In a significant move aimed at addressing South Africa’s pressing societal challenges, the WIB Group has forged a partnership with the Gauteng Department of Health to enhance healthcare delivery through technology-based solutions.
This collaboration seeks to implement an Integrated Patient Queue Management System (IPQM), aimed notably at improving patient flow and service efficiency within the healthcare facilities of Gauteng, home to over 16 million residents.
The launch of the IPQM, inaugurated by Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital in late November, reflects the WIB Group's dedicated focus on utilising technology to tackle South Africa's distinct challenges.
As issues such as inadequate water supply, energy crises, and healthcare inefficiencies loom over the nation, WIB Group is committed to creating innovative solutions that can ultimately benefit the entire continent.
The IPQM is designed to significantly enhance operational efficiency by managing patient queues more effectively, consequently reducing long waiting times that have long plagued South African healthcare facilities.
One of the standout features of the system allows patients to join queues digitally, track their progress online, and receive SMS reminders for upcoming appointments—a convenience warmly welcomed by users.
Thandeka Sonandi, a patient at the hospital, expressed her satisfaction, stating, "I really liked it; I found it was quicker and easier. You receive an SMS on your phone with your number in the queue, and then you are called to pick up your medication. I think it's incredibly efficient."
The IPQM goes beyond mere patient queuing; it generates real-time reports on daily and monthly operations, ensures patient appointment bookings, and incorporates a smart biometric system to streamline processes. Such innovations not only enhance service delivery but also aim to enrich the patient experience within healthcare settings.
Expanding its footprint, WIB Group is also set to launch a service delivery app in Polokwane, which the city's executive mayor, Cllr Makoro John Mpe, believes will transform the way citizens engage with municipal services.
The anticipated app will allow residents to report urgent service delivery issues like potholes, pipe leaks, and power outages, directly at their fingertips. Mpe expressed a vision of a citizen-centric approach, where technology fosters better communication and quicker resolutions to community concerns.
Thandile Fikeni, CEO of WIB Group, stated: "We develop world-class solutions, innovative and distinctly able to address the unique challenges, while creating shared value for our clients and their customers through improved efficiencies empowered by our technology."
The Star
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