NHIS IS A MAJOR ACTION BY GOVT (PAGE 30)

Story: George Ernest Asare, Kumasi

The Rector of GIMPA, Professor Stephen Adei, has reiterated the need for all Ghanaians, irrespective of political divide, gender and status to join the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
He  explained that it was  one of the best policies that had been initiated by any government since independence.
Explaining further he said, considering the premium paid for a year as a member of the scheme and the tremendous  benefits that  accrue from it,  it  was advantageous to be a member.
He, therefore, urged the management of the NHIS to package their message in a way that would attract majority of Ghanaians to appreciate the need to join the scheme to enable them to source for quality health care at an affordable cost when the need arose.
Professor Adei made the statement at a seminar organised by the Managers of the Subin Sub Metro  Mutual Health Insurance Scheme in Kumasi.
The seminar  was meant to build the capacity of  Subin Sub Metro staff in particular and other sub metros within the Kumasi metropolis  on customer care services to enable them to attract and retain customers.
Professor Adei noted that because of the power of pulled resources and the burden of sharing, associated with the NHIS, it assures every Ghanaian  with the minimum health services at a price they can afford.
He further noted that the scheme also touched on one of the basic requirements of any person because it bordered on health, which was the livelihood of every person.
He noted that notwithstanding the numerous benefits associated with the NHIS, its management is very poor“ and customer service next to zero”, stressing,  “ the fact that such a wonderful scheme still has in some places low patronage, can partly be blamed on poor customer care, though there are other major problems such as management capacity and record keeping”.
He explained that customer care  was not only about “creating and nurturing customer preference and being totally committed to your clients and stakeholders, but was also about developing systems that would improve standard to enable your scheme to become a model one, and also become financially viable with happy staff and customers”.
He said to achieve customer care, the Sub Metropolitan Schemes should be able to develop leadership with vision and commitment “ to high standards of customer care, believe in it, be persuaded by it, and convince all employees to believe in it”.
Adding, Professor Adei noted that, attitude is everything in customer care. “This is important everywhere in the world, but especially in static cultures like ours, that must be translated into conscious effort to please the customer, to put the customer first, and to make the believe and practice of customer care a central pillar in the evaluation and reward system of the office”.
He said it was equally important for them to make “conscious efforts to know and articulate customer expectations which come in various forms from complaints to impatience”, stressing that, it was important for them to put on a quick smile and response and also understood the needs of their customers at all times.
Professor Adei pointed out that like every business the world over,  it was the delivery of good customer care that  enhanced the effective and efficient development of businesses, and said for the NHIS to develop to any appreciable level, it was important for their staff to appreciate that principle.
He said the need to establish offices that met the expectations of customers, being conscious of time in providing services, establishing complain desks to swiftly deal with all grievances of their customers, as well as organising regular in-service training for their staff on how to deal with difficult customers and providing equal treatment to all clients, irrespective of status, ethnic group and gender,  were also part of  providing indispensable customer care that would enhance the success of the scheme.