Downtown Africa
Patients, hospitals and medical insurers are embracing new technology as people shun hospitals over fears of contracting Covid-19.
Medbook, a leading digital healthcare solutions provider, has signed up over 2.5 million people across seven countries in Africa who are able to remotely access certified doctors, medicine and health facilities.
Medbook business development manager Oscar Ng’ang’a says patients have the tools to track their own medical records and share them with practitioners.
“At the touch of a button, Medbook is able to connect you to a diverse pool of medical practitioners and insurance providers who will meet your precise needs,” he said.
500 hospitals
The joint venture between Strathmore University and I-Lab Africa has also signed on over 500 hospitals in East Africa, Nigeria and Ghana.
“In Kenya, some of the hospitals using the platform include Nairobi Hospital, Aga Khan, MP Shah, Shepherds Hospital, Jacaranda Maternity among others,” he told Nation.
Mr Ng’ang’a indicated that the claims management system is available in all the 47 counties in Kenya while 32 counties are on the health management system.
“People in both rural and urban areas can now access medical care through remote consultations. They do not need to make long journeys to hospitals,” he said, adding that they are riding on Kenya’s high internet penetration rates which comes fourth after South Africa, Egypt and Ghana.
Medical records
He said the software enables physicians and healthcare administrators to easily manage medical records, appointment bookings, medical billing and prescriptions. Insurance firms, are able to address incidences of fraudulent claims.
“For a long time, medical insurers in Kenya have struggled with a spike in fraudulent claims. Medbook’s MediClaim addresses this challenge by replacing flawed billing systems, translating to increased efficiency,” he said, adding that it has reduced expenditure on verification of claims and assisting to make operations more effective and efficient.
Mr Ng’ang’a also indicated that their app has a built-in data analytics tool that allows healthcare managers to study and analyse specific diseases like Covid-19.
