Health facilities contracted by the Social Health Authority (SHA) in Kenya have been ordered to migrate to the new Health Management Information System (HMIS) by September 30. Failure to comply with this directive may result in these facilities being locked out of the SHA scheme. This move is part of a broader effort to transition to a fully digital system for patient verification and claims processing.
The SHA provider portal will be closed at midnight on September 30, marking a significant shift towards digitalization. According to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, county and public hospitals at levels two, three, and four have already made the transition. However, private and faith-based facilities are still required to complete the migration before the deadline.
The new HMIS system aims to replace manual processes with digital patient verification and electronic claims submission. This is expected to improve efficiency and accountability in healthcare financing. The government is implementing this change through the Digital Health Agency to establish a more integrated and paperless health system.
Duale made these remarks during the 40th anniversary celebrations of the Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (MEDS) in Nairobi. He emphasized the importance of reliable access to quality medicines and health products. Universal Health Coverage, he noted, should be measured by patients' experiences at healthcare facilities, including access to safe, effective, and affordable medicines.
MEDS has been supporting healthcare facilities for four decades by sourcing, testing, quality-assuring, and distributing essential medicines and health products. The organization has maintained World Health Organisation prequalification since 2009 and holds ISO 9001:2015 certification and ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation attained in 2024.
Duale also acknowledged the contribution of faith-based facilities under the SHA framework. A total of 876 faith-based facilities currently have active SHA contracts, with 530 already using the system to transact. These facilities have submitted claims worth Sh41.1 billion, of which Sh29.8 billion has been settled.
The Health Cabinet Secretary stressed the need for continued improvements in claims processing and settlement to ensure that health facilities have adequate resources to maintain services and stock essential medicines and supplies. He also called for increased investment in resilient supply chains, a skilled health workforce, and independent quality-testing systems.
Key points
- Health facilities in Kenya are required to migrate to the new Health Management Information System (HMIS) by September 30.
- The new HMIS system aims to improve efficiency and accountability in healthcare financing.
- Faith-based facilities have submitted claims worth Sh41.1 billion under the SHA framework.
