PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Social & Health Insurances SZV is preparing to open a public tender to source regional and international health care institutions that would provide medical care abroad to SZV insured. Over the years, many more medical specialties have become available locally, however, there is still a significant need for access to medical care abroad. A side-by-side comparison of incoming proposals from the health care institutions will be made. Criteria such as qualifications, costs, patient communication, safety protocols and care procedures will be reviewed and evaluated.
SZV has identified the urgency to finalize the optimization of the “medical referrals abroad” process. These efforts started several years ago with the introduction of new policies that take better consideration for the logistical challenges, language barriers, patient experience and foremost, the quality of care and local follow-up treatment.
At present, the global impact of COVID-19, has posed even more restrictions for access to medical institutions abroad. The current impact and mitigation of this for future “crisis” situations, will also be considered in the tender process.
Grant Thornton has been commissioned to provide support to SZV and applicable stakeholders, for both the optimization of the “medical referrals abroad” process as well as providing oversight over the tender procedure.
