, the government has instructed to set up 3-tier systems for care of Covid-19 patients for mild, moderate and severe cases, but the rapid surge of cases calls for a system of optimum bed utilisation along with increasing the number of beds in different categories.”

The order has fixed the charges of step-down hospitals based on category.

Economy/Budget hotel ₹8,000 (per day maximum ceiling), 3-Star hotel ₹10,000 and 5-Star hotel ₹12,000.

The step-down hospitals can be established by private medical establishments which are registered under KPME (Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act).

Hospitals are to inform the number of beds arrangement made in the hotel to the concerned District health and family welfare/Chief Health Officer-BBMP.

The responsibility of these centres would be to take care of the patients who shall be closely monitored, administered prescribed medications, conducting necessary investigations and supportive oxygen supplementation, a statement said.

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