An edited version was published on www.healthbridge.co.za in May 2018.
Healthbridge, a leading health-tech solutions company, has been invited to do a Continual Professional Development (CPD) accredited presentation on the Millennial Patient during the CPC/Qualicare (CPC/QC) Open Day. The annual event is taking place on the 5th of May 2018 at the Sanlam Head Office in Bellville, Western Cape.
Founded in 1990, CPC/QC is the largest Independent General Practitioner Network in the Western Cape comprising of 600 Family Practitioners. CPC/QC is exclusively doctor owned and managed and provides an important service to members across the province by passing on the latest information and addressing any problems they may face.
In South Africa, medical professionals are required to ensure they continually maintain and enhance their knowledge, skills and experience by, for example, attending conferences and reading articles that have CPD accreditation. As part of CPC/QC’s commitment to assisting doctors in obtaining their required CPD points, they host Continuing Medical Education (CME) evenings throughout the year as well as the CME Open Day where doctors are assured of at least 75% the requisite points for the year.
Throughout the upcoming Open Day, participants will be able to attend an array of informative 30 minute sessions ranging from the ethics of electronic medical records (EMRs) and telemedicine to the latest updates on Thyroid Disease. Between 10:30am and 11am, Healthbridge’s Executive Managing Director, Luis da Silva, will talk about the top five Millennial characteristics that medical practices should be aware of as well as the best strategies for dealing with them as patients.
“Millennials make up 22% of all medical claims in South Africa; it’s therefore essential for doctors to understand the nature of these tech-savvy patients and what they have come to expect from their healthcare providers,” said da Silva.
In comparison to previous generations, Millennial Patients are taking more responsibility for their healthcare thanks to advancements made in technology such as wearables and mobile apps. Millennials also have access to an endless supply of medical information online, and although it may aid in their research and help them in developing ideas for their medical treatment, an abundance of such knowledge can also result in a lot of confusion. It’s therefore now more important than ever for doctors to understand their expectations and to adapt and establish new healthcare practices to meet their needs.
“I’m very excited to be attending the CPC/QC Open Day and believe that my CPD accredited presentation on the Millennial Patient will go a long way in helping doctors adjust their workflow to accommodate this growing patient population,” said da Silva.
“During my presentation I’ll touch upon the top areas where doctors can improve their patient engagement with Millennials. For example, Millennials expect everyone to be connected so it’s essential to have an online presence where they can find out more about your practice, such as the services you provide and opening hours. As Uber has demonstrated, Millennials have come to expect convenience and simplicity when making a booking; the same applies to making their next medical appointment. It’s therefore now very important for medical practices to have an online booking system in place. These are just some examples of how doctors can enable a collaborative and more patient-centric healthcare environment going forward,” concluded da Silva.
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