Expertise
The benefits of Mediclinic’s Care Expert Programme
The Mediclinic Care Expert Programme focuses on hip and knee arthroplasty, as well as spinal surgery. Find out how it works.
Mediclinic’s Care Expert programme provides patients with clear pricing through a single global fee. This fee covers hospital costs, prosthesis (if needed), and the surgeon's and surgical assistant's fees
The programme is not available for private-paying patients, who can instead choose Mediclinic’s fixed prices for orthopaedic procedures. Anaesthetists, physicians (if needed), and physiotherapists either charge fixed fees for their services or bill separately for each service provided.
Integrated care experience
Care Expert is an integrated service designed to offer patients a smooth and continuous experience of quality care, explains Clinical Programme Navigator Andrea Haakestad. The programme focuses on improving recovery through coordinated care and effective communication among all parties involved.
“We communicate with all our stakeholders to ensure our patients receive comprehensive information about the procedure they will undergo,” says Haakestad.
Care Expert Navigators, who are experienced nurses, use an outcomes database to track the surgeon’s clinical pathway, enabling them to gain insights into the surgeon's preferences and monitor the patient’s journey before, during, and after the surgery. This level of coordination ensures the patient’s care is managed efficiently and consistently across all facilities, says Haakestad.
Benefits to the patient
The Care Expert Programme focuses on timely, effective care with an emphasis on post-surgery mobility. Mediclinic nursing staff prioritise patient comfort and pain management, particularly during early physiotherapy, which can cause anxiety, according to Haakestad. By ensuring effective pain relief and clear communication, the programme helps patients understand their recovery, builds trust, and reduces fear of pain during early mobilisation.
This coordinated care also helps save costs by avoiding duplicate services through effective communication and teamwork. A key goal of the programme is to prevent hospital readmissions within 30 days of discharge by ensuring patients feel safe and confident in their mobility when they go home.
Care Expert Navigators follow up within three days of discharge to monitor how the patient is adapting to their home environment and to assess their overall wellbeing. They contact the patient again after 2-3 weeks and then at three, six and 12 months.
Outcomes-measured quality care
Once a surgeon determines the need for surgery, the patient is registered in an outcomes database, triggering care coordination. A Care Expert navigator schedules a pre-admission consultation to optimise patient care.
These experienced nurses assess health risks and educate patients about surgery and recovery. Cleo Hendricks, a Care Expert Navigator at Mediclinic Durbanville, explains that navigators assist patients in setting goals and provide information on pain management and expected post-surgical outcomes, helping to reduce preoperative anxiety.
As part of this process, Care Expert Navigators conduct a pre-surgical baseline survey to measure how the affected joint impacts mobility and independence. These surveys are then repeated at six months and 12 months post-surgery to track the patient's progress in regaining mobility, independence and the activities of daily living.
Pre-surgical discharge planning occurs during the pre-admission stage. Navigators assess the patient’s home environment for fall risks, like pets and hazards such as rugs and stairs, allowing for timely risk mitigation and determining if extra home assistance is needed. Over 94% of patients are discharged home, which supports their recovery, says Haakestad.
Enhanced patient experience
On the day of admission, the Care Expert Navigator reassures each patient and checks in again postoperatively to monitor their care transition. After discharge, the navigator calls within three days to ensure proper pain management and wound healing. If any concerns arise, patients can contact the Mediclinic Engagement Centre for prompt assistance.
“Our patients love it that people actually care after the surgery has been done,” says Hendricks. “We listen to the frustrations of those who struggle with their lack of independence at first and their need to get help from others. They know they have someone they can call on if they have any concerns throughout the entire process.”