Super luxury hospitals?

When admitted to the hospital, what does one expect? Apart from pain and lots of needles and nurses, you expect a hospital to be a hospital, serving its purpose of getting you better. But there are some who are changing the face of the hospitals – making them into swanky luxurious hotels!

Indraprastha Apollo Hospital at Delhi offers everything in super luxury for the well-heeled and monied patients. Patients get private house-keeping service, a flat-screen TV and a visitors’ lounge. There is also wi-fi, reading material and a pantry with a microwave oven and mini-fridge. There is a butler assigned for the rooms and those staying with the patients, get to choose from a specialty menu, prepared by chefs from 5-star hotels.

There are some hospitals which offer all this and more.  Some have private suites with roof-top gardens for special patients and brands like Costa, Café Coffee Day, Subway and Haldiram’s have set shop in  common areas, making it look more like a mall. Fortis Memori houses retail outlets of Reebok, Chicos and a brand of organic food and over and above all this, it also has a spa, gym and swimming pool. It recently started a 36-seater cinema hall for the attendants of the patient.

But does all this instill faith in the doctors and their services today? Now that is something, the most integral aspect of any hospital, which needs a lot more work. More than luxury, wish we get better services and our faith in the doctors back. Seriously, super luxury hospitals? Where are we headed?