A bird Eye view on Cash flow in corporate and govt' Health sector.

 Hospital ranking by revenue generated per doctor in India.

How much is earned by corporate hospitals per doctor they employ?

India's top corporate hospitals generate the highest revenue per doctor among healthcare providers, with Apollo Hospitals ranked first. Corporate hospitals typically maintain a higher doctor-to-nurse and allied staff ratio compared to government hospitals. The major revenue avenue for Indian corporate hospitals is inpatient (IP) care, with significant contributions also from specialty treatments and out-of-pocket payments. Capital and revenue expenditure per bed is markedly higher for corporate hospitals than for their government counterparts.

Hospital Revenue Per Doctor

Hospital Group	Total Revenue (FY24)	Estimated Doctors	Revenue per Doctor (approximate)
Apollo Hospitals	Rs. 19,059 Cr	~10,000	Rs. 1.9 Cr
Fortis Healthcare	Rs. 6,892 Cr	~4,600	Rs. 1.5 Cr
Manipal Hospitals	Rs. 6,500 Cr	~4,000	Rs. 1.6 Cr
Max Healthcare	Rs. 5,406 Cr	~3,500	Rs. 1.5 Cr
Narayana Health	Rs. 5,018 Cr	~2,500	Rs. 2.0 Cr

What is the ratio of doctor to nurse to allied staff in government & corporate hospitals?

Estimates based on hospital capacity and typical doctor staffing levels.

Doctor to Nursing & Allied Staff Ratios

Corporate Hospitals

• Doctor to Nurse Ratio: About 1:2.1 in organised corporate hospitals.
• Doctor to Allied Staff Ratio: About 1:1.
• Staff numbers in premium corporate hospitals tend to be higher due to specialization and patient acuity.

Government Hospitals

• Doctor-to-Nurse Ratio: Varies widely nationally, estimated around 1:1.3 on average.
• Doctor to Allied Staff Ratio: Lower than corporate sector, often below 1:1.
• Central government norms suggest a more basic staffing structure, with fewer nurses and allied staff per doctor compared to high-end private setups.

Avenues of revenue for corporate  & Govt hospitals

Revenue Composition: Corporate Hospitals

• Major Avenues:
• Inpatient Care (IP): Around 90% of total revenue comes from in-patient treatments, surgeries, and specialty care (oncology, cardiology, neuro-surgery, etc.).
• Self-pay/Cash Patients: High-margin revenue from out-of-pocket payments, including medical tourism and premium treatments.
• Insurance Payments: Stable but lower-margin; negotiated rates with insurers.
• Diagnostics & Outpatient: Diagnostic services, imaging, and out-patient care also contribute a significant share, notably in diversified groups (Apollo, Fortis).
• Ancillary: Pharmacies, telehealth, and digital platforms (growing rapidly).

Capex and Opex per Bed: Private vs. Government

Expenditure Type	Corporate Hospitals (per bed)	Government Hospitals (per bed)
Capital Expenditure	₹30 lakh – ₹1 crore (Tier 2–Metro)	₹10 lakh – ₹25 lakh (public sector)
ARPOB (Average Revenue Per Occupied Bed	~₹50,000 per day (ARPOB, FY24)	₹5,000–₹15,000 per day (estimated)

• Corporate hospital capex: ₹30 lakh/bed in Tier 2 cities to ₹1 crore+/bed in premium metros, depending on infrastructure and location.
• Government hospital capex: Typically ₹10–25 lakh/bed for new government hospital construction, with lower end in rural projects and higher in new urban upgrades.
• ARPOB (Average Revenue Per Occupied Bed) for major private chains: ~₹50,000/day in FY24, showing steady growth; government hospital ARPOB is lower, often subsidized, and not directly comparable to private ARPOB.

Comparison Table: Staffing, Spend & Revenue

Aspect	Corporate Hospitals	Government Hospitals
Doctor:Nurse ratio	1:2.1	1:1.3
Doctor:Allied Staff ratio	1:1	<1:1
Capex per bed	₹30 lakh–₹1+ crore	₹10–25 lakh
ARPOB per bed/day	~₹50,000	₹5,000–₹15,000 (est.)
Major revenue stream	IP specialty care/cash/insurance	Government grants, basic care

Corporate hospitals in India outpace government hospitals in revenue per doctor, operational spending, and capital investment per bed, reflecting the focus on specialty care, self-pay patients, and high-acuity services, while government hospitals serve broader populations but with much lower spend and staffing ratios.

 

Operating Cost (Opex) Per Bed

• Corporate Hospitals: Daily operating cost per occupied bed ranges from ₹1,800–1,900 per bed day for general care and up to ₹10,600 per ICU bed day (unadjusted, varies by hospital and specialty).
• Government Hospitals: Daily operating cost per bed is lower, typically ₹800–1,000 per bed day in district hospitals and up to ₹1,000+ in tertiary centers. ICU operating costs are also lower compared to corporate hospitals.

Key Differences

Metric	Corporate Hospitals	Government Hospitals
Capital cost per bed	₹30 lakh – ₹1+ crore	₹10–25 lakh
Opex per bed/day	₹1,800–10,000+	₹800–1,000+

• Corporate hospitals carry higher costs due to modern equipment, premium amenities, and higher staff ratios.
• Government hospitals keep costs low with basic infrastructure, less advanced technologies, and state support.

These differences reflect higher investment and operational efficiencies expected in corporate hospitals, contrasted with widespread access and subsidized care in government sector facilities. 

Per-bed ICU and OT Prices  are markedly higher in private tertiary hospitals compared to government tertiary hospitals in India. Across studies, costs for ICU bed-days and surgeries reflect the premium infrastructure and higher staff wages in the private sector, whereas government facilities have lower, subsidized costs.

ICU Prices: Per Bed, Per Day

• Private Tertiary Hospitals:
• Average ICU cost per bed-day: ₹10,619
• Average total ICU admission: US$2,818 (about ₹2.3 lakh per episode, assuming ~7-8 days stay)
• Daily ICU care: US$255 (₹21,000), but Indian studies more commonly report ₹10,000–11,000 per day.
• Government Tertiary Hospitals:
• Average ICU cost per bed-day: ₹6,031
• Surgical ICU (SICU) cost per bed-day: ₹11,241 (AIIMS Bhubaneswar case)
• Respiratory ICU: ₹11,162–31,183 reported at different public facilities, but ₹6,000–11,000 per day is typical.

OT (Operating Theatre) Costs: Per Procedure

• Private Tertiary Hospitals:
• Average OT cost per procedure: ₹6,982 (surgical procedure)
• Complex surgeries or higher-level OTs may exceed this ().
• Government Tertiary Hospitals:
• Average OT cost per procedure: ₹10,452
• High-volume government centers may show higher average due to complex case mix.

Summary Table: ICU and OT prices

price Type	Private Hospital (per day/procedure)	Govt Tertiary Hospital (per day/procedure)
ICU per bed-day	₹10,619–21,000	₹6,031–11,241
OT per procedure	₹6,982	₹10,452

• Private hospitals charge more per ICU bed partly due to lower capacity utilization, higher input and infrastructure costs, and patient amenities.
• Government hospitals may see higher costs for OTs per procedure, reflecting complex or subsidized services but maintain a lower cost profile for ICU per bed per day than private sector averages

These differences stem from cost structure, patient case mix, and operational models in each sector.