Leading the way

Posted on 16 September 2016

Mediclinic has once again been ranked as the top healthcare services provider in the annual Top 50 Most Valuable Brands in South Africa survey.

The continued success and growth of Mediclinic Southern Africa has been recognised by Brand South Africa and Brand Finance, a leading brand valuation and strategy consultancy, in their annual report that ranks the top 50 companies in South Africa according to brand value, with an increase of 16% in its brand value over the last year.

Mediclinic was in 10th place on the list and the hightest ranked healthcare services provider in the country. It shares the top 10 with a number of South Africa’s biggest brands, including MTN, Vodacom, Sasol, Woolworths and Standard Bank.

‘Many of these have footprints on the continent. This bodes well for perceptions about business in Africa, ethics, governance and commitment to social upliftment,’ says Jeremy Sampson, director of Brand Finance.

Dr Biren Valodia, Chief Marketing Officer of Mediclinic Southern Africa, says, ‘This brand rating is a reflection of the high esteem in which our brand is held and is also an indication of the level of quality our patients experience within our facilities. The growth of our brand value in recent years has shown that we are constantly delivering on the expectations of our patients, something we are continually striving to improve.’

This recognition capped a year of achievements and innovative initiatives within the Mediclinic group, reaching new heights in its commitment to value and quality of care for all patients.

One of these initiatives is the Patient Experience Index that was launched to listen to patients and implement changes across the organisation to ensure that patients’ expectations are met. More than 50 000 surveys have been received and will be used to drive quality and care initiatives at both corporate and hospital level.

‘Ultimately we are focused on every area of the business to identify opportunities and improvement areas within our processes to ensure we are delivering on the areas our patients view as meaningful,’ says Dr Valodia.

Some significant expansion within Mediclinic across the globe has also contributed to the increase in our brand value between 2015 and 2016, such as Mediclinic International’s acquisition of a 29.9% share in the Spire Healthcare group in the UK as well as working with the Al Noor Hospitals group in the Middle East. The group was also listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2016.

Says Dr Valodia, ‘The brand has grown in reputation across many markets as a solid investment and a trusted healthcare service provider. In addition to the brand’s physical and geographical expansion, we believe that the strong service and expert care ethic of our staff have greatly contributed to the strong reputation Mediclinic holds in the market.’

But it’s not all about business. Mediclinic is actively invested in contributing to transforming the healthcare landscape and benefiting a greater number of South Africans.

Mediclinic Southern Africa contributes to many communities through the employment of more than 16 500 permanent staff in 52 hospitals, and a number of service providers it engages to deliver specialised services within the hospitals. Mediclinic staff actively participate in volunteerism projects throughout the year to ensure they remain involved and connected with the communities they serve.
‘Our six training facilities across southern Africa provide key growth opportunities for community members seeking a career within the healthcare sector,’ adds Dr Valodia.

Mediclinic also has a fully fledged Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programme that contributes to the South African healthcare environment through the Public Health Enhancement Fund (PHEF) and contributions to the PHEF have supported in excess of 75 student doctors, 70 PhD candidates and assisted public healthcare managers in expanding their knowledge.

Mediclinic has also supported the public healthcare system by fast-tracking a number of routine procedures such as cataract and tonsillectomy operations where waiting lists have been long in the past.

THE TOP 10 MOST VALUED BRANDS IN SOUTH AFRICA:
1. MTN
2. Vodacom
3. Sasol
4. Standard Bank
5. Woolworths
6. FNB
7. ABSA
8. Nedbank
9. Investec
10. Mediclinic