The Medicines and Dental Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe (MDPCZ) warned its members and medical aid societies that do not follow proper referral standards.
In a statement MDPCZ registrar Mrs Josephine Mwakutuya said that medical aid societies are continuing to refer patients to specific practitioners they would have entered agreements with, without consulting the initial attending practitioner. Standard procedure is that the patient seeks medical attention from a general practitioner of choice, who then refers him/her to a specialist for specialist services if need be. MDPCZ warned members that they will be held accountable for flaunting proper standard procedure. The statement reads:
Council at its meeting held on 26 September 2017 took great exception to this unethical conduct by such practitioners who continue to get orders from medical aid societies. I have, therefore, been directed by Council to advise that practitioners, who disregard the standard referral procedures by taking orders from medical aid societies will be held accountable for their actions.
Directing clients to specific service providers by medical aid societies was prohibited in 2010 by the then Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora.
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