The cost of living coupled with rising medical care expenses over the past couple of years is simply becoming unaffordable and a worry for consumers, highlighted by not only the Covid-19 pandemic, but also the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act and uncertainty about its funding.
Amidst this doom and gloom there is, however, a bright light for consumers – a medical innovation that drastically cuts the cost of healthcare without compromising on quality. It is the Quro Medical hospital-at-home service, which is fully welcomed by most medical aid schemes and insurers who are happy to pay for the service from hospital plans.
“The idea for the Quro Medical solution was inspired by experiences of healthcare systems globally who despite being better resourced, were facing similar challenges to South Africa. Hospitals the world over are buckling under pressure and lack the space to accommodate the growing number of people in need of hospital care and are increasingly unaffordable…building more hospitals is clearly not the solution” says Dr Vuyane Mhlomi, Co-founder and CEO of Quro Medical.
You are covered
There is also a growing number of doctors that supports this innovative healthcare service, confident that it will greatly assist patients that need hospital care to afford it and get the medical care they deserve. The mounting support for this hospital-at-home solution from the health and medical fraternity is testimony that the service is equivalent to the service patients can expect in hospital, but at a greatly reduced and more affordable cost.
The fact that such a large percentage of healthcare funders are willing to accept and reimburse for the Quro Medical service offering speaks volumes in terms of the level and quality of medical and clinical care the company provides patients.
You, as the patient, can now receive hospital-level care right at home with your personal doctor's complete oversight and with assistance provided by the qualified Quro Medical team – everything paid for by your medical aid and insurance without an extra cost to you.
The Quro Medical Hospital-at-home solution is a trusted, safe and secure service using the most cutting-edge technology and mobile communications and you do not have to go to a hospital at all. You can stay in your own home, where there are family and loved ones right there, the food is better, and you simply feel more cared for and looked after. You don't have to feel as if you are competing for the hospital staff's attention.
You are looked after by an ever-growing community of more than 350 signed-up doctors as well as a team of medical professionals and nurses, that all come together to care for you right at home. You no longer have to be booked into a costly hospital for observation and monitoring any longer. It can now all be done at home and without worry.
According to Dr Carolyn Chinsinga, Medical Director for Clinical Operations at Quro Medical, the technology allows for patients to be treated in the comfort of their own homes for half of what it would cost to be booked into the hospital. “As a result of our combined factors, patients get better faster with an average admission rate of only five days and no longer,” she states.
The Quro Medical hospital-at-home solution has already garnered $1.1m in funding and close to 100% of the local medical aid schemes and medical insurance market has bought into the concept and has agreed to pay for this service so that their customers don't have to worry about payment for receiving the service.
Access to quality healthcare is an ongoing challenge because of rising costs and limited capacity and resources. So talk to your doctor about the Quro Medical hospital-at-home service and get signed up. Neither you nor your doctor needs to worry about payments. Doctors will still be paid their consultancy fees by your medical aid when you choose to opt for this service.
Added Value
“We fully support Quro Medical's hospital-at-home solution and trust the efficacy of their technology and service, as well as the growing medical professionals’ backing of the solution. The overall clinical care the company provides is of world-class standard and is closely aligned with our strategy of elevating the patient’s home as a safe and effective setting for healthcare delivery,” says Dr Abongile Qamata, Head: Alternatives to hospitalisation at Medscheme.
Medical aid provider, Fedhealth, also greatly supports the Quro Medical hospital-at-home solution citing numerous benefits on its website. These include: Faster recovery and a better healthcare experience, care tailored towards the member’s individual needs, recovery in a comfortable and familiar environment, fewer health complications and readmissions, doctors can monitor their patient's condition day and night using digital technology, and Fedhealth members receive more value from their scheme benefits.
Bonitas is yet another medical aid scheme that rates the Quro Medical hospital-at-home service highly. The scheme is constantly looking for ways in which to minimise contributions and add value for members and sees this Quro Medical solution as doing exactly that.
According to Dr. Morgan Mkhatshwa, Head of Operations at Bonitas, patient participation in treatment is highly improved with health care taking place in a comfortable home environment. “Having family members and loved ones participating in the care of a loved one makes a significant difference in the outcome and the patient getting better,” he says.
The Quro Medical hospital-at-home offering is truly an excellent value-based care solution. It not only eases the burden on healthcare facilities and their clinical teams but also eases the minds of patients. It addresses the major healthcare concerns about the cost and funding as well as the quality medical care today,” says Joost Pielage, Quro Medical's Chief Technology Officer.
How does it work?
The service utilises easy-to-use devices that currently include a chest patch that enables continuous vital sign monitoring, and additional hardware for real-time, intermittent monitoring of patients’ oxygen and sugar levels. The chest patch is a discreet biosensor that monitors your heart rate, ECG, respiratory rate and core body temperature – the same as in hospital – but also measures patient movements, like steps taken, body position and includes fall detection.
Adds Pielage: “When there is a sudden change in health data (e.g., heart rate or temperature) or a change in body position (e.g., like when a patient has fallen) is picked up by the patch, the system alerts us and the command centre immediately informs the in- care clinical team to follow up on your wellbeing, all in real-time, 24/7.”
Chinsinga adds that they capture your minute-by-minute vitals around the clock and that they were able to even pick up that a patient as having a heart attack before the patient experienced any chest pains or showed any symptoms. “The vitals data we receive also enables us to see trends that help inform the management of patients' chronic diseases, which is truly revolutionary,” she says.
As a patient, your medical information is kept secure at all times, with the system encrypting all the data. You, therefore, don't have to worry about your data becoming public knowledge.
Patients agree
“The Quro service was absolutely brilliant and everything was just amazing. I don’t think I would have gotten the help I got in a different setting. It was a luxury to be treated at home and I think it made my recovery faster by being at home. I would recommend this route to anyone,” says Johanna Delalande, an 81-year-old patient from Turffontein who received the Quro Medical hospital-at-home care.
“I would definitely recommend Quro Medical. The care was brilliant and genuine for me. They were constantly phoning to check if I was okay. I prefer this hospital-at-home approach because you feel more comfortable in your own home with your own people around you,” says Marc Chetty (36) from Lenasia
Your doctor will always be in the know and has access to this monitoring platform so that they can easily manage your treatment plan. The platform also allows clinicians to make data-driven decisions immediately in order to offer the best and most appropriate medical care that is needed for you and each specific patient.
