In what is claimed to be a world first, South African doctors can now receive real-time payment for patient consultations in terms of a new system introduced by Discovery Health medical scheme.
When Discovery Health patients visit their doctors, medical professionals can now confirm the person`s benefits while they are in the consulting rooms. By the time the consultation is complete, validation of the payment is confirmed and payment made within 24 hours.
"We introduced this system as part of a larger programme to assist healthcare practitioners to simplify and streamline their administration and improve their practice management," says Johan van Rooyen, head of Client Management at Discovery.
"According to our records, over 83% of the over 1.5 million claims we receive each month are submitted by doctors or other health professionals; 66% of these claims are received electronically. By receiving real-time payment for these consultations, the new system can substantially improve a practice`s cash flow. In addition, it demystifies the complexity surrounding medical schemes by verifying benefits for a particular patient in real-time while the patient is in the doctor`s rooms."
This is the latest in a series of real-time processes introduced by Discovery. The first was real-time claims processing for pharmacists via the MediKredit switch in 1999, followed by real-time claims processing for doctors and GPs using the HealthBridge switch.
Real-time payment for health professionals is part of a broader health partners programme introduced by Discovery to encourage effective practice management using electronic submission and administration. Health professionals participating in the programme receive, among other benefits, membership of the Discovery Vitality, a scientific wellness programme, for sound practice management.
"It is Discovery`s vision and strategy to become a real-time organisation. Our latest service puts us much closer to achieving this goal," says Van Rooyen.
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