Patients from other provinces flock to Cape hospitals

ONE in five patients treated at some state hospitals in the Western Cape are from other provinces or countries.

Western Cape premier Helen Zille said this week that the health system in the province was "functional and delivering quality care to patients" due to strong leadership, strict control and fiscal discipline.

Stellenbosch-based economics consultancy Econex said the Western Cape's doctor-to-population ratio was 135 doctors per 100000 people - the healthiest ratio in South Africa.

This is followed by Gauteng with 102 doctors per 100 000 people and the Free State with 55 . The worst off is Limpopo, with only 17 per 100 000 people.

Improved levels of healthcare have seen a steady increase of patients from neighbouring provinces seeking treatment in the Cape, where the health budget for the 2011/2012 financial year is R13.4-billion.

Provincial health MEC Theuns Botha said an influx of patients had been noted, particularly at hospitals near informal settlements.

The Western Cape department is responsible for providing health services to an estimated 4.6 million uninsured people out of a total population of 5.8 million.

"At some facilities, especially those in close proximity to informal settlements, we estimate that one out of every five patients are from other provinces and African countries," said Botha.

Asked about the financial impact , Botha said: " In the long term we will look at taking up the financial implications with the national government."

Zille said waiting times varied, depending on the type of service required and the time of day a patient arrived.

Non-emergency patients arriving outside of normal working hours experienced the longest waiting times.

The most recent survey of waiting times was conducted in 2007 and showed that waiting times ranged from 10 minutes to five-and-a-half hours.

The average waiting time is between two-and-a-half and four hours, with time spent at reception and pharmacies being the longest.

The province is engaged in a push to pre-package chronic medication to shorten waiting times.

"We estimate that this will reduce the numbers of waiting patients by about 60%. In the longer term we are looking at the home delivery of pre-packaged medication," said Zille.

The hi-tech Khayelitsha District Hospital, with 230 beds, has recently opened to relieve pressure on state hospitals in Cape Town. It boasts an electronic patient records system that allows doctors to view patient folders on their smartphones.