The Chief of Party, SHOPS, a United Nations Agency, Dr. Ayodele Iroko, has called on health professionals in the private sector to embrace group medical practices for sustainability.

 

Iroko in her address at a workshop tagged, “Enhancing Private Health Sector Growth and Development in Nigeria”, organised by Strengthening Health Outcomes through the Private Sector for professionals in Lagos, stated that group medical practice was one of the solutions to improving the quality and variety of health care services provided in the country.

 

According to her, without group practice, it will be difficult for health providers in the private sector, who do not have access to government funds to thrive or embark on capital intensive projects in their hospitals.

 

She said, “Although sole proprietorship is the easiest form of business for health providers to establish, it is difficult for such practices to grow and achieve economies of scale, since they rely on single provider’s expertise, financing and availability.

 

“In spite of this weakness, very few providers opt for a group medical practice that would allow providers to pool funds for financing, share infrastructure investment and manage a larger client base that    would help reduce unit costs of treatment.”

 

The Executive Secretary, Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, Dr. Jimmy Asuni, in his address, defined group medical practice as a situation where three or more full- time physicians  come together to offer health services to patients under one roof.

 

Asuni stated that this would change the face of medical practice in the country, as patients would have access to specialists.

By  BUKOLA ADEBAYO

Punch