INDIAN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM- THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS AND PRIVATE HOSPITALS IN INDIA

The Romans coined the concept of an institution that provides diagnosis, treatments and health care facilities which we call the hospitals. With the passage of time and advancement in health care technology, one can see various departments in the hospitals that deal and treats patients specifically with their medical issues. Healthcare facilities are continually evolving to better serve the needs of patients, doctors and staff. To meet regulatory compliance for patient satisfaction, operational efficiency and clinical process of the care a modern hospital must leverage smart technologies throughout the facility. Hospital administrators, IT and facility managers are specifically tasked with the challenge of providing safe and secure settings, network connectivity, critical power, improved communication and healthcare infrastructure.

Normally, the hospitals are of two types, i.e. Private hospitals and government hospitals. The division of sub-continent inherited numerous public hospitals which one can find in almost every city. Government hospitals are also called public hospitals because of the government for the public service funds these hospitals. These hospitals are entirely governed by the government’s funding. Everything from the construction to the fees of the doctors to the equipment is being supervised by the government itself. Though they’ve big names and infrastructure their services are questionable. Shortages of medicines, doctors, nurses and pharmacists are normal issues caused by the negligence of the government and the hospital authorities.

The major difference between a private hospital and a public hospital is the ownership.

In India, the services provided in a private or government hospitals are more or less the same, but the main difference is the facilities and the care given to a patient. Private hospitals are the hospitals owned and governed to generate profit by providing the finest healthcare facilities to their patients. The administration, staff, doctors, and everything is under the control of a private body. It is considered that the equipment used in private hospitals is reliable and provides excellent health care services but they cost too. Regardless of being expensive, these hospitals are always preferred because no one wants to risk their lives and get into trouble caused by any negligence during medical treatment.

In India, the total number of hospital beds is 1.37 million. Out of which 8, 33,000 beds are available in private sector hospitals and 5, 40,000 beds are available in the government hospitals. Due to efficient management in private sector hospitals, 70% of beds are operational whereas in the government hospitals only 50% of beds are operational. Healthcare awareness has increased in India and the industry is expected to reach US$ 372 billion by 2022. The government of India with its policies has provided an increase in access to medical insurances which is a good step forward to benefit the patients. Another positive sign is the growth of manpower; the number of doctors has risen from 826,000 to 12, 00,000. 

The roles of government and private hospitals are quite controversial and differ in every country. In many parts of the world public hospitals excels away forward than the private hospitals, but mostly in the developing countries, the facilities in private hospitals are far better than the public hospitals.

One of the main advantages of private hospitals is the excellent doctor-to-patient ratio, due to which many Indians prefer to go to private hospitals. Private hospitals are well-equipped; patients can have much-personalized care there that’s the reason the caring staffs especially the nurses are not much occupied with a huge stash of patients as it is in the government hospitals. ClinicSpots helps you in booking an appointment in all the major hospitals in India. Due to an extreme workload, it is usually exhausting for the hospital staff to deal with it. Moreover, the waiting time is shorter in private hospitals due to efficient administration. Private hospitals have upscale amenities that are quite soothing for both the patients as well as the hospital employees.

The best part of the government hospitals is that these hospitals are not for profit generation, that’s the reason; most of the people in India opt to visit government hospitals. Furthermore, they are cheaper & affordable, and they can’t refuse any patient visiting there. Due to the large infrastructure, these hospitals have a bigger bed capacity for their patients. Ayushman Bharat – the world’s largest government medical scheme has provided a great benefit to the people opting for medical facilities in the public hospitals of India.

Nothing is perfect in this world, everything has pros & cons. Similarly, both the public as well as private hospitals have advantages and disadvantages. One can choose between two depending upon the health issue and affordability.

When we talk about the disadvantages of private sector hospitals, one of the major con people normally face is the private hospital’s right to refusal. They can refuse any patient whom they think is unable to pay the hospital charges. Indeed the private hospitals are expensive and most of the Indians can’t afford treatment there but another problem the majority of people face is the limited insurance forms. Due to the small infrastructure of these hospitals, there is a limited amount of beds and that’s another problem people do face sometimes.

When we talk about the drawbacks of public hospitals, the most major one is the poor patient-to-doctor ratio which causes a lot of stress for patients as well as the doctors, nurses and the administration staff. The waiting time is usually longer. It may vary from hours to weeks depending upon the nature of an emergency. There are problems in personalized care because the hospital staff has much workload due to a great number of patients in public hospitals. In government hospitals, the personal preference to choose a doctor is limited whereas one can choose a doctor, surgeon or physician of his choice in a private hospital. Government hospitals do possess good equipment, but due to the extensive use, they are deteriorated quickly as compared to those in a private hospital. The population is growing which is creating an extra demand of the government hospitals in terms of both time and costs. The increase in government spending especially the Ayushman Bharat is a good step forward. When you have health problems you have to consider your priorities it is advisable to go for the best medical facility you can achieve within your budget whether through a private hospital or a government hospital. It is highly recommended that the government and private hospitals should work together to provide quality healthcare facilities to the patients because there is nothing much expensive than the life of a person.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back To Top