A new business model for selling healthcare solutions to individuals threatens to be the next big thing in the healthcare industry.
Heroes, a healthcare engine and research organisation, took its offering to Internet portals in mid-November this year.
The company is a spin-off of research provider Cebano, which describes itself as a reward design and management specialist. Using various research and analysis models, Cebano offers personalised advice to client companies on aspects such as healthcare, risk benefits, car and housing schemes.
Using Cebano`s established research information, Heroes hopes to assist Internet portals to sell personalised healthcare solutions to their communities. Portals including Interactive Investor International SA, CareerWeb and LanMed have adopted the product, and Heroes` director Peter Moss says these sites have already made several sales.
"Until we launched, it wasn`t possible to buy healthcare on the Internet. In fact, one couldn`t even get a quote on the Internet. Not only have we done that, but Heroes will actually give [profile-specific] personal recommendations."
The business model is fairly simple - instead of selling via a traditional commission-earning broker, participating medical aid schemes pay a service fee to Heroes, out of which it extracts a fixed fee. The balance goes to the portal, says Moss, and the Heroes service and support are free to the purchaser.
"It`s not only an Internet application. We`ve bundled it with full real world support for all of the brick and mortar work that goes with healthcare solutions," says Moss.
Medicall, an independent call centre that caters for medical aid issues regardless of scheme or administrator, provides after-sales support.
Although he says the company is in negotiations with other portals, Moss acknowledges the concept is very new, and that this might affect its adoption in the marketplace. "We expect a conservative ten to 15 portals in a few months time," he says.
Participating medical aids include Bonitas, Discovery Health, Medihelp and Methealth Openplan.
For further information, visit www.heroes.co.za
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