Chinese hospital opens capsule hotel for patients' relatives

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Having loved ones hospitalized in an intensive care unit (ICU) often means constant traveling between home and hospital for many Chinese families.

To solve the problem, a hospital in central China's Luoyang city in Henan Province came up with the innovative idea of setting up a capsule hotel to accommodate patients' relatives.

Last month, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology installed ten sleeping capsules for relatives of its ICU patients to stay overnight for free, Henan Daily reported.

Each capsule measures approximately two meters in length and one meter in width and height. The high-tech pods are equipped with clean bedding, controllable lighting and intercom panels that allow relatives to receive emergency calls from the ICU ward.

A sleeping capsule is installed for relatives of ICU patients at The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, November 16, 2018. /VCG Photo

The compact sleeping pods were set up inside an enclosed rest area designed for waiting relatives. The public room also has a TV set and lockable cupboards for people to store their belongings.

To check in, family members of ICU patients need to obtain written approval from the nurse and in turn get access to the capsule with a room key.

It reportedly cost the hospital 40,000 yuan (5,800 U.S. dollars) to install the sleeping pods, and families of patients welcomed the service.

"It's such a heartwarming gesture that the hospital provides us with this capsule hotel," a patient told video streaming platform Yishou. "The capsule may not be spacious, but it provides a private space and I feel safe inside."

The capsule hotel is set up inside an enclosed rest area for patients' relatives, November 16, 2018. /VCG Photo

The hospital decided to install the pods after seeing many worried relatives sleeping on hospital corridors overnight just to stay closer to their loved ones in the ICU ward.

"The capsule hotel not only provides relatives of patients with free accommodation but also helps doctors and nurses contact patients' families in case of emergency," Qi Xiangyin, a chief director from the hospital told Henan Daily.

Asked why there were only ten capsules provided, the hospital explained that it was to match the number of beds available at the ICU ward.

The hospital was applauded online after netizens learned about the new solution, as many Chinese families travel to larger cities for better medical services and often experience difficulty finding and affording accommodation.

Relatives of patients sleep on the floor of the entrance hall of a hospital in central China's Wuhan city in Hubei Province, July 18, 2017. /VCG Photo

"I think other hospitals in China should follow suit," netizen @baoguangyouhuiquanneimu commented on Chinese social media platform Weibo. "It'll offer great convenience to relatives of patients."

"As someone who used to care for a patient, I think the service is great and should be promoted," @yaomeierdeyechen commented. "Please cherish and take good care of the capsules."