Choose the hospital and the specialist
That is the most sensitive question during a medical trip — and the one where an intermediary must be clearest about what they can, and cannot, do for you.
● A PRADeXPERIENCE service · documented verifications, commission-free
We do not choose your doctor. We make the choice possible.
An intermediary who designates you «the best surgeon» asks you to take their word for it, without you being able to verify either what they know or what they stand to gain by saying so. We work differently: we gather verifiable evidence, and we let doctors talk amongst themselves.
The right question isn’t «who is the best». It’s «who is qualified, available and willing to take on this case».
What we are not
Okoumé is not a health facility and does not employ any health professionals. We do not make any diagnoses, recommend any treatments or advise on the course of action to take. These decisions belong to doctors — yours in Gabon, and the one who will treat you in South Africa. Our work is organisation: procedures, logistics, language and coordination between the two.
How we go about it
Starting from the medical request
It is your GP who determines the type of care required. We never redefine this need ourselves.
Identify the establishments
We are looking for private facilities that have the corresponding technical platform and specialty.
Check practitioners
Registration in the professional register, registered specialism, place of practice. We will send you whatever information we find.
Getting doctors to talk
We organise the consultation between your doctor and the South African practitioner. The clinical decision is made there, not here.
Where do international patients receive treatment?
South Africa has two parallel healthcare systems. The public sector covers the majority of the population and operates on a limited budget with long waiting lists; it is intended primarily for residents. The private sector, which is smaller in scale, has well-developed technical facilities and specialises in treating patients from abroad.
In practice, medical treatment organised from Gabon is arranged through the private sector. Major private hospital groups operate in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban.
A practical consequence: The location of treatment may not be Cape Town. If the requested speciality is better represented in Johannesburg or Pretoria, that is where we must go. We do not direct families to Cape Town because we live there; we travel if necessary.
What we control, and what you can control
Any healthcare professional legally practising in South Africa is registered on the register of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), the body that regulates health professions. This register is public.
| Verified item | What this teaches you |
|---|---|
| HPCSA registration | The practitioner is authorised to practise in South Africa. That is the absolute minimum. |
| Recording category | The specialism under which they are registered — a practitioner may only practise in the field for which they are qualified and trained. |
| Practising establishment | Where the procedure would take place, and what facilities it has. |
| Existence of disciplinary sanctions | The board may issue warnings, fines, suspensions or disbarments. |
We are carrying out these checks and will send you the result in writing, along with the links enabling you to do it yourself. Nothing we state should be taken on trust.
What these checks don't say they do not measure competence regarding your specific case, nor the results achieved. No register provides that. That is why the discussion between your doctor and the South African practitioner remains the most important step — a doctor knows how to ask questions that we would not know how to ask.
Official sources
Why we do not accept any commission
South African medical ethics prohibits «perverse incentives»: any sum or benefit paid with the idea that the recipient will act in a manner contrary to professional rules or patients' interests, with a view to a benefit for the person paying it. The payment of commissions in return for the referral of patients falls under this prohibition, and it is equally wrong to offer it as it is to accept it.
This suits us down to the ground, because it settles a question of trust in advance:
| Question | Reply |
|---|---|
| Do we receive anything from a hospital if you go there? | No. |
| Do we get anything from a doctor if you consult them? | No. |
| Does our fee change depending on the chosen establishment? | No. It is identical regardless of the choice. |
| Who pays us? | You, and you alone, for an amount announced in advance. |
Ask this question to any medical intermediary you consult, anywhere in the world. The answer will tell you a lot.
What we shall tell you, even if it costs us
- If the journey is not justified. Certain treatments are available in Gabon, or gain nothing by being done elsewhere. We will tell you.
- If no establishment is able to accommodate you. It does happen — a rare speciality, an unavailable scan, a case deemed beyond our reach. We’ll let you know straight away, rather than get your hopes up.
- If the budget is unsustainable. A hospital quote can exceed what the family can raise. It is better to know that before booking tickets than after.
- If the timeframes are incompatible with the urgency. A visa takes time. If you don’t have that time, you need to say so.
We will never promise a specific outcome, a cure or a prognosis. No one can do that, and if a middleman does, it should set alarm bells ringing.
Go further
- Medical file and translation — what the institution must receive in order to make a decision
- Medical treatment visa — The letter of acceptance is a prerequisite for the visa
- Cost and organisation of the trip — how to read a hospital bill
What we do at this stage
Research, verification and networking — documented and communicated in writing.
- Search for healthcare facilities matching the medical request
- Verification of practitioners’ registration on the professional register
- Written report of the checks, with links to repeat them
- Arranging communication between your doctor and the other healthcare professional
- Request a quote from the establishment
- Obtaining the letter of acceptance required for the visa
Verifiable, not stated
We’d rather give you the facts so you can check for yourselves than simply ask you to take our word for it. It’s slower, it’s less impressive, and it’s the only honest way to approach a subject like this.
- DocumentedEach verification is sent to you in writing, along with its source.
- Commission-freeOur fee does not change depending on the chosen establishment.
- Doctor to doctorWe organise the clinical exchange; we do not take part in it.
Good to know
How does Okoumé choose the hospital or the specialist?
How to check that a South African doctor is properly registered?
Is Okoumé paid by hospitals?
Can I speak to the doctor before travelling?
Is the South African public sector an option?
What happens if no institution can take you in?
Are you looking for specific treatment?
Tell us what your doctor is looking for. The first consultation is free, in French, and without obligation.
