Bestmed charters path to success

Established in 1964, Bestmed is one of the oldest schemes in the industry serving 76 000 principal members and 155 000 lives. Since inception, the scheme has been party to two major amalgamations and is poised for further growth through other potential amalgamations as well as the addition of Sappi members from April 2013.

Alan Fritz, Executive Manager: Branding, Communications and Marketing Distribution at Bestmed, says in building the Bestmed brand, a key factor in past amalgamations has been to maintain the Bestmed corporate identity as a known quantity in the market place.

"However, in 2011, we refreshed our brand identity as part of a drive towards our growth strategy, competitiveness and sustainability as well as to increase appeal to new market segments,” Fritz says.

Bestmed was originally known as SOMS (Statutory Organisations Medical Scheme), a closed medical scheme which entered the open market in 1990 and then changed its name to Bestmed Medical Scheme.

In line with a worldwide move towards preventative healthcare, Bestmed is changing their benefit option structures and offering members a range of free immunisations and biometric screenings in order to detect health risks at an early stage. "We want our members and communities in general to adopt a wellness philosophy by changing their lifestyle to being more active, being safe, being Nutri-Wise & being happy!” Fritz says.

Innovation in the medical schemes industry in the midst of high levels of regulation poses a challenge in the years ahead. "As such, innovation will be a focus area over the next three years. At Bestmed we are known for our excellent customer service which is above industry norms. Over the years we have excelled in our corporate services programmes, offering our corporate clients a tailored Preventative & Lifestyle programme which focuses on the specific risk profile of the client,” he says.

As part of an overall strategy to grow members and improve communication, Bestmed has implemented a distribution department that provides brokers with a number of services including broker consultants, dedicated administrative support, broker portal access and product training.

Fritz points out that broker communication is a key priority for the scheme as the value add of brokers, who are able to provide members with a detailed analysis of their respective healthcare needs.

The scheme has also invested in improved access through digital portals to assist members and stakeholders to access all relevant information online. "It is a known fact that medical aid benefit options are complex and in general the public find it extremely difficult to understand the fine print. Hence our belief that intermediaries play a very important role in the healthcare industry. We believe that proper advice is required, in order for members to fully understand the complexities of the scheme options,” says Fritz.

To this end, Bestmed’s social media platform is geared as an education engagement and awareness tool. "Social media creates opportunities for members to interact with the scheme and other likeminded communities that are seeking the same objectives such as a better understanding of how to keep healthy and health related tips to prevent the onset of lifestyle diseases,” he says.

Looking ahead, Fritz says an industry challenge in 2013 will be contracting with service providers to provide members with access to quality healthcare at cost effective prices. "This will become an increasingly important focus area for Bestmed as well as other medical schemes in the industry,” he says. In order to address this need, Bestmed has established a service provider department that will focus on building relationships with providers and contracting with them to achieve strategic goals.