News
Genesis will pay — for now — in dispute over rehab as a PMB
17 Oct 2019
The Genesis Medical Scheme has agreed to authorise and pay the rehabilitation costs of burn survivor Kelvin van Baalen pending the outcome of a complaint that these costs should be covered by the scheme as a prescribed minimum benefit, reported
Business Day. (9 October 2019).
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Mediclinic records solid half-year performance - Business Report
17 Oct 2019
Mediclinic announced that its revenue in South Africa rose 7% to R8.56-bn during the period from R8-bn last year. It said it projected that its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) would increase 5% during the period. Chief executive Dr Ronnie van der Merwe
in Southern Africa revenue increased 7%, with an increase in in-patient bed days sold of 2.7 %, in line with expectations. In Switzerland, Hirslanden delivered revenue growth of around 5%.
Mediclinic Middle East reported 8.5% increase in revenue.
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Practitioner burnout contributing to clinical errors — MPS survey – MedBrief 16 October 2019.
17 Oct 2019
In a survey among 450 doctors and 147 dentists, done by
Medical Protection Society (MPS), it was found that 60% of doctors, and 61% of dentists, experience a decreasing sense of personal wellbeing
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Midwife crisis: a cold war with obstetricians is born
16 Oct 2019
A new movement called Right to Birth SA, claims that in Cape Town, for instance, many private hospitals are no longer using midwives because obstetricians view their practice as a high risk for litigation.
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Members are ditching top-end Discovery Health plans
16 Oct 2019
“Members have been ditching the top three tiers of plans offered by Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS), with 22% of that base disappearing over the past five years,” reported
MoneyWeb (15 October 2019).
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Why SA has a shortage of doctors and nurses
16 Oct 2019
In a response to Parliament Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said the primary reasons why we have a shortage of doctors and nurses is the fact that the public health sector budget has not been increasing in real terms for the past 10 years, impacting on the number of staff that can be appointed. The demand for health services in the country is increasing while there is no additional funding to address the change, which results primarily from immigration and the increasing burden of disease
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CMS ANNUAL REPORT
14 Oct 2019
According to the 316-page annual report, released by the Council for Medical Schemes, Discovery Health spent R1.34-m on its annual general meeting (AGM) last year. GEMS (The Government Employees’ MedicalScheme) spent R695 000 - though it also made the list of schemes that fell short of the statutory minimum solvency level of 25%.
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BUSA and health officials discuss NHI
14 Oct 2019
Business Unity SA (BUSA), which represents companies and professional bodies, reported that it has had a “cordial and constructive” first meeting with the Health Department (DoH) to discuss its plans for universal health coverage. Neither BUSA nor the DoH would spell out what was discussed at the “six a side” meeting.
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Cost of TB-busting drug puts thousands at risk
14 Oct 2019
The lives of thousands of people who risk a multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) infection every year, are at an even greater risk due to the pricing of, Bedaquiline, the one drug that can save their lives,” reported
Cape Argus (14 October 2019).
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Study founds SA spends too little on mental health
14 Oct 2019
Nine out of 10 people with mental health problems who rely on state care do not get treatment they need, and almost a quarter of state mental patients admitted to hospital are readmitted within three months of discharge, according to the study published in the Health Policy and Planning and journal released by UCT to coincide with World Mental Health day (October 10).
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Health report a gift for Mkhize
10 Oct 2019
The much-delayed final HMI report, which was originally slated for publication in November 2016, could not have come at a better time,”
Business Day 9 October, 2019.
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Eye care is just not in sight for more than a billion people
10 Oct 2019
The World Health Organisation’s first World report on Vision found that at least a billion people have vision impairment or blindness that could have been prevented or have yet to be addressed.
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Thousands of African men probably dying from HIV owing to anti-gay laws
10 Oct 2019
Thousands of gay men in Africa are likely to be dying from HIV-related illnesses every year due to homophobic laws that stifle their chances of being tested and treated, according to a study published in The Lancet HIV journal.
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NHI implementation deadline is too tight
10 Oct 2019
The Finance and Fiscal Commission (FCC) warned Parliament in October that the government’s proposed deadline for establishing the National Health Insurance (NHI)fund is too short a target.
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Hospitals are winning hearts and other organs, but more are needed
09 Oct 2019
According to an article SA Medical Journal co-ordinators in Johannesburg have successfully increased donor numbers after revising the way they communicate with families and medical staff after a potential donor has died. This has led to an increase in donations to the organisation from 25% to 73% in the last 18 months.
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