HEALTHMANPRIVATEPRACTICEREVIEW:MAY2019
InthisNewsletter:
NewsonGovernmentSpecialNewsFinancialNewsPharmaceuticalNews
GeneralNewsNewsonMedicalSchemesSpecialNotices
NewsonGovernment
SuspendedCEO&CFOatNHLSfired
GoodnewsforHIVfundinginSA
TheNationalHealthLaboratoryService(NHLS)
hasfiredsuspendedchiefexecutiveofficer
JoyceMogaleandchieffinancialofficer
SikhumbuzoZulu,following“procurement
irregularities”worth
R200-m.
MogaleandZuluweresuspendedinFebruary
2017.AccordingtoastatementfromtheNHLS
boardchairperson,EricBuch,theCEOandCFO
werechargedwithirregularitiesandfailureto
fulfiltheirdutiesinrelationtothree
procurements.Thechargesrelatedtoexceeding
delegationsofauthority,irregularpayments
madetoserviceprovidersandirregular
appointmentofserviceproviders.
TheUnitedStatesadministration’sbacktracking
onaplantocutUSfundingforSouthAfrica’sHIV
programmeby30%(R2.9-bn)is“amajorvictory
forpeoplelivingwithHIV”,saidnon-
governmentalorganisations(NGOs).
CitingthepoorperformanceofSA’sHIV
programme,theUSPresident’sEmergencyPlan
forAIDSRelief(PEPFAR)earlierthreatenedto
slashfundstothecountry.
Theabout-turn,decidedonduringthesecond
roundofPEPFAR’splanningmeetingsin
WashingtonDC,willnowseeSAreceivingupto
$730-minthe2019/20financialyear.
Clinicshitbyvaccineshortages
DuetoastockscarcityoftheDT(diphtheriaandtetanus)vaccine,manySouthAfricanparentsnow
havetohavetheirchildrenimmunisedprivately.AccordingtoKopanoKlaas,casemanagerforthe
StopStockoutsProject,reportsofshortagesandstockoutscontinuenationwide.Astudyofglobal
vaccineusefoundthatoneinthreeWorldHealthOrganisationmemberstatesexperiencedatleast
onestockoutofonevaccineforatleastamontheveryyear.
ImmunisationsagainstDTareavailableatallprimaryhealthcareclinicsandcentres.TheDTvaccine
providesprotectionagainstthreediseases:diphtheria(whichcancausefatalswellinginthethroat
area),pertussis(whoopingcough)andtetanus(aconditionofseveremusclespasmscausedby
contaminationofdirtywounds).
SpecialNews
READMORE
AccountabilityneededtocountermedicalnegligencePre-existingcontingentliabilityresultingfrommedico-legalclaimsinthepublichealth
servicethatcannotbeavoided,andwhichisnowimpactingontheGovernment’sfiscalliability,isa
directmanifestationofmulti-facetedgovernancefailuresinthesystem.
“Afuturecontingentofmedicalliabilitywillcontinueatthesamescaleunless
somethingchanges,”ProfAlexvandenHeever,ChairofSocialSecuritySystems,Administrationand
ManagementStudiesattheUniversityoftheWitwatersrand,warnedinarecentSAMedico-Legal
Association(SAMLA)PresidentialPresentation.
VandenHeever’spresentationwasoneofseveralonpressingmedico-legalissuesvideo-recorded
bySAMLAforsubmissiontoPresidentCyrilRamaphosa’soffice.
Keyamongthesegovernancefailures,hepointedout,wastheabsenceofstrategicaccountability
frameworks.Thesecompriseofindependentsupervision,performancerequirements,transparency
andconsequencesatbothameta-andmicro-governancelevel.
READMORE
FinancialNews
Netcaresqueezedbyprescriptivemedicalaids
OnMay13,hospitalgroupNetcareexperiencedthebiggestone-daydropinitssharepriceinalmost
twomonthsafteritsaidprofitswillbesqueezedbyincreasinglyprescriptivemedicalaids,reported
BusinessReport(14May).Theschemesrestrictmemberstospecifichospitals,allowingthemto
“shiftmarketshareinreturnforpricediscounts”,Netcaresaid.
AccordingtoSentioCapitalportfoliomanager,ImtiazSuliman,medicalaidschemeswere“goingtoputmoreandmorepressureonthehospitalgroupstobemoreselectiveinadmitting
patients”.
Netcarewarnedinvestorsthatmarginsinitshospitalsandemergency-servicesdivisionswould
shrinkbetween50and80basispointsinthesecondhalfofthefinancialyear.
Describingthesqueezeastheresultofmedicalschemesofferingcheaperoptionstomembers,
NetcareCEORichardFriedlandsaiditisa“newfactoflife”.
LatestGlobalCreditRatingforTransmed
ThelatestGlobalCreditRatings(GCR)affirmedthenationalscaleclaimspayingabilityrating
assignedtoTransmedMedicalFundofBB+(ZA),withtheratingoutlookaccordedasNegative.
PharmaceuticalNews
IsSA’stopcontraceptiveputtingwomenatrisk?
"Isitbettertohaveanunwantedpregnancy,complicationsinpregnancyoranincreasedriskof
contractingHIVandtuberculosis?”wroteKatharineChildinTimesSelect
(29April2019).
“ThisisthequestionSApolicymakersandbirthcontrolexpertsaroundtheworldareaskingas
evidencemountsagainstthemostpopularcontraceptiveinsub-SaharanAfrica."
DepoProvera,athreemonthlycontraceptiveinjectionwiththesynthetichormoneDepo-
Medroxyprogesterone(DMPA),haslongbeensuspectedofincreasingtheriskofHIV.Onemajor
studysuggeststheriskcouldincreaseby40%,butotherstudiessuggestthereisnorisk.UCT
researchershavenowshowntheactiveingredientsintheDepoinjectionstopstheimmunesystem
fromfightingTB,thecountry’sbiggestkiller.
However,scientistshavecautionedthatthiswasastudyofcellsinalaboratoryandnotinpeople.
TheDepoProveraDPMAinjectionispopularbecauseitistakeneverythreemonths,canbeused
secretlyandrequiresfewervisitstoaclinictoaccesscontraceptionthanotheroptions.Asaresult,
16.5-mwomeninsub-SaharanAfricauseit.
READMOREINATTACHMENT:DEPOPROVERA
‘Breakthrough’slimmingpill
A“breakthrough”slimmingpill-thatexpandsin
thestomach-wastwiceassuccessfulasa
placebo,accordingtoresearchpresentedat
theEuropeanCongressonObesity.
Ofthosetakingthedrug,alreadygiven
regulatoryapprovalintheUS,59%achievedat
least5%lossofbodyweight,withaverage
weightlossof10kginsixmonths.
Thetreatment,calledPlenity,issaidtohaveno
seriousside-effectsandcouldbecome“the
treatmentofchoice”formillions.
Thetreatmentinvolvestakingthreepillsbefore
mainmeals,withtwoglassesofwater.
Thecapsulescontaintinyparticlesofsuper-
absorbenthydrogel,nobiggerthanagrainof
salt,whichthenexpandinthestomachforminga
gel,sothatthepersonfeelsfull.
Amazonacquiresonlinepharmacy
Onlineshoppinggiant,Amazon,hasrecently
acquiredanonlinepharmacyintheUScalled
Pillpack.
“Inthewakeofthismove,localpharmacyexperts
havebeenconsideringthepossibilitythate-
pharmaciescouldbeamassivestepforwardfor
peoplewhostruggletoaccessmedicationin
SouthAfrica,”reportedSaturdayStar(11May).
ErikRoos,chiefexecutiveofPharmaDynamics,
saidsellingmedicineonlinecouldhavelife-
savingbenefitsforpatientslivinginruralareas.
Bysupplyingmedicinesonline,e-pharmaciesare
abletowarehouselargequantitiesofstock,
whichreducesthecostofmedicines.
ChiefexecutiveofthePharmaceuticalSocietyof
SouthAfrica(PSSA),IvanKotze,sayse-
pharmacieswouldnotbeinthebestinterestof
patientsasitisessentialthatpatientsdiscuss
medicinewithapharmacistbeforetakingit.
Nopressure,butperhapscheckifyouarehypertensive
AheadofWorldHypertensionDayonMay17,medicalexperts
haveurgedpeopletotakeablood
pressuretest-thefirststepinthefightagainstthecondition,
whichoneintwoSAadultshave.
TwoyearsagoithasbeendecidedthatMaybedeclared
“MeasurementMonth”bytheInternationalSocietyof
Hypertension(ISH),theSouthernAfricanHypertensionSociety
andtheNationalHealthDepartment,amongothers.
Thescreeningcampaignhasalreadytestedmorethan2.7-m
peoplesinceitsinception.InSA,anestimated53menand78
womenolderthan30diefromtheimpactofhypertensionevery
day.
Malpracticeinsurance
NatmedMedicalDefence(Pty)
Ltd,a24yearsold,leading
SouthAfricanMedical
MalpracticeInsuranceBroker,
haspublishedacomprehensive
overviewofmedicalmalpractice
insuranceinSouthAfrica
titled:UnderstandingMedical
MalpracticeInsurancein
SouthAfrica.Thisisthefirst
timesuchathoroughworkhas
beenpublishedinSA.
GeneralNews
UNreportwarnsofdisastrousconsequencesofantibioticresistanceAccordingtoanewreport,releasedbytheUnitedNationsInteragencyCoordinatingGroupon
AntimicrobialResistance(IACG),medicalprogressisthreatenedbyworldwideantimicrobial
resistance.
Itconcludedthatdrug-resistantdiseasescouldcause10-mdeathseachyearby2050.Thereport
followsaSouthAfricanstudythathasexposedveryseriousshortcomingswiththewaydoctorsand
nursesareprescribingantibiotics.
Currently,atleast700000peopledieeachyearworldwideduetodrug-resistantdiseases,including
230000peoplefrommultidrugresistanttuberculosis.Thereportcanbefoundat:
https://www.who.int/antimicrobial-resistance/interagency-coordinationgroup/
PilotBloodTesttoflagChronicFatigueSyndrome
Peoplesufferingfromadebilitatingandoftendiscounteddisease,knownasChronicFatigue
Syndrome,maysoonhavescientificproofoftheirailment.
ResearchersattheStanfordUniversitySchoolofMedicinehavecreatedabloodtestthatcanflagthe
disease,whichcurrentlylacksastandard,reliablediagnostictest.
AccordingtoanarticleinMedicalBrief(8May),DrRonDavis,professorofbiochemistryandof
genetics;DrRahimEsfandyarpour,aformerStanfordresearchassociate;andtheircolleagueshave
devisedablood-basedtestthataccuratelyflagsallChronicFatigueSyndromepatientsandnoneof
thehealthyindividuals.Thediagnosticplatformcouldevenhelpidentifypossibledrugstotreat
ChronicFatigueSyndrome.
NewsonMedicalAids
'Bigshift'tocheapermedicalcare
AccordingtoMedicalaidbrokerAlexanderForbesthenumberofcorporateclientswhoreviewed
theirplansforthisyearhaddoubled.Forthefirsttime,morepeoplehaddowngradedthanupgraded,
reportedSundayTimes(5May2019).
Profmedprincipalofficer,CraigComrie,said2019wasthefirsttimetheschemeintroducedlow-cost
optionsandabout3500ofits70000membershadswitched.
Butmedicalaidswarnspendinglessmeanshigherpremiumsultimately,becauselessispaidinto
thepoolforalltoshare.
DiscoveryHealthCEO,JonathanBroomberg,saidamoreimportanttrendthandowngradingwas
“thatmembersjoiningDiscoveryHealthMedicalSchemearetendingtojoinatlowerplanlevelsthan
theyhaveinthepast”.
Bonitasprincipalofficer,GerhardvanEmmenis,saidnewmemberspreferredcheaperplans.While
94%ofmembershadnotchangedtheirplansthisyear,10,949haddowngradedand7,345had
upgraded.
GEMSCOO,StanMoloabi,saidtheEmeraldValueoptionhadbeenintroducedtoaddressthe
financialrisktotheschemeofpeoplebuyingcheapercover.
NewprincipalofficerforBonitas
BonitasMedicalFund,hasannouncedtheappointmentofanewPrincipalOfficer,MrLeeR
Callakoppen.HehasbeeninvolvedwithMedschemeandtheAfroCentricGroupinvariousfunctions
includingHumanCapital,FacilitiesManagementandTransformationforthepastdecade.
Circulars:CouncilforMedicalSchemes
ThefollowingCircularswerepublishedbytheCMSinMay2019.Visitwww.medicalschemes.co.zaformoreinfo.
35of2019Commentsinvitedonrevisedadministratoraccreditationstandards
36of2019:AmendmenttoRegulation31and32oftheMedicalSchemesAct
37of2019ProposedamalgamationbetweenCompCareWellnessMedicalSchemeandSelfmedMedicalSchemeeffective1July2019
38of2019ProposedamalgamationbetweenMomentumHealthandBPMedicalAidSociety-1July2019
SpecialNotices
ExpertWitnessWorkshop:19June,GlenhoveConferenceCentre
TheExpertWitnessonedayworkshopwillcoverallaspectspertainingtoconductingethicaland
professionalmedico-legalworkinahighlypracticalandhandsonway.
BenefitsofAttending:•Acquireknowledgeandskillsonmedicalexpertcompetencesandprocedures;
•Understandyourdutiesandobligationstothecourts;
•Beawareoftheskillsandpitfallsasanexpertwitness;and
•Masterwhatisrequiredtoperformasanexperttoahighstandardandhandsonway.
Whoshouldattend?Doctors,Midwives,Dentists,Psychologists,MedicalSpecialists,SeniormedicalstaffandMedico
legalLawyers.
Formoreinfoandaregistrationform,readATTACHMENT:WORKSHOP
ConsultingroomsavailableatGraystonShoppingCentre,Sandton
ConsultingroomsforaPediatrician,Gynaecologist,Endocrinologist&NeurologistavailableatGraystonShoppingCentre,GraystonDrive,Sandton.
Formoreinformation,contactDrYairEdinburg:Tel010-822-3151/2/3
EquipmentforSaleHaagStreitslitlampandHaagStreitapplanationtonometeronmanualhydraulicstand:Price:R65
000
Ageingslitlampunit(chair,slitlamptable,phoropterarm,lightandprojector
shelf-noinstruments):Price:R4000
ContactDrColinCohen:0828947380
Imedrecruit-GynaecologyPracticeforSaleAwell-establishedgynaecologypracticeintheSouthernSuburbsofCapeTownhasanopportunity
foraninterested,qualifiedObstetricianandGynaecologistSpecialisttopurchaseanexistingbusy
practicewithinfrastructure,staffandequipmentwithaclientbaseofapproximately6000patients.
iMedrecruitisanicherecruitmentcompanyofferingsuperiorstaffingsolutionsforthemedical,
healthcareandindustryrelatedfraternities.
FormoreinformationcontactCarolynBaldwin:[email protected]
(0210010304)
ToadvertiseinPrivatePracticeReviewcontactMarethaConradie:[email protected].
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