Bupa says its customers will soon have direct access to an online health directory to help them select the most appropriate and affordable medical specialists and hospitals.
Bupa said it is working with the digital health platform HealthShare to help its customers better navigate the healthcare system.
The medical specialist and hospital directory allow customers to search for private practising specialists and hospitals based on their name, specialty, suburb or postcode, gender, languages spoken and telehealth availability.
To help minimise out-of-pocket costs for customers, listings will also highlight if a hospital is part of Bupa's network or if a specialist participates in Bupa’s Medical Gap Scheme.
Bupa Healthcare Management and Health Partnerships Director Natalie Kelly said the directory supported customers to choose a specialist and hospital which best suited their needs including those that will give them the most value from their health insurance.
“Importantly, the platform gives customers greater transparency on potential out-of-pocket costs charged by hospitals and specialists. This is particularly important given the growing cost of living pressures Australians are now facing.”
HealthShare co-founder Rami Weiss said 90 per cent of GPs nationally already had access to the directory, which helped to support GPs in the referral process.
“This saves doctors precious time and helps to support their referral decisions by providing comprehensive information about a specialist,” said Mr Weiss.
“Since 2014, GPs around Australia have been using the HealthShare referrals directory inside their clinical software to find the right specialist for their patient.
“We are really thrilled to work with Bupa and support their customers and their GPs to make informed decisions about their healthcare journey.”
Bupa said it is anticipated the online directory will be available on the Bupa website and the myBupa app in July 2022.