The Social Health Authority (SHA) in Kenya has extended the deadline for healthcare facilities to transition to approved digital Health Management Information Systems (HMIS) by one month. The new deadline is November 30, allowing providers sufficient time to complete the migration from the SHA Provider Portal. This decision comes after requests from healthcare providers who had not yet completed the transition.
According to SHA and the Digital Health Agency (DHA), significant progress has been made so far, particularly among public health facilities. All Level 2 to Level 4 institutions have successfully migrated, with 6,427 facilities completing the transition, representing 100 per cent compliance. However, not all public Level 5 hospitals have completed the migration, with 22 out of 28 having done so, representing 79 per cent.
The transition to the new digital platform is part of the government's broader digital health transformation agenda. The goal is to improve efficiency, accountability, and integration in the management of healthcare services. Under the new arrangement, facilities are required to use approved HMIS platforms to manage their operations and integrate with the national digital health infrastructure.
SHA and DHA have warned that facilities that fail to migrate by the deadline risk losing access to the platform. This could potentially affect service verification, pre-authorisation, and claims submission and processing, ultimately impacting the timely delivery of healthcare services to beneficiaries under the Social Health Authority.
The Digital Health Agency has pledged to continue offering technical support to facilities still experiencing challenges with the migration. This assistance includes onboarding, system integration, troubleshooting, user training, and coordination with HMIS vendors to resolve outstanding implementation issues. Facilities requiring support can contact the agency through its helpdesk email or toll-free line.
SHA and DHA have reassured providers that the transition will not affect claims already submitted through the existing portal. Claims already submitted through the SHA Provider Portal will continue to be processed in accordance with the applicable requirements. The agencies are urging facilities yet to migrate to use the extended period to complete the process.
The November 30 deadline is being treated as the final transition date, with providers expected to ensure their systems are fully operational before access to the existing portal is withdrawn. SHA chief executive officer Dr Mercy Mwangangi and DHA chief executive officer Eng Antony Lenaiyara have urged facilities to complete the migration process to avoid disruptions in healthcare services.
Key points
- The Social Health Authority has extended the deadline for healthcare facilities to migrate to new digital Health Management Information Systems to November 30.
- Significant progress has been made, with 100 per cent compliance among public Level 2 to Level 4 institutions.
- Facilities that fail to migrate by the deadline risk losing access to the platform, potentially affecting healthcare services.
