Retrofitting Healthcare Facilities for Bariatric Patients: A Cost Analysis Study in a Public Sector Hospital of a Developing Country

Background: The rising trend of obesity and morbid obesity around the world emphasizes the need for designing healthcare facilities that fit the needs of these patients. Keeping in view the safety of morbidly obese patients and also the staff handling them, it was thought pertinent to study and analyze the structural, manpower, and financial aspects that need consideration while planning a bariatric facility. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in an apex tertiary care hospital in India through review of literature and in-depth interviews of stakeholders providing care and facilities as well as from the market to determine the spacing needs and cost of retrofitting a 10-bedded bariatric facility in an existing hospital. Traditional method of cost analysis was used to arrive at the cost estimates for the financial year 2016-2017. Results: An estimated cost of U.S. $39,139 (INR 2,616,500) per bed has been projected in retrofitting the setting of this study with a 10-bedded bariatric facility with an existing manpower pool for the same. For a retrofitting facility requiring additional manpower, an estimated cost of U.S. $90,496 (INR 6,049,700) per bed has been projected in this study setting. Conclusion: Given the growth of bariatric population both worldwide and in India, it is need of the hour to consider retrofitting existing healthcare facilities for bariatric patients. Although hospitals would incur an initial cost in such retro-fittings, in the long run, they would overrun their value in terms of patient needs and satisfaction, which indeed is the ultimate goal in healthcare.