Tribunal calls for probe of private hospitals
The Competition Tribunal has called for an industry-wide investigation into the relationships between private hospitals and doctors, saying these were a major contribution to rising hospital costs, according to a Business Day report.
It notes that should such an investigation go ahead, it will put renewed pressure on SAs private hospitals to bring down their tariffs. According to the Council for Medical Schemes, private hospital costs have risen 70% since 1999. The Tribunals call for the probe into the relationship between private hospitals and the doctors they employ follows its decision last year to approve the merger between Phodiclinics and the Protector Group of Hospitals. The merger was opposed by rival hospital group Netcare and the Council for Medical Schemes. Full Business Day report