New Referral System to Enhance Access to Healthcare for Teachers

Teachers will now be able to access better specialized care after the referral management system was overhauled.

According to Minet Kenya, the referral process of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Teachers’ Medical Scheme was streamlined to ensure that beneficiaries requiring specialized reviews, tests, procedures, or medications are promptly referred to the appropriate hospitals.

Following consultations with TSC, Minet said that 17 hospitals across the country had been designated as referral facilities.

In a press statement on February 5, Minet explained that the adjustments to the Scheme’s medical service providers are in line with National Protocols for Levels 4, 5 or 6 hospitals.

“The panel has more than 800 medical service providers. Of these, only about 60 are on a referral basis across the country,” the statement read in part.

Minet had moved to quell teachers’ anxiety over the change of the panel of accredited medical facilities. Minet underscored that it will continuously prioritize the provision of high quality care for teachers and their dependants.

“Minet reassures all teachers under the Scheme that they can continue to access services from accredited medical providers within the Scheme.”

The Scheme has 487 private, 146 public and 133 mission hospitals, and 63 anchor clinics run by Bliss Healthcare in which beneficiaries can access inpatient, outpatient, dental, optical, and maternity services. The facilities range from level 4, 3B, 2, 3A, 5, 6B, 6A to 4B.

TSC rolled out the Scheme in 2015 as a remedy to the inadequate medical allowance provided to teachers.

The Scheme is designed to address the unique needs of teachers and their families, with the beneficiaries enjoying access to IVF treatment at the county level, overseas treatment, and psychological telecounselling services available round the clock.

The 2022 Minet TSC contract runs for three years, serving more than one million teachers and their dependants. The Scheme registers about 7,000 outpatient visits every day, 300 new hospitalizations per day, 400 dental cases daily, and 400 optical cases in a day.