MARKETING HEALTHCARE
In Search Of Good Medicine
By Tom Simba
The health industry in Kenya has evolved both in size and complexity . The geo-location of Nairobi has made it a central location for health tourism . The skill level in various disciplines within the sector is at international standards yet the number of patients seeking treatment outside the country , especially in the Far East region , keeps on growing .
A strong public-private collaboration is a backbone to driving our country from a below-average medical destination to a world-class one that can attract international patients . Only then will hospitals compete based on their capabilities . To begin with , the National Hospital Insurance Fund ( NHIF ) is uniquely placed to partner with leading healthcare facilities as an integrator creating capabilities across the existing hospitals . Many of the leading hospitals have the right fundamental infrastructure to scale up on equipment and resources . NHIF can come in and pool resources to acquire some of the expensive equipment like a PET scan that will be co-owned by various hospitals on a revenue share model or other agreed formula . This releases funds for the hospitals to focus on other key areas .
Growing consumerism in the healthcare space means that patient experience will become a source of competitive advantage . Just like in tourism we have the Kenya Tourist Board rating hotels from a one-star hotel to a five-star hotel or even higher . We need a private sector agency that acts as a unified voice for the healthcare industry in Kenya and which monitors the level of patient experience as a mechanism of enforcing world-class standards in the industry . Such systems like the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems , HCAHPS , in the USA has gone a long way in improving patient experience and therefore attracting medical tourism , despite the prohibitive healthcare cost .
Linking patient experience to the bottom line will spur investments in non-clinical human capital and the infrastructure needed to boost performance and create capabilities that then attract international patients .
The government can offer incentives to hospitals to acquire international accreditation through the ministry of health and tourism . International accreditation will reassure local patients and their international counterparts on the quality of healthcare in the country . Such incentives may be in the form of tax breaks , sponsorship to international healthcare symposiums , and offering grants to the best doctors and they will certainly go a long way in building centres of clinical excellence .
Furthermore , sponsoring renowned international doctors to come and do procedures in Kenya as a method of skills transfer will enhance public confidence in the specialized know-how of our local doctors . The government can also enhance the research and development capacity of existing centres infrastructure through government grants where each hospital is encouraged to focus on a specialty area which then develops over time to other areas of specialization .
International patients , like all other patients , need pertinent care when transiting and whilst undergoing treatment . A stress-free experience is paramount . Government departments and processes must therefore assure medical travellers of minimal red tape especially at the point of entry . Once the patient arrives in the hospital , they must have access to valuable information and translators , where necessary , for a seamless experience . These building blocks are necessary to assist marketing teams in creating sustainable and effective strategies to market the country as a medical travel destination . Like in all other strategies , proper execution is key .
To be able to market Kenya as a destination of choice for the international patient , we must look at areas where we have some competitive advantage . The three main sources of competitive advantage I am looking at are cost , hospitality , and technology .
The cost would be great but that is a very high-hanging fruit . We import everything . We do not manufacture drugs , equipment but we train and have a great pool of medical minds . The cost will require much more fundamental changes and development for which we currently do not have the means to achieve in the foreseeable future .
Technology on the surface looks attractive . It however requires a lot of investment in infrastructure and thirdparty collaboration to have cutting-edge technology that will make a difference . Coupled with quite a bit of research and development . It is not cheap either . We do not have a strong history in this area to take advantage of .
We however have a strong history of hospitality . Driven by the tourism sector . We are renowned in this aspect and we have a brand to fall back to . The government and the major players in the health sector can tap on this and build a strong support system around medicine . The tour companies together with the hospitals can be incentivized to partner and come up with packages for the international patient .
Ultimately the key is to get the best medicine using the best technology and at a price that is super friendly . Not cheap . Kenya can start this journey leveraging on its historically high-quality hospitality sector and grow towards acquiring the best technology , not necessarily the latest and this circle will feed on itself and within a few short years will be able to compete in the upper layers of good medicine .
Tom Simba is Head Of Marketing and Patient Experience at AAR Hospital . You can commune with him on this or related matters via email at : Tmsimba @ gmail . com .
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