The move comes at a time when the scheme is being challenged by threats of boycott by some service providers over delays in payment of their claims.

Speaking at a ceremony to inaugurate the software on Tuesday, the Chief Executive of the NHIA, Nathaniel Otoo said the software will revolutionize the payment system and improve service delivery at health facilities.

“This new application that we are doing takes into account the context of the country so it’s not going to be an only system, online is part of it but we have other means, you can bring the claims on a pen drive. We have very flexible ways in which the claims will be submitted.”

“The benefits of a Claim IT system will be a reduction in the financial cost of claims generation and submission, Reduction in claim errors, improve claims processing turnaround time and reduction in terms of claims storage.”

He said the NHIA had volumes of documents and other information it kept, that require proper storage for subsequent use and reference.

The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Ebenezer Appiah Denkyira who was also at the ceremony described the introduction of the software as a big leap forward in the operations of the scheme in the country.

He expressed optimism the software will help reduce the incident of rejection of NHIS claims from service providers for errors on them.

He said he was confident the new software will tackle the incident of fraud within National Health Insurance system.

“This software will solve a lot of problems. For us it will reduce the number of rejections that come in, which means that form now people will be particular that if you see a patient, you ensure that you submit the right type of claims; not beyond or below and also to ensure that at the level of care you prescribe what is demanded of you. It will always ensure that that gatekeeper system works.”

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

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The $2 million state of the art facility is the first to be built in Ghana and second in West Africa by the Indian group, Dr. Agarwal’s Group of Eye Hospitals.

Inaugurating the Eye Hospital at Tesano in Accra, Alex Segbefia said he is “confident the new centre will provide world class ophthalmic solutions to the people of Ghana as statistics have shown that at least 1% of the population is blind and another 3% considered visually impaired.”

Mr. Segbefia called on hospitals across the country to “make eye care management a priority,” while indicating that government has made significant investments in health care through the construction of the University of Ghana Teaching Hospital at Legon, the Ridge Hospital project among many others.”

Quoting Ghana Health Service statistics, Mr. Segbefia indicated that “with the increasing population of the country, there are just about 90 ophthalmologists serving the over 25 millions Ghanaians with about  50% of this number based in Accra leaving other areas deprived especially the three regions of the North.”

Mr. Segbefia said the health facility will help make Accra the hub of eye care management.

Speaking at the inauguration of the facility, Chairman of the Dr. Agarwal Group, Prof. Dr. Amar Agarwal, said the hospital will “make Accra the Mecca of eye care for the entire West Africa.”

He also said the hospital with its specialized services will help boost medical tourism in the country while preserving and generating foreign exchange.

Prof. Agarwal said the Group “aims at providing accessible and affordable eye care services and treatments to Ghana and its neigbours by opening this facility.”

He further stated that the advanced diagnostics and eye care treatment with optical facility ensures comprehensive eye care under one roof will save time, money and the stress of travelling abroad for the treatment of eye conditions”

Ghanaian Ophthalmologist and Medical Director of the Dr. Agarwal Eye Hospital, Dr. Asiwome Senadza indicated that “with this facility in place, Ghanaians will no longer have to bear the stress of travelling abroad to access world class eye care and treatment.”

According to Dr. Seneadza, the hospital will also serve as research hub and a centre for building capacity of Eye Specialists across the sub region.”

The 14,000 Sqft. facility was inaugurated in the presence of the Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr. Jaswant Singh and other dignitaries.

The hospital through its 57 years of delivering world class eye care and treatment has won several awards. In March, 2006, the Founder of the hospital, the Late Dr. J Agarwal was awarded by the former president of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam for his service to the poor and humanity.

The five storey hospital facility has special equipment which include, AB Scanners, Auto Perimeter, fundus flourecein angiography (FFA), Optical Coherence Tomographers etc.

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By: citifmonline.com

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