Medical Appointment Doctor Healthcare 40568 Half of Flemish people believe that healthcare insurance funds are inefficient.

Half of Flemish people believe that healthcare insurance funds are inefficient.

7/1/2019

A recent Profacts survey (*) reveals that for many people, healthcare insurance funds are synonymous with red tape.

Overall, Flemish people believe that healthcare insurance funds are useful, but 51% view such funds as anything but efficient, reveals a survey commissioned by Partena Ziekenfonds and conducted recently by Profacts. An important reason for this view is the lack of digital applications. For many people, healthcare insurance funds are synonymous with red tape: putting labels on doctors' notes, filling in forms and waiting in the queue at the insurer's offices.

Health insurance funds have an 'old-fashioned' image. Young families and people between 18 and 44 years old believe that they should start focusing much more on digital applications.

Investments in a number of digital applications are essential so that people can manage their own affairs in the future. For example, by using chatbots for FAQ or allowing people to ask short questions via WhatsApp.

“Nowadays, a healthcare insurance fund is much more than a reimbursement institution”, according to Partena. “Belgium's healthcare landscape is becoming ever more complex, which means we must increasingly take on the role of advisor”.

(*) Survey conducted among 1.400 Belgians (Flemish region), representative sample