This blog will discuss who iZandla is and how we are shaping the Physiotherapy landscape.
What is iZandla?
iZandla Consulting is a bespoke private company exclusively dedicated to assisting Physiotherapists working in Private Practice. The meaning of iZandla is hands in Zulu.
This company is 100 % owned and managed by physiotherapists for the benefit of physiotherapists.
To become a Shareholder, you may buy shares in iZandla up to a maximum of 10 shares and then you will be part of this innovative company. There is also a nominal monthly management fee for operational costs.
Who is the leadership team of iZandla and what do they offer?
The management team of iZandla have ran successful, profitable physiotherapy practices for many years and, as such, are perfectly poised to answer any questions /queries regarding the Business side of running a Physiotherapy Private Practice. This service is covered as part of your membership fee. All questions/queries are treated in the strictest confidence. If the management team are unable to provide an answer it will be outsourced to industry experts.
iZandla are busy compiling a list of FAQs because if one physio is asking a question chance are that more physios are thinking the same but haven’t got round to asking it yet. Please feel free to send any questions/queries via e mail.
In my opinion one of the biggest advantages of iZandla is that as a Private Company iZandla is able to contract commercially with entities which can afford discounts to Shareholders for a wide range of services, resources, goods etc.
We are all living in difficult times at the moment and are being squeezed from all angles financially with the increase in petrol price and the subsequent domino effect of food prices increasing. It’s a win-win situation if iZandla members can take advantage of any discounts which have been negotiated for them.
Understanding the physiotherapy landscape in South Africa
Physiotherapists are proficient at treating patients because that’s where our interests lie and that’s what we ultimately want to do. We all can be a bit slack with paperwork because after a long day on your feet who feels like starting the mountain of paperwork that comes with running a private practice and dealing with all the regulatory changes in the ever-changing Healthcare Landscape. At times we can all feel a bit bombarded with all the media input with regards to healthcare. This is where iZandla can assist you by always scanning this Healthcare Landscape and bringing to your attention the relevant issues allowing you, as a physiotherapist, to do what you do best.
One of our corporate partners, Healthman, sends out a very comprehensive Private Practice Review letter monthly, which details all the happenings in healthcare and this benefit is included in the iZandla membership.
How iZandla is creating value for physiotherapists in South Africa
One of the main aims of iZandla is to develop networks of Physiotherapists, which has the advantage of sharing ideas, knowledge and working with like -minded people.
More and more funders want to work with networks for value based care and optimal outcomes. iZandla is perfectly positioned for this. These collaborative networks will be mutually beneficial for patients, physios and funders alike going forward. Most of the other medical specialities have had these networks in place for a few years already.
Discovery Health has recognized iZandla in their criteria for participation in their Joint Sustainability Project (JSP) for preferential rates of reimbursement and have also included iZandla in their Spinal Care Conservative Programme. For more details on these programmes please visit the Discovery Website.
As professional accountability is extremely important to iZandla, all shareholders & members are expected to abide by the Code of Conduct in line with good governance and adhering strictly to King IV principles for ethical behaviour.
The power of iZandla can bring to physiotherapists in South Africa
iZandla has collective buying power which will benefit all iZandla shareholders with regards to personal purchases and even financial services which every practice utilizes in one form or another e.g. Risk, Malpractice, Investments, and Savings.
iZandla has negotiated a preferential rate with Vanguard for Malpractice insurance (MPI) for shareholders and employee members with no excess on dry needling for any dry needling claims even for multiple claims in the same year. This MPI can be paid monthly as well as annually. This is an option available to you but it’s entirely up to you which company you ultimately choose .The most important thing is that you have MPI and there is no gap in your cover in case of a claim against you retrospectively.
As an iZandla member you will have access to practice advisory services which will assist you in dealing with Funder problems e.g. non-payment, reversals, PMB etc. as part of your membership.
For me, one of the biggest advantages of a company such as iZandla is that iZandla doesn’t have to invest money in resources, staff, equipment as most of the work is done virtually. This is a big cost saving for the company.