Emergency Department Setup Cost in India: Beds, Triage and Equipment
Turning a casualty room into a real emergency department, in a nursing home or a large hospital? This guide covers how many beds you need, how to lay out triage, the equipment list and what it costs.
A 10-bed emergency department needs about Rs 12 lakh to Rs 32 lakh of core equipment, by our estimate from 2026 Indian prices. A small 3-bed casualty in a nursing home needs about Rs 5.8 lakh to Rs 14 lakh. An AIIMS study for NITI Aayog advises that emergency beds should make up about 12% of a hospital's beds.
How Many Emergency Beds Do You Need?
An emergency department (ED) needs enough beds for its rush hours. A study of district hospitals by AIIMS for NITI Aayog found that ED beds were only 3 to 5% of all beds. Yet 16% of all patients came in as emergency or injury cases. It advises raising emergency beds to 12% of all beds, with about 10% more as buffer beds based on footfall.
| Hospital size | Emergency beds at 12% |
|---|---|
| 30 beds | About 4 |
| 50 beds | About 6 |
| 100 beds | About 12 |
| 200 beds | About 24 |
The government now wants the same. The 2026 Budget set a goal of 50% more emergency capacity in 760 district hospitals. In March 2026 the Health Ministry said it will check each district hospital against national norms for this care.
Triage Zones and Layout
Triage means sorting patients by how sick they are, so the sickest are seen first. The triage chart in the AIIMS study uses three colours:
- Red: the patient may die without quick help, for example if breathing is failing. Seen at once, in the resus beds.
- Yellow: serious but stable. These patients need tests, care and close watching.
- Green: minor problems that can wait safely.
Give the ED its own door and ambulance bay. Put a marked triage desk at the door and the red beds closest to it. Keep space for a small lab at the bedside, called a point-of-care lab. In the same study, 94% of district hospitals had no marked triage area and no such lab.
Need a price for your emergency department?Get a written quote, brochure or demo from the Pulse team.
Emergency Department Equipment List
| Area | Main equipment |
|---|---|
| Red (resuscitation) | Hydraulic emergency trolley, multipara monitor, defibrillator, airway kit, suction, oxygen and air outlets, syringe pumps, transport ventilator |
| Yellow (observation) | Emergency trolleys or beds, 5 para monitors, oxygen and suction at each bed, infusion pumps |
| Green (minor) | Stretcher trolleys, examination couch, dressing trolley |
| Shared | Crash cart, 12-channel ECG, blood gas analyser, wheelchairs, medical gas pipeline |
What a 10-Bed Emergency Department Costs
We built this estimate for a 10-bed ED in a hospital of about 80 to 100 beds. It has 2 red, 4 yellow and 4 green beds. Prices come from our 2026 price guides, which list their own sources. Most are before GST.
| Item | Number | Price each | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydraulic emergency trolley (red and yellow) | 6 | Rs 31,500 to Rs 56,000 | Rs 1.9 lakh to Rs 3.4 lakh |
| Stretcher trolley (green) | 4 | Rs 8,500 to Rs 35,000 | Rs 34,000 to Rs 1.4 lakh |
| Multipara monitor (red) | 2 | Rs 40,000 to Rs 2.2 lakh | Rs 80,000 to Rs 4.4 lakh |
| 5 para monitor (yellow) | 4 | Rs 19,000 to Rs 40,000 | Rs 76,000 to Rs 1.6 lakh |
| Transport ventilator | 1 | Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 5.5 lakh | Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 5.5 lakh |
| Defibrillator | 1 | Rs 1.6 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh | Rs 1.6 lakh to Rs 3.5 lakh |
| 12-channel ECG | 1 | Rs 32,000 to Rs 1.3 lakh | Rs 32,000 to Rs 1.3 lakh |
| Crash cart | 1 | Rs 10,000 to Rs 64,000 | Rs 10,000 to Rs 64,000 |
| Portable suction | 2 | Rs 10,000 to Rs 24,000 | Rs 20,000 to Rs 48,000 |
| Syringe pump | 4 | Rs 12,000 to Rs 35,000 | Rs 48,000 to Rs 1.4 lakh |
| Gas pipeline, red beds (ICU level) | 2 | Rs 1.2 lakh to Rs 2.2 lakh | Rs 2.4 lakh to Rs 4.4 lakh |
| Gas pipeline, other beds | 8 | Rs 25,000 to Rs 45,000 | Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3.6 lakh |
| Core equipment total | About Rs 12 lakh to Rs 32 lakh |
A blood gas analyser for a point-of-care lab adds about Rs 2.8 lakh to Rs 6 lakh, according to our ICU setup guide. Building work, an X-ray room and staff are extra.
For a small nursing home casualty with 1 red bed and 2 observation beds, the same prices give about Rs 5.8 lakh to Rs 14 lakh, without a transport ventilator.
Staff for an Emergency Department
The AIIMS study found that most hospitals had no doctors or nurses of their own in the ED, even when the hospital had enough staff overall. It also asks for one doctor to handle police and legal cases. Plan for a doctor and trained nurses on every shift who work only in the ED, with specialists on call.
How to Plan and Save
- Plan the ED for your busiest hours, not the daily average.
- Put ICU-level gas outlets only at red beds; ward-level outlets are enough for the rest.
- Use hydraulic trolleys, not beds, so patients can go to X-ray, OT or ICU on the same trolley.
- Buy one good defibrillator and one good transport ventilator, not several cheap ones.
- Ask for a service contract on every monitor, ventilator and pump.
Pulse Emergency Department Equipment
Pulse supplies the hydraulic emergency patient trolley, stretcher trolleys, crash carts, 5 para and 7 para monitors, the ICU ventilator, ECG machines, syringe and infusion pumps, wheelchairs and the medical gas pipeline. Pulse does not supply defibrillators, suction machines or blood gas analysers.
Emergency Department Setup Cost: Key Facts
- An AIIMS study for NITI Aayog found emergency beds were only 3 to 5% of district hospital beds, though emergency cases were 16% of patients.
- The study advises raising emergency beds to 12% of all hospital beds, plus about 10% buffer beds.
- A 10-bed emergency department needs about Rs 12 lakh to Rs 32 lakh of core equipment, by our estimate from 2026 prices.
- A small 3-bed nursing home casualty needs about Rs 5.8 lakh to Rs 14 lakh of core equipment.
- 94% of the district hospitals studied had no marked triage area and no point-of-care lab.
Emergency Department Setup Cost: FAQs
How much does it cost to set up an emergency department in India?
A 10-bed ED needs about Rs 12 lakh to Rs 32 lakh of core equipment, by our estimate from 2026 prices. A small 3-bed casualty needs about Rs 5.8 lakh to Rs 14 lakh. A blood gas analyser, building work, X-ray and staff are extra.
How many emergency beds should a hospital have?
An AIIMS study for NITI Aayog advises that about 12% of all hospital beds should be in the ED, with about 10% more as buffer beds. That is about 12 ED beds for a 100-bed hospital.
What are the triage zones in an emergency department?
The AIIMS triage chart uses three colours. Red is for patients who may die without quick help and are seen at once. Yellow is for serious but stable patients. Green is for minor problems that can wait.
What equipment is needed in an emergency department?
You need trolleys, monitors, a defibrillator, a transport ventilator, an airway kit, suction, pumps, a crash cart and a 12-channel ECG. Each bed needs oxygen and suction. A blood gas analyser is a good addition.
What is the difference between casualty and an ED?
A casualty is often one room for first aid and referral. An ED has its own door and ambulance bay, a triage desk, red, yellow and green zones, a monitor at each bed and its own staff on every shift.
Does Pulse supply emergency department equipment?
Yes. Pulse supplies hydraulic trolleys, stretchers, crash carts, monitors, the ICU ventilator, ECG machines, pumps, wheelchairs and the gas pipeline. Message +91 90711 01108 for a quote.
Sources
- Emergency and Injury Care at District Hospitals in India (Department of Emergency Medicine, JPNATC, AIIMS, for NITI Aayog, 2021): emergency bed share, 12% recommendation, triage and point-of-care lab gaps, staffing
- Centre to assess district hospitals to upgrade emergency care (Business Standard, 10 March 2026): national assessment and Budget plan
- Pulse price guides (2026): stretcher trolley, patient monitor, ventilator, ICU setup (defibrillator, suction, blood gas analyser), ECG machine, crash cart, syringe pump and medical gas pipeline, each with its own sources
Related Reading
