GWERU Provincial Hospital has tapped into the electronic super highway and social media platforms to communicate with patients with outstanding payments.
by Stephen Chadenga
The hospital’s accounts department has resorted to tracking debtors or their guarantors through mobile phones, sending them reminders of the bills.
Prior to that, the health institution used to engage debt collectors who sometimes charged exorbitant collection fees or failed to locate the debtors.
One of the text messages sent to a former patient reads: “You are being reminded of [patient’s name given] $11 outstanding bill at Gweru Provincial Hospital. May you please settle your bill timeously.”
The hospital’s medical superintendent Fabian Mashingaidze could not be reached for comment.
In 2013, Mashingaidze, however, said it was not in the interest of the institution to engage debt collectors, but pointed out that patients were not forthcoming with payment plans when they were reminded to settle their bills.
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The hospital, like many other government health institutions, lacks adequate medical supplies, with patients buying most of the drugs while those admitted fork out money for bedding only.
In March this year, Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo announced plans to engage a debt collector after it accumulated a huge debt in unpaid bills.
