Hospital Association of South Africa realigns strategy and brand

With healthcare at a critical juncture in South Africa, the Hospital Association of South Africa (HASA) - which represents over 90% of private hospitals in South Africa - has restructured and realigned its strategy and brand.  

The association revealed its refocused strategy and brand and outlined its new structure to healthcare stakeholders at its annual conference, which was held in Cape Town from 21 to 22 September.

 “Over the past few years, the healthcare landscape in South Africa has undergone substantial changes due to the evolving needs of our people,” says HASA chairman, Dr Nkaki Matlala. “Government has now begun a process of healthcare reform that will culminate in the introduction of a National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme.  To ensure that the private hospital industry continues to make a positive and meaningful contribution to healthcare delivery within the context of a reformed landscape, in 2010, HASA began a process of restructuring, transforming and realigning the private hospital industry’s vision and role to be more in synch with this changing healthcare climate.” 

Strategic emphasis

HASA believes it has an important role to play in helping government achieve its vision of improving healthcare delivery for all South Africans. “The increasing burden of disease, shortage of healthcare professionals and struggling infrastructure are just some of the factors stretching our healthcare services to the limit. It is essential for the public and private healthcare sectors to reconnect and work together to deliver quality healthcare to all South Africans,” says Matlala.

Realigned purpose

Matlala says HASA’s realigned purpose is to: 1) lead the industry; 2) represent members’ as well as the industry’s interests; 3) and serve patients by promoting quality care and patient safety. 

Guiding values

A new set of core values to guide HASA was also identified.  These include: 1) acting responsibly at all times; 2) acting with integrity and dignity towards patients and stakeholders; 3) engaging with various parties for the greater good of healthcare and; 4) taking a caring approach.

Refined focus areas

Going forward, HASA’s future focus areas include: 1) engaging proactively with all stakeholders; 2) providing credible and quality research; 3) building quality relationships with stakeholders; and 4) carrying out these functions within legal parameters.

“Our new brand is not only about a visual identity, but represents our new core values and focus areas,” says Matlala.

Restructured board

HASA’s Board of Directors has also been restructured in accordance with the association’s realigned strategy. The board consists of nine board members representing different hospital groups and a variety of skills from economists, to market and communication specialists, medical doctors and financial experts.  Each board member has full accountability for a sub-committee that is realigned to the new focus areas.  The new HASA board members include: Mr Ridwaan Allie, Ms Melanie Da Costa, Mr Jacques du Plessis, Mr Peter Scott, Dr Keith Shongwe, Mr Biren Valodia, Mr Marthinus van den Berg and Mr Otto Wypkema.

Dr Nkaki Matlala, current HASA Chairman, has been reappointed in the same capacity for a further two-year tenure.  A new CEO, who is yet to be appointed, will play the important role of engaging with various stakeholders, particularly government.

New brand

HASA’s new brand is centred on the letter ‘h’ which is widely recognised as the universal symbol of hospitals.  The human hand which forms the bar in the centre of the ‘h’ symbolises the importance of care and the value of patients, while a new payoff line - ‘Advancing healthcare’ - highlights HASA’s commitment to the sustained provision of quality healthcare - irrespective of the challenges facing the sector.

The fresh colour palette of HASA’s new brand incorporates blue, red and grey. The blue in the brand depicts steadfastness, dependability, wisdom and loyalty, while the red is symbolic of life and energy.

“The new brand fully represents HASA’s realigned strategy,” says Matlala. 

(Press releas, Bespoke Communications, October 2011)