Apollo Multispeciality Hospital is running near full capacity and it would expand its operations in the city, a senior official of the pan-India hospital chain said on Friday.
K. Hari Prasad, director of the hospitals division of the Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Limited, said the group's hospital in Calcutta, near Kadapara on EM Bypass, was running at 80 per cent capacity at night and full capacity during the day.
"The numbers show that there is reason for expansion and we have plans to expand," Prasad said during the inauguration of an advanced 5G ambulance — which will have 5G internet connectivity — by the hospital on Friday.
"We are a listed company and we cannot go into the specifics right now. But you will soon get to know about our plans," he said.
The group has plans to build a hospital and a medical college in Batanagar.
Another official said the hospital in Batanagar would start functioning first and the medical college would start operations later. "We are also on the lookout for more space in Kolkata," the official said.
The ambulance that was launched on Friday would ensure the start of the treatment immediately after the patient is taken into the ambulance. This will help manage cardiac and neurological emergencies better, said an official.
"There will be a consultant in the ambulance. The doctor will connect with the specialist doctor concerned in the hospital and start treatment immediately,” said the official.
Prasad said patients often spend the golden hour after a stroke or a cardiac arrest outside hospital. "Our aim is to not waste any time. Often a patient spends significant time of the golden hour outside the hospital and this has an impact on the outcome of the treatment," he said.
Another official said the hospital will send the 5G ambulances only for emergencies like trauma, neuro or cardiac issues.