Medical Aid Societies And MDPCZ Members Warned

The Medicines and Dental Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe (MDPCZ) warned its members and medical aid societies that do not follow proper referral standards. This comes after concerns were raised about how concerned with medical aid societies were referring patients to specific practitioners. The standard operating procedure is that a patient seeks medical attention from a general practitioner of choice. The GP will then refer the patient to a specialist for specialist services, should the need arise.

In a statement MDPCZ registrar Mrs Josephine Mwakutuya, said any practitioners who will be found wanting on this issue will be held accountable for their actions. “Council at its meeting held on 26 September 2017 took great exception to this unethical conduct by such practitioners who continue to get orders from medical aid societies. I have, therefore, been directed by Council to advise that practitioners, who disregard the standard referral procedures by taking orders from medical aid societies will be held accountable for their actions.”

Directing clients to specific service providers by medical aid societies was prohibited in 2010 by the then Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora.