With the rising number of COVID cases in Bengaluru and the government allowing home care, RxDx Clinics has seen a daily rise in the number of patients opting for its COVIDcare@home services. Currently over 100 patients are being monitored at home by a dedicated RxDx COVID care team, not just in Karnataka but in homes across India. Of these, so far only 3 patients have needed hospital referrals.
As observed with Delhi, a majority of the population with mild or no symptoms can be managed at home freeing up critical hospital beds for those with moderate to severe illness. Majority of patients availing the RxDx remote care packages for home isolation are in the age group of 31-40 years (37%) and 41-50 years (24%) with 58% of them being male and 42% female. 75% patients had no co-morbidities. Those with pre-existing but controlled conditions mostly reported hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes. 57% of the symptomatic patients have primarily complained of cough, fever, and sore throat.
RxDx Clinics, a premier chain of NABH Accredited pre-hospital/primary care centres in Bengaluru, was already doing online consultations and teleconsulting when the pandemic hit India. Quickly adapting to the pandemic exigencies, RxDx Healthcare introduced home care packages for remote monitoring of COVID patients in quarantine/isolation. RxDx’s COVID Care at Home package is one of the most innovative and affordable care plans with the best of the doctors and professionals forming the dedicated COVID team. The home isolation package of 15 days costs Rs 5,850 and includes online doctor consultation 6 times, vitals monitoring by nurse 45 times, a session with a nutritionist for advising patients regarding immunity boosting food, one session by the physiotherapist on how to keep fit while in home quarantine, and a session by a mental health expert on maintaining a positive outlook for the future.
The patient-centric clinics have collection sites or home sampling for RT-PCR, Rapid Antigen Detection, and Rapid Antibody tests. Resident Welfare Associations (RWA), offices, industries have been using pooled/dedicated ambulance services from the healthcare chain. RxDx has also been providing medical management of COVID Care Centres in collaboration with RWAs and Hotels. The dedicated team managing pandemic related services like fever clinics, COVID testing, etc., operates from an enclave outside the clinic premises with completely separate entry and exit.
A patient who wished to remain anonymous had shared personal experience with our COVID Care Team; “when we wanted to go for COVID testing, we could not think of any hospital other than RxDx. Later, when result came out to be positive, we immediately reached out to RxDx. They were very helpful throughout entire process of home quarantine. It’s good to have someone to monitor you regularly and remind you about the medicine that has to be taken, the precautions to be followed, the signs and symptoms to watch for, what kind of food to take and what exercises are needed. We have taken a package for our entire family and recommended my friends and neighbours they too have started the packages, and I hear very good feedback from them. I’m now very happy with the care and the service provided by RxDx.”
Dr Jyotika Gupta, Consultant – Family Physician and Clinic Lead, RxDx SAMANVAY, Malleswaram, Bengaluru, explains, “With our COVID home isolation packages, we have been able to reach out to those patients, those families, who are stable, and need to be under a doctor’s care. By providing nurse telemonitoring and doctor teleconsultations, we are trying our best to help reduce the panic and fear among the public about this pandemic, and at the same time, help the govt in our own way.”
Dr Vijaya Vathsa, senior physician and internal medicine specialist, RxDx, discussed over a chat with the Care Team how “80% fall into mild to moderate category and don’t need hospitalisation. Part of the package is a screening process which helps in triaging people who require hospitalisation. Those who seek us out, need the psychological assurance this package is providing through supportive care, as much as the medical supervision. Many share their fears over the paranoia and stigma they face from their neighbours once the word is out that they are COVID positive.
Dr Chhavi Mehra, Senior Internist and Quality Head RxDx, further explains the benefits of home isolation services: “A patient in home isolation has emotional comfort of being near their family, the choice of food according to taste and requirement, 24×7 medical necessities supply and monitoring from us, and support from the society / Residential association for all other necessities.”
