{"id":55021,"date":"2025-07-25T23:50:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T23:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/smart-applications-launches-mobile-app-to-simplify-healthcare-access-in-rwanda\/"},"modified":"2025-07-26T04:46:04","modified_gmt":"2025-07-26T04:46:04","slug":"smart-applications-launches-mobile-app-to-simplify-healthcare-access-in-rwanda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/smart-applications-launches-mobile-app-to-simplify-healthcare-access-in-rwanda\/","title":{"rendered":"Smart Applications launches mobile app to simplify healthcare access in Rwanda"},"content":{"rendered":"

Held under the theme “Enabling Healthcare Access through Digital Innovation,” the event brought together industry leaders, insurers, healthcare providers, and government stakeholders to celebrate Smart\u2019s suite of cutting-edge solutions designed to streamline healthcare access across Rwanda and beyond. <\/p>\n

The Smart Access app, now available on Google Play, allows users to manage their healthcare needs seamlessly, with features such as biometric verification, real-time insurance information, provider location services, and wellness tracking.<\/p>\n

With roaming capability across 12 African countries, members can access healthcare services without pre-authorisation or coverage concerns, making it a vital tool for regional mobility. The platform also supports uninsured patients by enabling them to locate nearby healthcare providers and access educational health content, promoting inclusive access to care.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday marks a pivotal moment in Rwanda\u2019s journey toward a digitally empowered healthcare system,\u201d said Cleophas Obiero, Country Manager for Smart Applications International Rwanda. <\/p>\n

\u201cOur goal is simple yet powerful: to enable every individual, regardless of where they are, to access quality healthcare with dignity and ease.\u201d <\/p>\n

Reflecting on his own experience in 2013, when a hospital visit in Kigali took three hours due to manual insurance verification, Obiero highlighted the app\u2019s transformative impact. <\/p>\n

\u201cWith Smart Access, you provide your member number, place your fingerprint, and you\u2019re served. Claims are sent instantly, and hospitals are paid on time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Operating in 680 Rwandan healthcare facilities and over 9,000 across 12 African countries, Smart Applications manages transactions worth approximately 290 billion Rwandan Francs (Ksh29 billion) for 1.7 billion people on the continent.<\/p>\n

Obiero emphasised the company\u2019s commitment to local innovation, citing how the app eliminates the need for physical insurance cards. <\/p>\n

\u201cA child in Burera can now get treatment with just a member number and a fingerprint, without someone travelling from Kigali,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Harrison Muiru, Group Managing Director of Smart Applications International Limited, praised Rwanda\u2019s progressive approach to digital healthcare. <\/p>\n

\u201cRwanda ranks first in East Africa in the Universal Health Coverage Essential Services Index, thanks to its commitment to digitisation and patient-centred care,\u201d Muiru said, noting Rwanda\u2019s 53% score on the World Health Organisation\u2019s Universal Health Coverage Essential Services Index.<\/p>\n

\u201cRwanda\u2019s conducive environment for digitisation allows us to contribute to patient-centred care,\u201d Muiru added, emphasising compliance with global data privacy and protection standards like HIPAA and GDPR.<\/p>\n

He highlighted how Smart Applications has supported this progress by integrating identity management, claims processing, and data analytics into a unified ecosystem that serves insurers, hospitals, and patients alike.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis digital ecosystem eliminates cumbersome paperwork and lengthy communication processes,\u201d Muiru noted. \u201cIt enables real-time data-driven decision making for better inventory management, underwriting, and ultimately, improved health outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Group Managing Director and his team showcased the company\u2019s broader ecosystem of solutions, including SmartHealth+ (a hospital management ERP), SmartInsure (a medical insurance ERP), SmartAnalytics (real-time data dashboards), and SmartLink, which enables seamless patient access to hospital services. <\/p>\n

\u201cEvery second, about 80,000 healthcare transactions are managed on our platform,\u201d Muiru said.<\/p>\n

Lessons from the app\u2019s 2022 launch in Kenya have shaped its rollout in Rwanda, with a focus on versatility and user-centric design. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve made the app navigable and empowering, catering to scenarios like a child falling sick at school,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

Andrew Kulayige, CEO of Britam Insurance (Rwanda) Ltd and Chair of the Association of Insurers in Rwanda, praised Smart\u2019s solutions as a catalyst for increasing insurance penetration, currently at 2%. <\/p>\n

\u201cPlatforms like Smart Access allow us to reach every corner of this country, offering accessibility, reliability, and flexibility,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Mendies Mhiribidi, Chairperson of the Rwanda Insurance Brokers Association, called Smart Access a \u201chuman face to insurance.\u201d <\/p>\n

She noted its role in reducing fraud and enhancing transparency, allowing members to view benefits, entitlements, and hospital charges in real time. <\/p>\n

\u201cHospitals can\u2019t overcharge or add unnecessary services anymore,\u201d Mhiribidi said.
\nUrging the public to embrace the technology, she added, \u201cThis innovation simplifies your life and improves your healthcare experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the Smart solutions and the visionary leadership in the country, the leaders affirmed that Rwanda is well-positioned to leverage Smart\u2019s solutions for medical tourism and universal health coverage. <\/p>\n

The company\u2019s AI-driven tools, real-time analytics, and interoperable platforms like SmartLink further enhance operational efficiency, from inventory management to claims processing, aligning with national digital health initiatives.<\/p>\n

Integration of AI to enhance service delivery, such as generating and previewing e-claims, is designed to minimise rejections, ensuring efficiency and accuracy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are here to work together for smart, secure, seamless healthcare,\u201d Muiru noted, calling for continued collaboration. <\/p>\n

\"The<\/figure>\n
\"Held<\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n
\"Harrison<\/figure>\n
\"The<\/figure>\n
\"Cleophas<\/figure>\n
\"Andrew<\/figure>\n
\"Collins<\/figure>\n
\"Innocent<\/figure>\n
\"The<\/figure>\n
\"Group<\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Smart Applications International Limited unveiled a new mobile app designed to simplify healthcare access across Rwanda during the Rwanda Healthcare Technology Innovation Conference, held at the Serena Hotel in Kigali on Friday, July 25, 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":131,"featured_media":2000091507,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[75],"byline":[192],"hashtag":[],"class_list":["post-55021","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","tag-homenews","byline-wycliffe-nyamasege"],"bylines":[{"id":192,"name":"Wycliffe Nyamasege","slug":"wycliffe-nyamasege","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":131}],"contributors":[{"id":192,"name":"Wycliffe Nyamasege","slug":"wycliffe-nyamasege","description":"","image":{"id":0,"url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&f=y&r=g","alt":"Default avatar","title":"Default avatar","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","sizes":[]},"user_id":131}],"featured_image":{"id":2000091507,"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/0j0a9193new.jpg","alt":"","caption":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","width":0,"height":0,"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/0j0a9193new.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"medium":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/0j0a9193new.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"medium_large":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/0j0a9193new.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"large":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/0j0a9193new.jpg","width":1,"height":1},"full":{"url":"https:\/\/en-images.igihe.com\/IMG\/logo\/0j0a9193new.jpg","width":0,"height":0}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55021","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/131"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55021"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55021\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2000091507"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55021"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55021"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55021"},{"taxonomy":"byline","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/byline?post=55021"},{"taxonomy":"hashtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.igihe.com\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hashtag?post=55021"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}