New technology saves R500m for SA private healthcare

A world first medical payment system has saved South Africa’s medical aids, private hospitals and doctors more than half a billion rand this year.

It has accelerated hospital check-ins, created the technology to help medical practices more efficiently chase debt and ensure faster payments from medical aids to doctors and hospitals. In simple terms those savings are enough to pay the salaries of up to 500 doctors a year; or foot the medical aid payments of 61 000 families; or pay for 5 000 life-saving heart operations for children, or build a well-equipped clinic.The scheme helps medical aids and hospitals keep rates down at a time when inflation is battering costs.It gives doctors a reason to remain in South Africa by reducing payment times for patient bills from medical aids from 68 days to 12 days and allows them to improve the quality of care they give.Healthbridge, the brainchild of Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained engineer, Gerrie van Zyl, has ramped up innovations in payment solutions for the medical industry.It serves South Africa’s 230 private hospitals, all medical aids and more than 5 500 medical practitioners or 40 per cent of all medical practices.Every patient that has used private healthcare has had their claim data managed by Healthbridge.Luis da Silva, managing director of Healthbridge, says: “We are eliminating administrative inefficiencies from healthcare: 30c of every rand spent in the healthcare sector goes into administration.We need to reduce those costs especially in today’s challenging economic climate.We have made remarkable inroads into saving considerable amounts for the private health care sector and are excited by the vision expressed by the new Minister of Health, Barbara Hogan, and too the fact that she has a background in finance,” Da Silva said.”We are not really affected by economic downturns,” Da Silva said.”But regrettably the tougher economic conditions are, the, sicker people get with anything from conditions like ulcers to depression.What we do ensure is that doctors get paid – we have managed to help doctors cut bad debt from 10 per cent to 5 per cent.And patient waiting times in hospital casualty or reception areas is down to five minutes from 25 minutes because of our systems.”- Nampa-SapaIn simple terms those savings are enough to pay the salaries of up to 500 doctors a year; or foot the medical aid payments of 61 000 families; or pay for 5 000 life-saving heart operations for children, or build a well-equipped clinic.The scheme helps medical aids and hospitals keep rates down at a time when inflation is battering costs.It gives doctors a reason to remain in South Africa by reducing payment times for patient bills from medical aids from 68 days to 12 days and allows them to improve the quality of care they give.Healthbridge, the brainchild of Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained engineer, Gerrie van Zyl, has ramped up innovations in payment solutions for the medical industry.It serves South Africa’s 230 private hospitals, all medical aids and more than 5 500 medical practitioners or 40 per cent of all medical practices.Every patient that has used private healthcare has had their claim data managed by Healthbridge.Luis da Silva, managing director of Healthbridge, says: “We are eliminating administrative inefficiencies from healthcare: 30c of every rand spent in the healthcare sector goes into administration.We need to reduce those costs especially in today’s challenging economic climate.We have made remarkable inroads into saving considerable amounts for the private health care sector and are excited by the vision expressed by the new Minister of Health, Barbara Hogan, and too the fact that she has a background in finance,” Da Silva said.”We are not really affected by economic downturns,” Da Silva said.”But regrettably the tougher economic conditions are, the, sicker people get with anything from conditions like ulcers to depression.What we do ensure is that doctors get paid – we have managed to help doctors cut bad debt from 10 per cent to 5 per cent.And patient waiting times in hospital casualty or reception areas is down to five minutes from 25 minutes because of our systems.”- Nampa-Sapa