New service for patients: medical payments by SMS

• Test operation of regulation-fee payments by SMS launched in Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice (General University Hospital) in Prague
• Easy operation, accessibility for every mobile-phone user, reliability
• The patient does not pay any extra fee; moreover, if he/she enters the text message incorrectly, his/her payment will be refunded 

Prague, 21 February, 2008 - Starting today, Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice (VFN)  in Prague is offering to all of its visitors a new service which facilitates payment of mandatory regulation fees paid upon every treatment at a doctor's office. Hereafter, the patients do not have to wait in line at the hospital cashier.  Instead, they can make the CZK 30 payment easily via SMS from their mobile phones.

"It is the intention of Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice in Prague to provide its patients with top medical and nursing care as well as to ensure that they feel as comfortable as possible in the hospital environment. They represent our clients and partners; therefore, we are introducing various services easing their stay in waiting rooms as well as during their hospitalization," says MUDr. Jan Bříza, CSc., head of Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice in Prague, adding: "Cash payment at the cashier is not very convenient for the patients and involves rather high transaction costs. The option to pay via SMS for visiting a doctor is beneficial to both the patients and the hospital."

The payment of regulation fees via SMS is simple: the patient sends a text message from his/her mobile phone in a defined form, e.g. LEKAR VFN, to telephone number 90 222 30. He/she immediately receives a confirmation message that he/she shows at the doctor's office. The confirmation SMS includes a validation code, which is unique for each transaction. Its validity may be verified immediately by means of an information system connected to the on-line database of the service provider.

The telephone numbers for sending the primary SMS are identical for all domestic operators. The last binary number changes according to the type of the fee: 90 222 30 serves for a regular CZK 30 fee for a common treatment at the doctor's office; 90 222 90 is used to pay CZK 90 fee for emergency-room treatment; and 90 222 05 with reduced rate of CZK 5 serves for repeated dispatch of a confirmation SMS. These amounts are final and the patient does not have to pay any extra fees for the messages.

The new system of SMS payments was developed and is operated by Expansion Group a.s., a member of MAFRA media group. T-Mobile Czech Republic a.s. is also taking part in its implementation via its partnership program. The system is now undergoing trial operation within VFN and other medical facilities will soon be able to use it. Negotiations are being held with all of the larger hospitals in the Czech Republic, particularly with Thomayerova Hospital in Prague, the hospital in Kolín, etc.

Expansion Group is interested in bringing the system closer to as many users as possible and increasing the general acceptance of SMS payments. Even if the user sends an incorrect message to one of the aforementioned numbers, he/she will not lose any money. The system contains a unique protection feature - an amount sent incorrectly will be credited to a given telephone number. By sending a corrective SMS to the reduced rate number 90 222 05, it is possible to order the regulation fee payment again at any time at a selected medical facility. By calling the info line from the same number, the patient can also change the routing of the payment to another doctor and, by filing a written request within a fixed 30-day claim period, he/she can have the full amount refunded.

"The mobile phone is our most used tool; we switch it on early in the morning and turn it off late at night. We have it with us all day. Our company's goal is to keep developing new ways to use it. The telephone is an ideal aid for making the regulation-fee payments; instead of going to two or three places in a hospital to make the payment, we can make it anywhere and any time via a mobile phone. The patient makes the payment in the waiting room at the doctor's office by sending a simple SMS according to the instructions displayed at the given doctor's office. Each medical facility will obtain from us its own unique code through which the patient addresses his payment. We are holding intense negotiations with a broad spectrum of medical facilities, from large hospitals to smaller clinics and individual general practitioners," says Radoslav Súkala, managing director of Expansion Group.

The details concerning the new system of SMS payments at doctors' offices will be available in waiting rooms and offices at VFN and/or in other medical facilities. Patients may also visit the website at http://www.smslekar.cz/ to find any other information they may need.

"Internet and mobile micro payments are enjoying increasing popularity in the Czech Republic. T-Mobile in playing a major role in their standardization and, by means of its partnership program, it supports acceleration of the development and implementation of specific systems," says Jan Roule, head of the Partnership and Wholesale Department at T-Mobile Czech Republic, adding: "Another example of successful m-payments are the SMS tickets for public transportation in Prague: thousands of passengers have used them since their introduction at the end of November last year. Currently, similar solutions for public transportation are being launched in other cities. Systems for paying other fees, such as m-parking and the SMS payments for doctor's visits that are currently testing trial operation, are also being prepared."

Until recently, VFN collected the regulation fees, which were introduced on 1 January 2008, in cash only. A total of 57,381 payments were recorded by 31 January, of which 6,493 payments were granted an exception and thus were not executed. Patients' payment history is also very good: 99.44% of 44,420 regulation fees for visiting doctors' offices were duly paid. VFN has recorded only 7,07% of unpaid fees out of 1,868 items for visiting the VFN emergency room.

T-Mobile Czech Republic, a member of the international telecommunications group Deutsche Telekom, has almost 6.2 million customers, the number-one operator in the Czech market. T-Mobile is an integrated operator: in addition to telecommunications services, it offers comprehensive ICT solutions not only for companies, but also for other organizations and individuals. It provides outstanding services in the high-speed network, which was proved repeatedly by benchmark testing performed by umlaut (former P3) with Best-in-Test seal.

T-Mobile Czech Republic places emphasis on taking a responsible approach to the environment and society. It adheres to fair business practices, helps beneficial applications and services to see the light of day, supports non-profit organizations, small businesses and individuals, and lends a helping hand whenever crisis situations arise. The company’s employees serve as volunteers in many places across the entire Czech Republic.

More information about the company is available at www.t-mobile.cz, www.t-press.cz (the portal for journalists) and www.t-mobile.cz/pomahame (information on the company’s CSR activities).

Contact details of the press unit: press@t-press.cz.