HOME COMFORTS: Port Alfred will be the first small town in South Africa to implement Quro Medical’s Hospital-at-Home service. Image: COMPILATION
Service covered by major medical aids
Hospital-at-Home, a home based system of health care implemented in South Africa by innovators Quro Medical, launched in Port Alfred this month. While the model has been running for a while in bigger centres such as Gqeberha and East London, Port Alfred is the first small town in South Africa to offer the service.
Marketing manager Jani van Rooyen said this expansion formed part of their broader commitment to making high-quality, technology-enabled healthcare more accessible across South Africa.
The local clinical team would initially include registered nurses, with clinical associates joining as they expand in the near future.
“They will be supported by medical doctors from our 24/7 Clinical Command Centre, working closely with the local referring doctors from Port Alfred and surrounding towns. Care will be enabled by clinical-grade remote monitoring devices and supported by all necessary logistics and equipment to deliver safe, hospital-level care in the home, which will be deployed in accordance with our national protocols,” Van Rooyen said.
“We work in close partnership with EMS providers to ensure prompt escalation to hospital when required, as well as other multi-disciplinary teams delivering services like physiotherapy, X-rays, and blood tests.
Port Alfred will be the first small town in South Africa to implement Quro Medical’s Hospital-at-Home service.
“While we have been operating in major cities and surrounding areas, we’re excited to extend this model of care to a smaller community setting and showcase how healthcare can be safely decentralised using this internationally recognised evidence-based approach,” said Van Rooyen.
Van Rooyen said the Hospital-at-Home service was covered by major medical aids in South Africa, including Discovery Health, GEMS, Bonitas, Momentum, Medshield, Polmed, Fedhealth, AECI, CAMAF, and several others.
“Coverage is subject to each scheme’s rules and benefit design. We work closely with funders to secure authorisations, and care is typically funded from the hospital benefit – not from members’ annual medical savings,” Van Rooyen said.
How does Quro think the NHI will affect its operations when it is implemented? Talk of the Town asked.
“Quro Medical is well positioned to deliver care under the NHI, given our focus on decentralised, tech-enabled healthcare delivery. Our Hospital-at-Home and Transitional Care models are designed to improve patient outcomes while reducing the strain on traditional hospital infrastructure – an approach aligned with global trends in strengthening the healthcare system,” said Van Rooyen.
“Around the world, health systems are shifting toward models that prioritise home-based and community-led care to enhance accessibility, improve efficiency, and reduce costs. Countries implementing universal healthcare reforms have increasingly leveraged digital health, remote monitoring, and alternative care settings to expand reach without overburdening hospitals.
“With proven experience in delivering high-quality, cost-effective care outside hospital settings, Quro Medical is well-equipped to support the NHI’s objectives while demonstrating the broader value of this model in improving population health.”
Van Rooyen said that by integrating advanced clinical oversight with digital tools, Quro Medical ensured patients received the right level of care at the right time, whether through hospital-at-home programmes, transitional care, or remote patient monitoring.
