We have therefore changed our focus to ensure that our services are accessible within the residential areas , and shopping malls where our patients can access easily and also we have flexible operating hours to allow access of our services in the evening after work , weekends and on public holidays .
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics 2019 quarterly review the GDP of Kenya is expected to continue growing at an estimated 0.5 % therefore this will directly inform our expansion plan for 2021-2022 to ensure we bring our services closer to the people . In the last couple of years , we have also seen mushrooming of middle to upper income residential areas which have formed the largest part of our growth as the residents discern quality , efficient healthcare services . We plan to continue with our expansion by following people where they are , so we are expecting to see our footprint expand as well as the range of services within our existing facilities ; our plan is to become a one stop shop for healthcare services . The great news is we will soon be opening doors for a state of the art In-patient hospital in Nairobi !
Among the biggest hindrance in quality healthcare are costs . How does AAR address this nagging challenge ?
Providing quality but affordable services almost sounds like a paradox because quality is not cheap ; healthcare services are not only capital intensive and but you also need highly specialized healthcare workers who are well motivated . AAR Healthcare aims to leverage on technology so that we remain lean and efficient in our operations ; there is also need for great collaboration among the players in the healthcare industry so that we can share scarce resources and eliminate idle capacity , for instance we don ’ t need to invest in expensive diagnostic equipment ’ s next to each while we can cross refer patients and create better utilization for the services .
What is AAR ’ s unique value proposition ? Who is your direct target market ? What is your typical route to market like ?
I recall the wise words of Peter Drucker that culture easts strategy for breakfast ; in my opinion its now feasting on it for lunch and dinner ! As an organization we recognize the importance of culture in service delivery especially in a healthcare organization like ours . Our unique proposition has been our unique culture that we have deliberately built within the company over time . The AAR cAARe culture has been inculcated in all our employee ’ s DNA enabling us to provide outstanding customer experience to all our patients throughout their journey to recovery . We aim to create an AAR remarkable experience daily from the point of entry all through every touch point within our facilities . Our kaaribu is not a marketing slogan but it embodies our welcoming nature to everyone who comes into our space .
The network of our outpatient centers has enabled us to experience growth as well as deliver on the customer expectations . For instance , when we promise our customers the turnaround time of 45 minutes we aim to adhere to this and always endeavor to keep our brand promise . We ensure our facilities are clean at all times ; we ’ ve created comfortable and spacious waiting areas , great ambiance within the facilities and fast WiFi to enable our customers continue with their business even as they wait to access services .
As AAR Healthcare we have partnered with all the major insurance companies in Kenya as well as globally to extend quality and affordable healthcare services to their clientele within our network of outpatient facilities . Our target market includes a discerning clientele of individuals and corporates with medical insurance covers , private clients that pay in cash , M-pesa and corporate companies that can arrange to have a direct medical fund with us . In other words , we accept all medical insurance covers and different modes of payment . AAR Healthcare is open to all regardless of patient ’ s mode of payment and that is why we say kAARibu to all .
How do you involve your clients in infusing more value in your solutions to their health challenges ? How would you rate your product uptake thus far ?
We have a very comprehensive feedback mechanism where our patients give their feedback constantly and through this we are able to improve the service delivery . The Net Promoter Score ( NPS ) mechanism has been used world over but at AAR Healthcare we use it specifically for our business to improve the patient experience , analyze patient demands , introduce new services , identify staff training gaps and also guide us into our expansion plan . Some of the solutions offered within our network have been in response to customer feedback . Over the last 3 years we have maintained an NPS of over 85 % which is our benchmark score .
We also have very personalized system where we do follow up telephone calls to our patients following their treatment or diagnosis to discuss their recovery progress and also as a way of getting the feedback . Our demand for services is testimony to our authentic connection with the market ; the services uptake and positive feedback has been overwhelming .
What would you say about the state of the healthcare sector in this country ? What key challenges are you facing in serving this market ? What in your view would give you more impetus to deliver on your mandate ?
Generally healthcare in Kenya has faced many challenges among them inequalities in level of services that patients can access , cost of treatment , facilities that are not fully equipped , the constant doctors and nurses strike especially in the counties points to a demotivated workforce ; we have also had many challenges with NHIF . The current Covid-19 pandemic has only made a bad situation worse . It ’ s quite unfortunate that we are now losing healthcare workers to the pandemic for lack of adequate PPE ’ s . The state of our healthcare has been in deplorable condition for a long time ; we have been reading a lot about the mega corruption scandals within the Ministry and still waiting for the proverbial stones to be turned .
Despite all these challenges the government has been on the
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