BONITAS ADDS EMPATHY TO HEALTHCARE OFFERING
This has been a year of turmoil for so many people, as well as for governments, businesses and the economy. One positive, however, is the increased focus on health and the importance of having access to healthcare when you need it. Together with a focus on the importance of managing co-morbidities, there’s a renewed, holistic view to wellness — both physically and mentally.
Covid-19 has put a spotlight on the disparity between public and private healthcare in South Africa. With all eyes on medical schemes as they announced their contribution increases and plans for the year ahead, we spoke to Lee Callakoppen, Principal Officer of Bonitas Medical Fund, about the future of healthcare and what this means for consumers.
How will healthcare evolve in future?
For the healthcare sector, coping with the exponential number of Covid-19 cases meant public and private healthcare and government had to be agile and adapt. In some cases, the pandemic accelerated changes that were emerging in the healthcare space, such as telemedicine and virtual care.
I believe the future of healthcare is to be innovative in adapting to the ever-changing needs of all role players and finding new ways of empowering members to manage their health.
What steps have you taken in this regard? There was a positive response to the launch of the Bonitas Member Mobile App in April and
free virtual care for all South Africans during lockdown.
Virtual care provides access to GP consultations for a range of conditions, including Covid-19, as well as free delivery for chronic medicine. It also allows access to a virtual nurse, advice in an emergency, auxiliary and home-based care and ensuring members have comprehensive support for any condition, in any circumstance, through our virtual-based model.
The WhatsApp channel we introduced has the most room for potential. This platform is convenient for members and allows them to manage their medical aid through live chats.
It’s been a difficult year. How have you tailored your medical aid plans to be affordable next year?
For 2021, we crunched numbers to find the sweet spot between sustainability and ensuring affordability. This is not an easy task in a weakened economy but we took a responsible stance, with a long-term view, to ensure that our members wouldn’t have to pay the price of a low increase for 2021 in the coming years. A core consideration was finding ways to ensure members could get access to full healthcare cover and avoid outof-pocket expenses and co-payments.
This resulted in the lowest increases in our history, with a 0% increase on BonFit Select plan and a weighted increase of 4.6% across all plans. The highest increase is 7.1%. on BonComprehensive.
One of the highlights over the past few years has been the introduction of four Efficiency Discounted Options (EDOs) — plans where members use network healthcare providers and pay around 15% less for the same benefits.
What areas of concern should members be focusing on when choosing a plan?
A leading trend worldwide is the rise in noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and oncology.
During this global pandemic, the impact lifestyle diseases and co-morbidities has on Covid-19 patients was highlighted — 20% of our members have multiple co-morbidities, which means we need a stronger focus on preventing and managing lifestyle behaviours — even without the pandemic. Poor diet, smoking and lack of exercise are the three lifestyle factors that contribute to over 80% of chronic conditions.
Mental health is fast becoming the next pandemic. Studies show that around 20-25% of patients with pre-existing mental health issues feel they are coping badly or deteriorating during lockdown. We predict that depression and post-traumatic stress, which has historically been on an upward slope, will increase further. We have built a resource hub on our website to help people understand mental health and the steps they can take to remain mentally healthy. The App also has a screening tool to help identify warning signals of mental distress.
What areas will you be focusing on to improve your offering?
During Covid-19, home-based care received renewed interest and focus. This dovetails with our strategy to move more care to the home and out of hospital. For example, postsurgery or mild pneumonia treatment can be effectively provided at home through the assistance of nurses. Not only is home-based care a cost-effective delivery of care but it has also been shown to promote healing.
We believe the use of day hospitals and clinics should be encouraged where possible. Some procedures, such as cataract surgery, circumcision and scopes, are better suited to be performed in day hospitals or clinics versus acute hospitals. There is less disruption to members, speedier recovery times, less risk of infection and it is more cost-effective.