Medical Aid Societies monitoring patients' treatment to prevent "expensive and superfluous" procedures
Some Medical Aid Societies are now reportedly following patients to hospitals so that they can monitor the treatment the patients will be receiving in order to “avert expensive and superfluous” treatment and procedures. Doctors have complained that this practice is illegal as it violates patient-doctor confidentiality.
While the Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe is yet to comment on this issue, it has in the past accused some doctors of ordering unnecessary procedures in order to get more money from medical aid societies.
Commenting on the matter, Zimbabwe Medical Association secretary-general Dr. Shingai Bopoto said:
Yes, (medical aid societies) have written to some doctors advising them that they would be visiting patients, but this is illegal and unprofessional.
The Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Council of Zimbabwe said it will investigate the matter with registrar Mrs. Josephine Mwakutuya saying:
Medical aid societies have demanded referral letters for patients referred for specialist care as well as access to patients admitted in hospitals in order to monitor treatment with a view to evaluating costs of patient care.
That is a strongly prohibited act as it violates patients’ constitutional right not to have their health conditions disclosed (to anyone other than their doctor).
Because of this, registered doctors have refused to provide the referral letters as this is deemed unethical. Council has also discouraged medical aid societies from visiting admitted patients.
More: Sunday Mail
