BUPA sets new standards for cataract surgery
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Friday, 03, Aug 2007 12:00
For the first time, private patients can have cataract surgery in quality assured hospitals as the UK’s leading medical insurer launches more than 100 private and NHS BUPA Approved Ophthalmic Units across the country this month.
All BUPA Approved Ophthalmic Units have met BUPA’s quality criteria and been selected on the basis that they can guarantee consistent high standards of care and best value for cataract patients. These include ensuring stringent methods are in place to avoid infection and access to an out-patient consultation within two weeks of calling BUPA.
Dr Paula Franklin, deputy medical director for BUPA Insurance, said: “Cataract surgery is the most commonly performed eye treatment for our insured customers – 9,000 cataract operations were undertaken last year alone. Our review showed a significantly higher rate of overnight hospital stays for cataract operations when compared to the national average. Nationally, more than 90 percent of cataract treatments are performed as day-cases yet only three quarters of BUPA members’ cataracts are treated as day cases. Almost 20 percent of BUPA members stay overnight, with around five percent staying for two nights after cataract surgery. This means that patients may be spending more time in hospital than is necessary for them.
“Getting the right care reduces the chance of complications and helps patients make a quicker recovery. The hospitals and consultants that we have selected have demonstrated that they meet BUPA's high standards for the quality of care and service.
“Making sure that the treatment our members receive is cost effective is also important. Until now, we have been charged between £1,006 and £3,472 per operation compared to NHS tariff rates of £702 to £1,015. Agreeing treatment costs with approved hospitals and doctors means that we can continue to offer our customers affordable private health cover in the future,” she said.
Insured customers are treated in these units by a BUPA Ophthalmic Partnership Consultant and also have the reassurance that the cost of their treatment will be met in full.
BUPA has already established national accredited networks for cancer services (breast, bowel and gynaecology) and, last year, for MRI. All of these are designed to provide patients with confidence that their care will be of the highest clinical standards and, at the same time, represent good value for money.
BUPA
BUPA is the UK market leader in health and care with a strong international presence. Established in 1947, it has over 8 million customers in 190 countries and more than 40,000 employees. Its main interests are health insurance, care homes for older people and young disabled, health assessments, workplace health and childcare services. BUPA Travel offers a bespoke travel insurance service. Sanitas in Spain, HBA in Australia, IHI in Denmark and AMEDEX in the US are all part of the BUPA Group which also has centres in Hong-Kong, Thailand and Saudi Arabia. BUPA is a company limited by guarantee and does not have a share capital. As a result, it can focus on its customers, helping them to live longer, healthier lives and can reinvest all of its profits to do this – this is the dividend that BUPA provides.