A Study on Quality Management of COVID 19 Patients in Public Hospitals of Mumbai

Abstract

Pandemics kill the masses in bulk. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an acute onset pneumonia caused by a novel Beta coronavirus Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has rapidly evolved into a pandemic. As per the World Health Organization (WHO) situation report 165 on July 3, 2020, India has one of the lowest deaths per 100,000 population (1.32 deaths against a global average of 6.04). Roughly 86% of COVID-19 patients are asymptomatic and hardly get tested, which is a potential source of infection transmission. Mass screening of the population for COVID-19 is not feasible in a densely populated country like India. There are chances that India might be missing some deaths and not diagnosing every case correctly. A literature review was done to identify the downsides of managing the COVID-19 infection. The pandemics will remain in human life, and history will repeat. However, policymakers must learn from history and stand firm in fighting future pandemics. This proposal attempts to deal with the quality management of the COVID-19 pandemic in public hospitals in Mumbai. The objectives of the study are to identify the non-clinical factors affecting hospital admission rates, to identify gaps in patient safety concerning facilities at public hospitals, to assess the risk of PTSD amongst patients suffering from COVID-19 infection, and to give recommendations to policymakers to improve patient safety. The study was carried out using a mixed research methodology. The mixed- methods research incorporates structured surveys and interviews with healthcare professionals, administrators, and COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has placed an unprecedented burden on healthcare systems worldwide. In densely populated urban centers like Mumbai, managing COVID-19 patients in public hospitals has been particularly acute.