botswana telecommunications corporation ( btc ) is a telecommunications and internet service provider in botswana .

btc is headquartered in gaborone .

it provides telecommunications services all over the country and the majority of its services are in the capital city , gaborone and the second largest city , francistown .

currently it has over 100 000 customer access lines in service .

the company was formally as government entity but is now as public entity listed on the botswana stock exchange as botswana telecommunications limited ( btcl )

botswana telecommunications corporation

botswana telecommunications corporation limited ( btcl ) has signed a non - equity partnership agreement with international mobile network and service provider vodafone .
commencement date of 11 january confirmed . botswana ' s government has concluded the lengthy process of privatising one of the country ' s oldest parastatals , botswana telecommunications corporation . . .
botswana telecommunications corporation limited ( btcl ) will list on the botswana stock exchange ( bse ) in april next year , according to the minister of transport and communications , mr tshenolo mabeo .
communications services , including internet service provision , telecommunications equipment , and software are the leading telecommunications sub - sectors .
mr mabeo said privatising btcl had been a long hard task , which commenced about a decade ago and necessitated the development of new laws and reconstruction of the former botswana telecommunications corporation ( btc ) .
approval of the telecommunications act of 1996 [ no . 15 of 1996 ] ; establishment of the botswana telecommunication authority ( bta ) and the beginning of liberalisation of the telecommunications market .
btc was granted a fifteen ( 15 ) year licence . bocra issued interconnection guidelines and the first interconnection ruling between botswana telecommunication corporation ( btc ) , mascom wireless and orange botswana .
mr taylor explained that they were established in 1980 and have since grown into a leading telecommunications provider in botswana . bopa
some of the state enterprises that were privatized and offloaded in recent memory include botswana telecommunications corporation ( btc ) , water affairs as well as bamangwato concessions limited ( bcl ) . air botswana now joins botswana meat commission ( bmc ) on the ranks of state companies awaiting privatization while br could follow soon .
study on the pricing of telecommunications services in botswana . itu secretary general mr . yoshio untsumi officially opened the bocra office .
paul taylor , ceo of botswana telecommunications corporation is rising to the challenge of transforming the country’s telecom incumbent into a customer centric , world class operator in preparation for the next phase of its evolution : privatisation and backbone separation .
hosting of the telecommunications regulators association of southern africa ( trasa ) programme office . bocra moved into its own building ( the current office ) . national roaming was suspended . bocra issued two rulings directing botswana telecommunications corporation ( btc ) to provide leased line capacity to two internet service providers ( isps ) .
btc - botswana telecommunications corporation ltd . published this content on 27 june 2017 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein . distributed by public , unedited and unaltered , on 28 june 2017 12 : 14 : 07 utc .
( btcl ) , the country ' s established public telecommunications operator . . .
botswana has a reasonably developed telecommunications system , although slow internet and high data costs remain a business constraint . the botswana telecommunications corporation ( btc ) provides landline services and competes with cellular consortiums mascom wireless ( an affiliate of south africa’s mtn ) , and orange for cellular service . the cellular market is performing well with especially strong penetration and coverage . botswana has one of the highest cell phone penetration rates in africa .
currently btc is the only fixed line operator in botswana . bemobile is the third largest cellco of botswana in terms of subscribers
botswana should anticipate the proliferation of new superrich oligarchs as a season of privatising state enterprises looks set to continue beyond air botswana .
botswana telecommunications corporation ( btc ) announces its results for the financial year ended 31 march 2017 . btc ' s strategy for the first year post listing , was to ensure the return of value to shareholders by delivering on its financial commitments as outlined in the initial public offering ( ipo ) prospectus .
the challenge botswana telecommunications corporation ( btc ) is still government owned and the only fixed operator in botswana . in 2010 , the government announced it was planning to partially privatise the company and to create a completely separate wholesale infrastructure business . here is what paul had to say about where this project stands at the moment and how he sees it impacting btc going forward ?
official opening of the spectrum monitoring facility – the spectrum house . market study of the telecommunications sector in botswana and the beginning of the mobile phone sim - cards registration requirement .
botswana telecommunications corporation ( btc ) ; mascom wireless ( mtn ) ; orange botswana ( vista cellular ) ; bemobile ; botsnet ; mtn business ; infobotswana ( ibis ) ; broadband botswana internet ( bbi ) ; opq net ; mega internet ; global broadband solution ( gbs ) ; tsagae communications ; virtual business network services ( vbn ) ; bytes technology ; fourth dimension ; hi - performance systems ; microteck enterprises ; tharinet ; netspread ; first national bank .
when it became the first state owned enterprise to list on the botswana stock exchange in 2015 , botswana telecommunications corporation ( btc ) a lot of detractors were quick to prophesy its failure but two years down the line , btcl is one of the best performing entities listed on the bse , and on monday , btcl was observed as the best performing stock on the local bourse year to date .
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development of the telecommunications technical specifications and type approval procedures . development of the telephone numbering policy and the spectrum management strategy .
the botswana stock exchange’s domestic company index ( dci ) seems to be on its way up following the successful listing of botswana telecommunications corporation limited . the dci surged by 0 . 63 % on friday 8th to end the day at 10 , 276 . 40 points up from the previous day’s 10 , 211 . 18 . the surge helped reverse losses that have pulled down the index to 3 . 8 % in the first quarter of 2016 .
privatisation agency said opening could be one of the biggest in botswana ' s history .
btcl will have its initial public offering in early november on the botswana stock exchange .
plot 50350 , khama crescent ( 10 , 372 . 16 mi ) gaborone , botswana 00000
buddecomm is a global independent telecommunications research and consultancy company , specialising in strategic business reports and operating the largest telecoms research service on the internet .
btcl managing director , mr paul taylor , who described the journey to the corporation’s privatization as ‘a remarkable one’ , said privatisation allows entities to stand on their own feet and grow organically .
study on further liberalisation of the telecommunications market in botswana that led to the august 2006 minister’s pronouncement on the lifting of the restriction on the provision of voip by value added network service providers and permission for mobile operators to self - provide transmission links .
installation of the automated frequency management system ( afms ) which simplifies many of the responsibilities of radio frequency spectrum administration such as licensing , engineering analysis , frequency assignment and monitoring . study on cost model and pricing framework for the telecommunications market in botswana .
u . s . exports of telecommunication equipment to botswana stood at $ 1 . 7m in 2011 , but this figure does not reflect those products exported to south africa and imported to botswana by south african distributors .
postponed ipo will now happen in the first half of the year , say authorities . botswana ' s government still intends to go ahead with the planned listing on the bourse of fixed - lined telco botswana . . .
the annual financial statements are presented in botswana pula ( bwp ) which is the company ' s functional currency .
btcl ' s scheduled december ipo listing has been postponed until next year . botswana ' s fixed telephone line parastatal ,
allocation of the fixed wireless access spectrum and the development of a cost model and pricing framework for communications services in botswana .
in 2015 , government , in a historic move offloaded 49 % of the company shares and retained a 51 % controlling stake in the telecommunication giant , during the listing batswana who invested in the corporation were bluntly told by critics that they were throwing their money down the drain .
( btcl ) . in april this year btcl listed on the local bourse , the botswana stock exchange , and has since . . .
total telecom meets the information and research needs of the global communications industry , from breaking news to expert analysis . it is the leading communications link between end users and the vendors , carriers and resellers of telecommunications technology and services .
directive on the implementation of the recommendations of the cost model and pricing framework for communications services in botswana leading to the reduction of wholesale and retail tariffs .
the youth of this country . thanks btcl and botswana police service servive agreememt to allow us to use our savings to buy our shares . . . .
btcl ' s strategy and privatisation programme needs more time says md . the initial public offering ( ipo ) for botswana ' s fixed telephone line parastatal ,
‘at the end of the day , the main goal is to eradicate the poverty of access to information . ’ ‘here in botswana , enabling information access is probably the most important thing . our goal is to eradicate a poverty of a different kind : the poverty of access to information . that is certainly one of the key drivers in botswana . ’
under the non - equity partnership agreement , btcl becomes vodafone ' s preferred partner in botswana . the two companies will jointly offer a range of products and services to business and consumer customers .
btc wishes to inform its shareholders who do not have bank accounts and hold less than fifty thousand shares , that effective febraury 2018 , their dividends will be paid or disbursed through botswana post office .
the group holds the view that increased listings of indigenous companies can bolster botswana’s commercial standing , further diversify the economy through the financial sector and in turn allow for greater distribution of wealth across the population .
btcl boss , anthony masunga , who took the reins from paul taylor , observes that his company’s listing story became a success because of the support from government , botswana stock exchange and public enterprises and economic privatization agency ( peepa ) . “btc‘s listing is a watershed moment in the economic inclusive narrative of botswana , government has always envisaged more businesses listing in the stock exchange and participating in the local economy , ” noted masunga .
bse ceo thapelo tsheole referred to the btcl listing as one of the biggest that they have had in this country and the one that also made them work very hard . he said btcl is the 23rd company to register with bse , and the only telecommunications party . according to peepa ceo kgotla ramaphane this is the first privatisation of a public enterprise that they have completed . he congratulated btcl for having moved from a parastatal to a limited company with only one shareholder to becoming a listed company with thousands of batswana as shareholders . “you are truly the proverbial butterfly . i , therefore , urge you to go out there and beautify the telecommunications sector with your colours , ” he said .
in an all - round futuristic attitude , the minister for transport and communications ; kitso mokaila , told the press this thursday that they might consider privatizing botswana railways as a way of shaking off loss making parastatals . mokaila stated that his desire is to see independent parastatals that generate own income instead of gobbling state funds . he mentioned that in communicating to the botswana railways board of directors , he advised them to maintain an open minded line towards privatization of the train company .
he said citizens would be able to obtain hard copies of application forms and prospectus from all btcl offices , botswana post offices , and barclays bank branches on 11 january , while the offer closing date has been set for 4 march 2016 .
beginning of competition and awarding of the first fifteen year mobile licences to mascom wireless ( pty ) ltd and vista cellular ( now orange botswana ( pty ) ltd ) . the licences were awarded with a ten ( 10 ) year exclusivity period .
according to btc executives the company aims at continuing being a financially stable corporation which realises growth in business space at all levels guided by best practice standards . “the btc story is a story about the future , about saving and investing . it is about accelerating the rate of economic growth by stimulating entrepreneurship and investment . btc offers potential for financial gain through share value growth and dividends when they are declared , self - wealth generation , greater understanding of and participation in economic activity , ” he concluded .
lucara’s share price has appreciated by about 22 % in the first quarter of the year . while other companies trading under the foreign counter remained largely flat , botswana diamond and shumba energy slid down to shed off 15 % and 8 % of share price respectively .
according to btcl chief executive officer , anthony masunga , btcl stock is currently trading at p1 . 23 , a 23 % appreciation on the listing price , a sentiment he highlighted at one of botswana stock exchange regular seminars resourced by his company on monday the 13th .
“i am privileged to stand here today and set in motion the final steps towards a privatised btcl , a first of its kind in botswana . government has had this privatisation vision for many years and now we are the first of its fruits , ” mr mabeo said .
effective regulatory reform has turned the botswana’s telecom market into one of the most liberalised in the region . there is a service - neutral licensing regime which takes into account the increasing convergence of technologies and services . a number of operators now compete effectively , particularly in the mobile segment .
this strategic partnership with btcl for botswana will enable us to expand the reach of our products and services within africa and extends our footprint to 55 markets worldwide . it will also deliver enhanced roaming benefits for btcl ' s consumer and multinational corporate customers ,
vodafone partner markets chief executive stefano gastaut .
the btc ' s strategy of transformation and growth is underpinned by a drive the telecommunications landscape continues to evolve , with further to create a sustainable business and shareholder value , focusing on business liberalisation of the market . btc remains very optimistic about its future growth , customer experience , operational efficiency , innovation and engendering prospects , as it continues to leverage on its unique product offering and wide a culture of high performance . network coverage to consolidate its position to become a market leader in
btc began offering 49 % of its shares for sale to botswana citizens in january 2016 , signifying the first privatization move by the gob despite its longstanding privatization commitments . the sale of btc stock had been delayed approximately a dozen times . the gob will retain 51 % ownership and foreigners are not permitted to buy stock .
dsl service provided by btc is expensive , though reasonably reliable . dedicated bandwidth , essential for some businesses , is expensive but the government is trying to lower costs . there are no restrictions on the provision of voice over internet protocol by value - added network service providers . the ministry of information , science , and technology has the authority to issue licenses for telecom services including mobile telephones , data communications , payphones , sale of telecommunications equipment , and internet services . no restrictions apply to foreign partnerships in mobile services .
btc plans to achieve its business goals through various strategies , including : maintaining up - to - date technology in the implementation of services ; maintaining and enhancing relationships with customers ; increase revenue volumes from existing and new products and decrease costs to offset the anticipated declines in telecommunications tariffs ; and leveraging its leadership in a converged fixed mobile networks in three growth areas : voice , data and internet . new services will focus on fixed / wireless / mobile / internet convergence , as well as virtual private networks and advanced data services .
the btc board of directors has declared a final dividend of 11 . 09 thebe per share , payable to all shareholders registered in the books of the company at close of business on friday 14 july 2017 . the dividend will be paid net of applicable withholding taxes under the botswana income tax act , on or about friday 25 august 2017 .
however , the latest estimates from analysts at trading economics points to a challenging year for the bse . they project the bse’s dci to decline to 10 , 000 points in 2016 q2 , followed by 9620 points in q3 and a further decline in q3 that will leave the index at 9390 points . “we model the past behaviour of botswana stock market ( bse dci ) using vast amounts of historical data and we adjust the coefficients of the econometric model by taking into account our analysts assessments and future expectations . the forecast for - botswana stock market ( bse dci ) - was last predicted on wednesday , april 13 , 2016 , ” read part of the note from trading economics .
“when i wrote to the board , i said to them that if it is possible we should privatize botswana railways so that we break new grounds and start transporting goods into west , central and east africa . ” when probed further , mokaila stated that he cannot say for certain at the moment whether they will privatize br stating that they intend to conduct a research beforehand .
although the number of mobile subscribers fell sharply at the end of 2016 , botswana still has one of the highest mobile penetration rates in africa . popular use of multiple sim cards from different operators has delayed the introduction of mobile number portability , with the telecom regulator not convinced of the facility’s economic benefits . in a bid to generate new revenue streams and secure market share , the three mobile network operators ( mnos ) – mascom wireless ( an affiliate of south africa’s mtn ) , orange botswana ( backed by orange group ) and btc – have entered the underdeveloped broadband sector by adopting of 3g , lte and wimax technologies . in the fixed - line broadband market they compete with a large number of isps , some of which have rolled out their own wireless access infrastructure .
‘to date , the government has decided which assets will transfer from btc into a specially created vehicle called botswana fiber networks . the current estimates are that the separation process will take between 12 and 18 months to complete and then the ipo will take place . however , a date of 20 - something at the moment is speculative because what we first need to do is define the details of separation and the ipo beyond it .
bihl group believes that local companies stand to benefit financially and professionally from becoming listed operations . botswana stock exchange ( bse ) continues to be a viable platform for business growth . these sentiments were shared by the bihl group ceo , catherine lesetedi - letegele , ahead of the bse listings conference . the group has also announced its official participation and sole diamond sponsorship of the conference , billed for march 9 th , 2017 in gaborone .
the government of botswana has recently moved to privatise state owned enterprises that are notably bleeding government coffers and are running at perennial losses . experts are now saying the government should use the same model it used with btcl asserts disposal , in which the state retained a controlling stake , with a significant shareholding offloaded to ordinary batswana . it appears btcl has now become today’s listing success story , and a model that now former critics prefer .
sharing his sentiments on the development , paul taylor , managing director at btcl said :
we are delighted to have entered into the non - equity strategic partnership with a global player of vodafone ' s standing . the partnership will allow us to better differentiate against competition , delivering innovative communications solutions for the benefit of our customers and visitors to botswana . vodafone , on the other hand , will draw on btcl ' s extensive network coverage .
“there is no doubt that the journey has been long . however , we are very happy to have reached the final stages . the privatization of btcl stems from the privatisation policy of botswana which was adopted in 2000 . the main aim of the policy is to implement a programme that would increase private sector participation in the economy and improve the efficiency , productivity and competitiveness of the public sector in delivering public services and infrastructure , ” mr ramaphane said .
the top 5 gainers in the first three months of the year were led by cresta , the leading hotel operator in the country . its share price has appreciated by 6 . 6 percent . following closely behind is the catherine lesetedi letegela’s led botswana insurance holdings limited which has advanced by 5 . 3 percent on the backdrop of impressive earnings . the third spot has been occupied by new african properties which outperformed all listed property companies as its share price jumped by 4 . 2 percent .
‘another key influence in my life was my grand - father . ’ ‘when i was a teenager , like most people that age i did not have a clear idea about what i wanted to do . i went to my grand - father in my late teens and i said to him ‘i really do not know what i would like to do when i grow up’ . he would have been in his late 70s or early 80s and he used to walk around in this shroud of smoke from a pipe he continually smoked . he looked at me and said : ‘if i were you boy i would go into telecommunications because that is the future’ . it was either a staggering insight or just good luck , as he was completely right and that is exactly what i did do . ’
the much delayed privatisation of btc has been facilitated by the transfer of network assets and the management of btc’s involvement in two key submarine cables to the newly created wholesale operator botswana fiber networks ( bofinet ) . btc through this process has been transformed into a retailer of services . an ipo was completed in april 2016 . there was considerable interest in the 44 % of the company made available , with 5 % reserved for employees and 51 % being retained by the state . some 50 , 000 private investors now have a stake in the operator .
regarding air botswana , mokaila conceded that the national carrier had been troubled citing among other reasons , the country’s population and unprofitable routes . he also revealed that his ministry has so far received 17 expressions of interest to take up 52 % of the national carrier’s stake . he however declined to name the individuals and companies that stepped up only stating that due process is still underway . he further revealed that they have roped in the services of international air transport association ( iata ) to assess the 17 expression of interest for viability , “to look for the best model , avoid job losses and come up with a good airline . ”
on the losing side , the pan - african financial services provider took a hit on its share price despite hitting the billion pula mark in revenue . letshego has seen its share price plummet by as much as 13 . 4 % . choppies , the retail giant that’s on an expansion plan , was the second biggest loser as its share price tanked by 6 . 8 percent . the third spot is taken by fnbb , as the largest bank by value in botswana saw its share price decline by 6 . 3 percent . engen did not do well as its share price contracted by 6 % , making it the 4th biggest loser . the 5th position was a tie between sechaba and stanchart with both companies losing out 5 % of share price value .
btc annual financial statements for the year ended 31 march 2018 . . . read more
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beginning date 2008 title variation phone book btc . . . phone book frequency annual vol / date range began with 2008 . note description based on first issue ; title from cover . continues btc telephone directory and yellow pages
setting up of the bta with the assistance of the swedish management group ( smg ) and publishing of the tender for the procurement of mobile telephone services .
licensing of the first two commercial fm broadcasting radio stations ; yarona fm and gabz - fm . bta awarded the first internet service providers’ licences .
implementation of the new seven digit - numbering plan . the international telecommunication union ( itu ) conducted a study on the bocra and declares it a best practice model for regulators and policy - makers to emulate .
introduction of the service neutral licensing regime leading to the birth of the btc mobile phone service arm - bemobile .
bocra will investigate a consumer complaint against a service provider if there is sufficient evidence to establish .
after a period of stagnation , the number of internet users has risen strongly in recent years , largely the result of lower prices following improvements in international connectivity . historically , the landlocked country has depended on satellites for its international bandwidth , and on other countries for transit capacity to landing points of international submarine fibre optic cable systems . the landing of additional cables in the region in recent years has improved the competitive situation in this sector , while prices for connectivity have fallen by up to 70 % . the stability and cheaper cost of fixed - line broadband services continues to attract subscribers , though mobile internet remains the preferred choice for most , particularly among the large proportion of younger people in the country .
report update includes telcos’ data to q1 2018 , regulator’s 2017 annual report and market data to q1 2017 , telecom maturity index tables , charts and analysis , recent market developments .
after being away from the market for 6 years , i am glad to see that your site has been enriched with more reports and opinions . i’m looking forward to exploring what i used to consider as the best reliable source of information in the market .
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the board is the custodian of corporate governance and it is responsible for ensuring that the . . .
speaking on behalf of bihl , the group’s pr , communications & marketing manager , tebogo keepetsoe said , “our participation as diamond sponsor at this year’s conference comes off the back of our continued belief in the local bourse . we encourage local companies to seriously consider listing as a way to expand their operations . through listing in 1991 , bihl was able to finance its growth in the local financial sector , benefit from the bespoke counsel of the bse and use our public - listed status to venture into markets beyond our borders . ”
bihl believes that there are several viable opportunities that listing has to offer . these include the following :
· access to large - scale fundraising : listing offers companies opportunity to raise the necessary capital to expand their operations , while allowing them to maintain their set operational costs . additionally , listing allows ready marketability of securities on a continuous basis .
· in addition to the initial fundraising from the initial public offer , listing allows exposure to raise a company’s asset value . a listed company by its very nature and in line with the compliance requirements of the bse , is a company that holds strong governance dear . this in turn raises a company’s corporate profile and opportunities to raise additional capital and grow the business through other means are made available , as the company becomes more known to the public and investors .
· brand awareness via public education . listing allows companies the opportunity to engage with the public and potential investors . in the future , the company benefits from reaching and influencing a wider audience , which offers opportunities for greater business development .
· listing allows a company the kind of profile , experience and stature needed for expansions into foreign markets . in 2016 for example , the group expanded its footprint into other country markets through the acquisition of a 25 . 1 % stake in nico holdings malawi , allowing the group to operate in malawi , zambia , tanzania , uganda and mozambique . the group’s asset management subsidiary , bifm , also penetrated the zambian market through a 49 % stake in aflife zambia , which deals with asset management and employee benefits in that market .
concluded mrs . keepetsoe , “rre tsheole and his team have evidently made good strides in the securities industry . we commend bse for this campaign and trust that more batswana businesspeople will be exposed to the opportunities of listing that await them . ”
officially listed in 1991 , with an issue that was over - subscribed by 273 % , bihl group is one of the veteran companies , with 26 years on the local bourse .
the bihl trust was established in 2007 to identify and support worthwhile initiatives within local communities . . .
bihl reinforced its commitment to corporate governance during 2012 , with the adoption and implementation of key . . .
welcome to the last issue , of stronger together for the year ! we are fortunate that we have been . . .
to colleagues of the bihl group , providing leading financial services involves diligence and . . .
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vodafone is said to operate in approximately 30 countries and partners with networks in over 50 countries , while btcl operates a fixed telephone line and mobile network bemobile .
seacom has upgraded its subsea cable system along africa ' s east coast by another 500g to 1 . 5tbps .
the risk and information solutions provider names sudhish mohan as its chief operating officer in sa .
technology can be used to verify candidates ' credentials - and research shows qualification and cv fraud in south africa had increased by 200 % in 2014 , says manpowergroup south africa ' s managing director , . . .
banks need to shake their conservative image and position themselves to do business with people who are techno - savvy and who expect quick results .
the amount of a non - refundable deposit paid by teleogy , the preferred bidder for 9mobile in nigeria , to the trustee for the bank syndicate presently holding ownership .
one channel has launched its acumatica product for construction called one build , an end - to - end cloud business management system for the construction industry .
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costs decreased by 26 % to p1 . 401bn from p1 . 883bn in the prior year .
the company will continue to make significant investments in its network and people , in order to provide quality , reliable and affordable services to its customers , while creating value for its shareholders .
the financial statements have been prepared on a historical cost basis , except as modified by the measurement of certain financial instruments at fair value and the revaluation of certain assets , and on a going concern basis .
increased by 8 % year on year , compared to an almost flat performance of 0 . 4 % in the previous financial year march 2016 . the increase was anchored by an across the board increase in fixed , data , and mobile revenues as follows :
fixed telephony revenues increased by 4 % . fixed voice continues to provide a solid revenue base for the company contributing 32 % to total revenues .
data services revenues increased by 21 % , with contribution to total revenues increasing from 26 % to 29 % .
total costs declined by 26 % year on year . no impairment adjustment was recognised for the year following an impairment assessment exercise carried out at year end , compared to the p522m impairment recognised in the previous year . further , cost of sales declined by 6 % .
cash balances increased by 32 % from p390m to p516m . cash balances were boosted by the capital raised during listing of p250m . additionally , cash generated from operations increased by 32 % from p254m to p335m .
dividends paid during the year amounted to p90m comprising a march 2016 dividend of p52m which was paid in august 2016 , and a september 2016 interim dividend of p38m which was paid in february 2017 .
purchase of ppe ( capital expenditure ) increased by 57 % on the back of capital commitments to strategic projects , namely ; mobile 3g / 4g expansion , billing platforms convergence , data centre and network operation centre ( noc ) .
total assets increased by 19 % from prior year p1 . 9bn to current year at p2 . 3bn . property , plant and equipment grew by 23 % owing to the roll out of mobile network expansion ( 3g and lte ) , billing platforms convergence and other strategic programmes .
the youth to join in their droves in buying the btcl shares . this is an opportunit
have over the years see it grow in leaps and bounds . i would also like to encourage btcl to disclose a minimum purchase one would need acquire so that young people can place themselves
lly for that final day , is it bwp500 , 1000 or 2000 give us a figure . way to go btcl ! ! you are the pacesetter
rs . i got my share of devidants last week friday . is there a chance that one can buy more ?
this is a chance in a million . no buts and doubts just do it you have nothing to lose but an opportunit
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this is a best prospect industry sector for this country . includes a market overview and trade data .
the government has invested $ 38 million into the development of the west africa cable system , an undersea cable connecting southern and western african countries to the united kingdom via portugal . bofinet also continues to extend their fiber backbone to cover other areas in the country .
prepared by our u . s . embassies abroad . with its network of 108 offices across the united states and in more than 75 countries , the u . s . commercial service of the u . s . department of commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help u . s . companies sell their products and services worldwide . locate the u . s . commercial service trade specialist in the u . s . nearest you by visiting urltoken
website feedback | privacy policy | disclaimer | foia | no fear act | urltoken the international trade administration ( ita ) , u . s . department of commerce manages urltoken to assist u . s . businesses plan their international sales strategies and succeed in today’s global marketplace . external links to other internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein . this site contains pdf documents . a pdf reader is available from adobe systems incorporated .
having worked as a telecom business leader in 60 countries on 4 continents , he has led successful ipos , privatisations , acquisitions and license bids across the world . enriched by his extensive global experience , paul definitely is the man for the challenge .
i recently had the pleasure of talking with him about the intricacies he faces in transforming btc , the plans in motion and what makes him the man for the job . this is what he had to say .
‘we expect between 12 - 18 months for the assets separation to complete and probably a period of time beyond that for stabilisation before the ipo actually takes place . ’
there is a lot of work still to do in terms of operationalizing the assets that will transfer into the special purpose vehicle ( spv ) , as the license conditions for the spv are yet to be published . ’
‘there is a discussion ongoing at the moment about how services are deployed from the spv . whether it is staged over time such that we complete within the 12 - 18 months or whether it is a big bang at some point down that time continuum . but the situation is not entirely clear at this point . ’
‘the most important challenge in this evolving environment is managing multi - dimensional change . ’ ‘making sure btc is ready for the upcoming revolution is quite a challenge and managing the different facets of change is the key to our success . change comes in 4 distinct and discreet areas : the first one is about the organisational change , moving largely from a product led organisation to one which is much more market oriented and delivers against its fixed mobile convergence ( fmc ) vision . at the moment we have a vision about convergence but the organisation does not really reflect that . the second dimension is about moving towards a privatized entity .
the third is about the separation work which is ongoing which will take certain backbone assets and potentially local access network assets and put them into a separate facilities based carrier . the fourth is of the result of those assets going into a facilities based carrier actually facing competition right across the spectrum of operations . and these are all going simultaneously . ’
‘firstly , the terrain is hostile in a number of areas , with the kalahari desert sitting in the middle ground . secondly , the population outside of gaborone is fairly thinly and widely distributed . so keeping up network and services quality in that environment with significant distribution is a challenge in its own right . also , offering these services in these conditions at a sustainable cost is a constant challenge . ’
in some ways , the whole focus of btc will change from a wholesale / retail company towards a model where retail is more dominant . this will change the nature of the company , the way it offers services and manages its people . here is an insight of what paul sees as critical steps to ensure btc is prepared for this new phase and how he will ensure a successful transformation .
‘aligning the business mentally and organizationally against a vision is key . ’ ‘what exists at the moment is an articulated vision of convergence but an organization that is not really placed to deliver against it . so a lot of work up to now has gone into a number of areas . we initially refreshed the mission , vision and values of the company and have introduced a new strategic framework so that we can assess our progress over the next 2 years against a number of well defined measures of success . with this in place , everybody can see how they are contributing to our long term success . ’
‘we have spent a lot of time getting the basics right . ’ ‘2012 was about basics . it was about making sure that we have the right skills in the right places , with the right processes and that is a piece of work that is still underway . the whole company needs to focus on doing basic things brilliantly well because until we have actually got a platform for change that is absolutely robust in place , change will be risky . change is ongoing because it is an inevitable part of where we are , but our number one priority is to create a very stable platform upon which all this change can be exercised . 2013 is really about a journey of beginning and hopefully completing the transformation to a large extend . and 2014 , the third year in the strategic program , will be about delivering the vision in terms of revenue from fmc and data services . ’
paul is a visionary with a thirst for new experiences and no fear of challenges . i discussed with him what he thinks has influenced him to take this path and become the global citizen he is now .
i think the greatest influence in my career is the diversity of experience in the + 20 years that i have been working outside of the uk . i have been fortunate enough to work in over 60 countries and live long term on 4 continents . so looking at different ways of doing business , different cultures , different environments , just that level of diversity in its own right is a significant influence on the way i look at the world and conduct business .
this interview was conducted by isabelle paradis of hot telecom , it was not produced by and does not reflect the views of total telecom .
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mokaila further said that one of the aspects that will ease his ideal of continental trade is the construction of kazungula bridge which is both road and rail in kind . he said that his ministry intends to adopt a forward sighted approach “to see if a train will not pass through the wildlife area of kasane as we export into central africa since there are wildlife issues of migration routes . ”
he further revealed that when construction is complete , the kazungula corridor will service 800 vehicles daily as compared to the 200 that are able to flow into and out of zambia daily . deputy permanent secretary for transport in mokaila’s ministry , isaac moepeng , also denied that the country’s south - north railway has reached its end life . the rail line has been washed away by rains numerous times in the recent past , derailing and running trains aground . mokaila revealed that the recent damage to br resultant of derailed trains cost government a staggering figure of p 8 million .
moepeng , however revealed that , with chinese assistance , in 1985 br overhauled the then 40 kilogram per meter section of the railway to 50 kilogram per meter upraised on concrete sleepers . he further noted that this meant that government can now move more tonnages of goods on the tracks revealing that the railway still has 32 years of life left in it . moepeng stated that , in fact , br is underutilising the railway as they move 2 million tons of goods per annum on a railway that has the aptitude to haul up to 4 million tons .
he also said that the dire situation at the carrier is evident as can be seen with the downscaling of aircrafts from formerly 8 to the current 4 . mokaila also acknowledged that the carrier’s pilots are leaving en masse for better prospects elsewhere , stating that : “i am happy when they leave because they get better opportunities . ” moepeng , for his part , revealed that out of the airliner’s 40 pilots , “10 have left and some are still going . ”
mokaila , under whose ministry falls the department of roads stated that his ministry will compile an assessment of the country’s damaged road network and then make presentations to cabinet . he further stated that the assessment will determine the quantum of the damages which will advise him when he requests funding from cabinet . “there has been road damage after the recent rains while other roads were in a bad state long before the recent rains . some will need maintenance while some will need rebuilding . ”


healthgrades operating company inc. , known as healthgrades , is a us company that provides information about physicians , hospitals and health care providers .

healthgrades has amassed information on over 3 million u.s. health care providers .

the company was founded by kerry hicks and is based in denver , colorado .

scott booker serves as the company 's ceo .

according to usa today , healthgrades is the first comprehensive physician rating and comparison database .

healthgrades

healthgrades websites - web design by healthgrades | data - driven , platform - connected .
glassdoor has 242 healthgrades reviews submitted anonymously by healthgrades employees . read employee reviews and ratings on glassdoor to decide if healthgrades is right for you .
ready to explore your career with healthgrades ? you’re in the right place - healthgrades . careers . good luck with your search !
denver , colo . ( may 8 , 2018 ) — healthgrades , the leading online resource for information about physicians and hospitals , today announced recipients of the healthgrades 2018 patient safety excellence award and the healthgrades 2018 outstanding patient experience award .
the list of the clinical excellence hospitals is available at the healthgrades web site .
healthgrades is headquartered in denver , with offices in atlanta , madison and raleigh .
my favorite thing about working for healthgrades is the people . the skill level , professionalism and excitement the people bring every day to work at healthgrades is amazing .
integrate with the healthgrades consumer intelligence platform for powerful performance and revenue reporting capabilities .
my favorite thing about healthgrades is working in a fast paced environment with an amazing culture that fosters innovation and thinking outside the box . healthgrades has no fear of failure .
description : healthgrades is the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals .
use of this website and any information contained herein is governed by the healthgrades user agreement .
are you reaching your audience wherever they are ? healthgrades tools uncover more opportunities to connect .
use of this website and any information contained herein is governed by the healthgrades user agreement .
like many online review sites , healthgrades has strict quality control and identity verification protocols . but
healthgrades this week launched a doctor rating and comparison database for consumers , usa today reports .
healthgrades on tuesday released its annual lists of top hospitals for patient safety and patient experience .
below is a brief ‘pros and cons’ guide to healthgrades , ratemds , vitals and yelp .
the business journal asked if hospitals listed by healthgrades pay a fee to be listed . “the answer is no , ” replied jacey dobbel , director of corporate marketing at healthgrades . com .
the clinical excellence awards bestowed by healthgrades are intended to help patients make an informed choice about where to get treated .
all hospitals are not created equal
is a healthgrades mantra .
healthgrades currently works with more than 400 hospitals nationwide . healthgrades helps hospitals to understand , improve and communicate the safety and quality of care . healthgrades ' consultants and physician - led clinical advisory services help hospitals improve patient safety and quality of care . healthgrades also produces well - respected public studies that identify trends in hospital quality clinical excellence , patient safety and women ' s health .
healthgrades identifies woodwinds health campus as performing in top ten percent in the nation for patient satisfaction .
© 2018 web design by healthgrades | data - driven , platform - connected . all rights reserved
physician profiles on @ healthgrades are 92 % accurate . google listings are only 76 % accurate .
seventeen states have at least one healthgrades america ' s 50 best hospital . to compare the quality of care at local hospitals , visit www . healthgrades . com . ( graphic : business wire )
cite this article : top hospitals for outcomes named by healthgrades - medscape - jan 15 , 2013 .
at healthgrades , our mission is to provide trusted information that helps consumers and providers make meaningful connections .
accessing healthgrades ' services and the wealth of information healthgrades offer is easier than picking up the phone . simply visit urltoken and find the information you need to make the best , cost - effective health care decisions .
in its partnership with unitedhealthcare , however , healthgrades is not on the hook for flubbing a physician profile , because the insurer supplies that basic information . the only contribution from healthgrades is the star rating from patients .
alternatives to healthgrades for web , iphone , android , windows , mac and more . filter by license to discover only free or open source alternatives . this list contains a total of 6 apps similar to healthgrades .
although healthgrades lists doctors and their backgrounds , the site does not
rate
them , dejong pointed out .
healthgrades is the leading provider of information to help you find the right dentist that best meets your care needs .
overall , 467 hospitals were given the 2015 healthgrades patient safety excellence award—representing the top 10 % of hospitals evaluated .
on healthgrades , potential patients can search by doctor name , office name , speciality , condition or procedure . while healthgrades creates physicians’ profiles based on information from government and commercially available services , physicians can claim and edit these profiles .
cite this article : big insurer ' s website displays physician ' healthgrades ' - medscape - may 03 , 2016 .
using that data , healthgrades identified the top 5 percent of hospitals and awarded them the distinguished award for clinical excellence .
1 . to determine best hospitals award winners , healthgrades examined medicare inpatient data from the medicare provider analysis and review database from 2013 through 2015 for the 32 most common inpatient conditions and procedures , among other data points . find more information here . healthgrades ' 100 best hospitals have all received the healthgrades distinguished hospital award for clinical excellence consecutively for at least the last three years , while healthgrades ' 50 best hospitals have all received the award consecutively for at least the last six years .
as a further safeguard , healthgrades will audit a clinician ' s patient ratings if they strike him or her as fishy .
healthgrades has received 3 . 68 out of 5 stars based on 17 customer reviews and a bbb rating of a + .
healthgrades achievement ratings and awards empower hospitals to improve patient outcomes and help consumers evaluate , compare , and choose a hospital .
further , healthgrades noted that disparities exist both in local markets and within hospitals . for instance , according to the analysis :
the healthgrades america’s 50 best hospitals for 2010 were identified in a report issued today by the leading independent healthcare ratings organization .
healthgrades analyzed roughly 45 million medicare hospitalization records for patients at nearly 4 , 500 short - term , acute care hospitals across the united states between 2012 and 2014 . for one condition , healthgrades also used 2011 - 2013 all - payer state data .
on its website , healthgrades says it evaluates hospitals “solely on clinical outcomes — risk adjusted mortality and in - hospital complications . ”
evan marks , executive vice president for informatics and strategy at healthgrades , chalks up these incongruities to differing methodologies for measuring quality .
get to know the faces and fun facts about the talent acquisition team members that are connecting you with career opportunities at healthgrades .
in a release , healthgrades cmo brad bowman said
high marks in clinical quality are a major differentiator for hospitals , and have a profound effect on consumers when they make decisions about where to receive care .
he added ,
the hospitals that have achieved this distinction stand out from their peers because of their commitment to high quality clinical outcomes for their patients
( healthgrades release , 1 / 17 ; healthgrades infographic , accessed 1 / 25 ; healthgrades quality methodology , accessed 1 / 25 ; healthgrades award recipients list , accessed 1 / 25 ; zimmerman , becker ' s infection control & clinical quality , 1 / 18 ) .
more than 75 percent of internet users search for health topics on a weekly basis , and more than 1 million people visit healthgrades daily . healthgrades helps consumers find the right doctor by providing highly credible , medically reviewed , comprehensive content on more than 100 topics .
healthgrades gathers information from hundreds of government and commercial sources and updates with new information within one to three months . still , healthgrades acknowledges that the best and most complete information comes from the providers and practices themselves . when providers update their own information on their healthgrades profile — which they can do using free registration and access — those updates appear on the website in one to three business days .
healthgrades says patients and referring physicians consider information about conditions treated , procedures performed , and care philosophy to be important in consumer evaluations .
blufish consulting on twitter :
physician profiles on @ healthgrades are 92 % accurate . google listings are only 76 % accurate .
welcome to the healthgrades web site ( this
site
) provided by healthgrades operating company , inc . (
healthgrades ,
we
or
us
) . healthgrades collects data and other information regarding hospitals , physicians , long - term care facilities and other providers of healthcare services ( collectively ,
healthcare providers
) from a variety of sources . healthgrades uses proprietary processes and algorithms to select , compile and adjust certain data to generate ratings of the healthcare providers (
ratings
) . on this site , healthgrades makes available ratings , lists based on specific criteria , including without limitation , in the form of search results ( “lists” ) , and other information , profiles and materials regarding healthcare providers ( collectively with the ratings and lists , the
site materials
) .
what it is : with more than 30 million people a month visiting healthgrades , having an accurate and updated profile on this site is crucial . healthgrades provides information about physicians , hospitals , and health care providers in a truly user - friendly experience . when searching on healthgrades , patients can narrow in on the results by insurance , distance , review / rating , gender , age , and even availability .
please note : your message will be received by healthgrades customer support and will not be sent to physicians or hospitals featured on this website .
the quality advisory board is a formal body who offers healthgrades the ability to receive additional input for both methodology questions and overall quality topics .
ow well a provider listens and answers questions , and staff friendliness and courteousness . most patients , healthgrades says , give clinicians positive reviews .
the insurer chose healthgrades over other online physicians review systems partly because it shares only star ratings from patients , and not their written comments .
each day a million consumers go online searching for a doctor or looking up physician reviews . a large number of these online healthcare consumers will click on healthgrades , as it is typically one of the top sites to appear in search results . in colorado alone , where healthgrades is based ( and , coincidentally , so is clementine ) , between 50 , 000 and 60 , 000 people visit healthgrades’ website every day .
for its 2015 outstanding patient experience award , healthgrades analyzed providers ' 2013 scores on the hospital consumer assessment of healthcare providers and systems survey .
full procedure - by - procedure comparisons of the healthgrades america’s 50 best hospitals and all others can be found in the report at urltoken .
as part of the partnership , urltoken clients in elective practices like dermatology , podiatry , and dentistry will be able to upgrade to healthgrades premium profiles , enabling them to differentiate themselves to increase their visibility and engage patients through healthgrades . com . as part of its premium program , healthgrades will integrate call analytics , patient experience surveys and urltoken ' s online appointment scheduling , which are managed and monitored within the urltoken dashboard .
at healthgrades , better health gets a head start . we help millions of consumers each month find and schedule appointments with their provider of choice .
of sperling dermatology ,
our business would not be growing at the rate it is if it weren ' t for urltoken and healthgrades .
healthgrades partners with hospitals and health care organizations to help them make clinical quality the core strategic imperative of their organizations . healthgrades ' physician - led clinical - advisory services help hospitals and health care organizations understand , improve , and communicate the safety and quality of care they deliver . healthgrades ' consultants work with these organizations to improve patient safety and quality of care in such areas as cardiology , orthopedics , critical care , and gastrointestinal medicine .
healthgrades is an independent source of physician information and hospital quality outcomes , comparing the quality of care of nearly 5 , 000 hospitals using clinical indicators . healthgrades ' evaluation is based on the most recent three years of medicare data available . analyzing 27 diagnoses and procedures , healthgrades rates hospitals’ performance as “better than expected” ( 5 - star ) , “as expected” ( 3 - star ) , and “worse than expected” ( 1 - star ) .
consumers use the information available at healthgrades to take a much more active role in their health ,
said scott booker , healthgrades ' ceo .
we ' ve designed a new site to help consumers access the information they need to make more informed decisions throughout their healthcare experience .
working at healthgrades provides you the unique opportunity to change the game in the healthcare space . more than one million people a day rely upon healthgrades to research , compare and connect with physicians and other healthcare professionals . we are dedicated to delivering solutions that bring a new level of transparency to healthcare .
, the nation ' s largest health insurer , now shows healthgrades ' patient satisfaction ratings when members search for providers , robert lowes writes for medscape .
all in all , the breakdown in healthgrades ratings refutes the notion that only unhappy patients take the time to complete an online survey , said marks .
unlike other hospital ratings companies , healthgrades evaluates hospitals solely on clinical outcomes — risk - adjusted mortality , patient safety , and in - hospital complications .
overall , healthgrades says nearly 160 , 000 lives could have been saved if all hospitals performed at the same level as those that received an award .
last october , healthgrades named virginia mason one of america’s 100 best hospitals for cardiac care for the second straight year ( 2017 - 2018 ) and one of america’s 100 best hospitals for coronary intervention . february is american heart month . learn more about how healthgrades determines its best hospitals award recipients at :
when i questioned the validity of the one negative comment i got , and showed healthgrades the background of it not being true , healthgrades stuck to their policy and refused to take down the negative review . i asked to be removed from healthgrades altogether , and they refused to do that also , saying that unless my npi is canceled , they cannot do that . they are not easy to reach , not friendly and very unresponsive to dispute negative ratings .
having a strong presence on healthgrades can help you attract new patients and keep the ones you have . and even without your permission or participation , you will be listed on healthgrades , which uses public databases to populate its records . so why wouldn’t you take full advantage of this free physician marketing tool ?
should you elect to send or receive e - mail communications of any kind to or from healthgrades , you represent and warrant to healthgrades that your e - mail service has appropriate and adequate security systems necessary to prevent unauthorized access to outbound or inbound e - mail transmissions . you further agree that the content ( including any site materials ) in any e - mail or other electronic communication you receive from healthgrades is subject to the provisions of this user agreement .
healthgrades also provides relevant medical information through its network of educational web sites that include rightdiagnosis . com , wrongdiagnosis . com , urltoken and physicianreports . com .
beyond that , healthgrades pulls together different pieces of objective information , said evan marks , the company ' s executive vice - president for informatics and strategy .
healthgrades , an online resource for information on physicians and hospitals , named its list of america ' s 50 and 100 best hospitals for 2017 on tuesday .
healthgrades on tuesday released its annual clinical quality scores for u . s . hospitals , rating about 4 , 500 providers on 33 common conditions and procedures .
healthgrades ' commitment to quality and transparency in healthcare is core to our mission . at healthgrades , we integrate the same three factors that physicians themselves agree are most important when selecting or referring a healthcare provider ( patient satisfaction , experience match , and the quality of the hospital where a physician provides care ) :
marks stressed that healthgrades relies solely on objective clinical outcomes data , in contrast to the us news & world report ranking , which factors in a hospital ' s reputation . furthermore , healthgrades confines itself to mortality and complication rates , whereas leapfrog looks at a far broader array of safety measures . that difference would explain why the university of california ronald reagan ucla medical center in los angeles received a clinical excellence award from healthgrades even though leapfrog flunked it , said marks .
there is advertising on healthgrades . com , too , ranging from spearmint gum to permanent birth control to a source for a hippa - compliant medical marijuana card .
what we do at healthgrades is just downright cool ! the way we blend data analytics and creativity is something i am truly proud to be a part of .
as one of the top 20 sites seen most often in medical practice search results , healthgrades is like the yelp of doctor reviews . your practice’s future depends on your understanding of how urltoken affects doctors online . one of the most popular and trusted doctor rating and review sites , healthgrades drives patient decision - making , determining who sets foot in your office—and who stays away . healthgrades is one of the first sites a doctor should pay attention to when working to improve online reputation .
5 . in addition to clinical outcomes , healthgrades ' top hospitals also excel at patient engagement , according to a healthgrades whitepaper . healthgrades cited various examples , such as virginia mason medical center in seattle , which implemented the orthopedic patient - peer partner program , an idea that came from the medical center ' s orthopedic patients . through the program , patients who had joint replacement surgery at the hospital can return as volunteers to support other patients who are preparing to undergo joint replacement surgery .
in 2009 healthgrades released the first - ever list of top - rated hospitals for kidney , liver , lung and heart organ transplantation . healthgrades also released the results of a 2009 hospital quality study that found that patients at highly rated hospitals have a 52 percent lower chance of dying compared with the u . s . hospital average .
awareness of these online sites has only grown in the last few years , making review sites such as healthgrades an essential part of physician marketing and medical practice marketing .
hospitals need to better understand shifting drivers of satisfaction in diverse patient populations across different hospital settings ,
says evan marks , the chief strategy officer at healthgrades .
to determine the top hospitals for patient safety , healthgrades examined cms claims data from 2011 to 2013 and evaluated hospitals on their ability to avoid potentially preventable medical complications .
to be eligible for consideration , hospitals had to report sufficient data to assess mortality and complication rates for at least 21 of the 32 conditions and procedures included in the healthgrades methodology . healthgrades used information from cms ' medicare provider analysis and review database for 2013 through 2015 to assess mortality and complication rates for those conditions and procedures .
healthgrades is the leader in making information on physicians and hospitals more accessible and transparent . our purpose : to give people the confidence to make the right healthcare decisions .
unitedhealthcare introduced the star ratings from healthgrades in march , joining some 50 other insurers that share the data with beneficiaries in search of a network physician . most of these insurers obtain the ratings through third - party data licensing companies , although a handful deal directly with healthgrades . in either case , the company does not identify these insurers .
june 15 , 2015 – dramatic health has partnered with healthgrades to produce a hypothyroid series for the healthgrades personal story network . the series features four dynamic health stories about patients living with hypothyroidism . the series also features two episodes from dramatic health’s upcoming series : “support groups in central park , ” in which patients gather in [ … ]
as between you and healthgrades , all right , title and interest in and to the site and the site materials , including without limitation the ratings , and systems and methodologies used to create or display the ratings and lists , together with all intellectual property rights embodied therein , are the property of healthgrades or healthgrades ' affiliates . the site and site materials are protected by law , including but not limited to u . s . and international copyright law , trademark law , trade secret law , as well as other state , federal , and international laws , regulations and treaties ( collectively ,
ip laws
) . healthgrades does not claim any rights in unaltered government data .
ph also tells us “consumers can also review quality rankings and consumer reviews of hospitals and physicians through healthgrades , an independent website used by more than 225 million consumers . ”
healthgrades also provides critical information to more than 40 liability insurance companies , including the top three nursing home and hospital insurers , to assess providers ' quality and risk potential .
jfk receives the target stroke honor roll award and healthgrades stroke care excellence award - - ranked # 1 in new jersey and in the top 5 % in the country .
2 . healthgrades ' 100 best hospitals are not spread evenly throughout the united states : 22 states and the district of columbia don ' t have a top 100 hospital .
if all hospitals had performed at the level of virginia mason and the other award recipients , an estimated 179 , 464 lives could potentially have been saved , healthgrades determined .
healthgrades , an online resource for patients seeking information on physicians and hospitals , has redesigned its website to make it easier for patients to search for and book appointments with providers .
individuals shopping for a physician on the website of unitedhealthcare , the nation ' s largest health insurer , can now see his or her patient satisfaction scores as compiled by healthgrades .
healthgrades also audits survey responses to detect suspicious patterns , according to marks . if a physician suddenly receives 12 negative ratings on a single day from
patients
using 12 different email addresses , healthgrades would look up the ip address for the computer used to complete each survey . if they all have the same ip address , those responses get expunged .
women lower the risk of complications when they choose a hospital that received the healthgrades gynecologic surgery excellence award™ , labor and delivery excellence award™ , or obstetrics and gynecology excellence award™ .
in today’s world , it’s all about the data . healthgrades can help your health system acquire valuable information and use it to make meaningful connections with consumers . find out how .
perhaps the most recognized form of physician evaluation comes via healthgrades . they are not the only physician rating site , but the first site that comes up when you search for a physician on the web . healthgrades has come against much criticism for providing an evaluation tool without any oversight other than the requirement of an email address or text - enabled phone .
by submitting a valid notice of infringement , you agree that we may provide your request to the user who posted the material addressed in your notice . upon receipt of a valid notice of intellectual property infringement , healthgrades may remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing content in its sole discretion . healthgrades may terminate the accounts of repeat infringers under appropriate circumstances .
3 . patients treated in the top 100 hospitals have , on average , a 27 . 1 percent lower risk of dyingthan if they were cared for in hospitals that did not receive the designation , according to healthgrades . if all hospitals , as a group , performed similarly to the 100 best hospitals , on average , 179 , 438 lives could potentially have been saved , healthgrades said . 4 . the 100 best hospitals also out - perform their peers in emergency care for conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , heart attack , stroke , pneumonia and sepsis . these hospitals are five times more likely than other facilities to have received a healthgrades five - star rating for treatment of those conditions , according to healthgrades .
thank you for submitting a review . digital health is a challenging field and we appreciate all of the talented people who work at healthgrades . - - kate hyatt , chief people officer
healthgrades takes these occasional factual lapses seriously , said evan marks , the company ' s chief strategy officer . to improve accuracy , marks said , healthgrades stopped relying on third - party information on physicians several years back and started collecting and verifying the data itself .
we made over 7 million calls and faxes to provider offices last year ,
he said .
evan marks at healthgrades is even blunter about how much value should be placed on only one set of survey responses :
not very much ,
he told medscape medical news .
better breathing with copd | a dramatic health and healthgrades production february 1st launched a brand new copd series on healthgrades , co - produced by dramatic health . the series features real patients from the pulmonary wellness and rehabilitation center in midtown manhattan , and program director dr . noah greenspan . captured in an engaging support group setting , patients share experiences , [ … ]
healthgrades bases the award on inpatient data for mortality and complications pulled from cms ' medicare provider analysis and review ( medpar ) database , as well as inpatient data on appendectomy and bariatric surgery reported by the 18 states that provide all - payer state data . healthgrades pulled medpar data for 2013 through 2015 ; the state data were available from only 2012 to 2014 .
healthgrades this week released its annual list of
america ' s best hospitals ,
recognizing the country ' s top hospitals based on their performance across multiple common conditions and procedures .
healthgrades quality analysis and reporting helps you measure your performance against benchmarks . our team of experts will help you identify areas in which your hospital may need improvement while giving positive reinforcement for the areas in which your hospital excels . healthgrades will help you bring an analytical and objective voice to your quality discussions and we help foster discussions around statistical trends relating to clinical outcomes .
in today’s world , it’s all about finding truth in data . healthgrades can help your health system acquire valuable information and use it to make meaningful connections with consumers . find out how .
then again , unitedhealthcare shows how many patients completed healthgrades surveys on each rated physician , which healthgrades also does on its own website . if the number is extremely low ,
we expect consumers to take that into account ,
said craig hankins at unitedhealthcare .
you don ' t use the ratings all by themselves . they ' re just one of several factors .
healthgrades ' new ratings are
game changing ,
in part because they allow consumers to easily search physicians by how much experience they have in a particular area or procedure , says binder .
“at healthgrades , we help consumers connect with the right doctor and right care , ” said brad graner , president of publisher and advertiser solutions at healthgrades . “we are thrilled to be joining with ap , the most trusted source of independent news . now , ap members and millions of americans will benefit from the combination of our proprietary health content and tools and ap’s timely news . ”
i have had 30 - 5 star reviews on healthgrades , and as result have received additional patients , which i appreciate . approximately a month ago , one of my patients gave me a 5 - star review with comments . there was a typo in his comments concerning me , he used the word
experience
; it came out in my review as
sexperience
. he has tried numerous times to have healthgrades correct the error . no response or correction . i have tried several times to do the same . no response or correction . both of us followed the healthgrades protocol . it appears that healthgrades has a major customer relations problem . now , i am concerned , if i should receive a negative review , would i have a chance to report my side .
but after several months of reviewing comments in real time on nearly a dozen web sites , including healthgrades . com , urltoken and google plus , as well as facebook and twitter , she’s calmer .
as with all healthgrades ratings and awards , all nonfederal hospitals in the u . s . are evaluated . no hospital can opt - in or opt - out of participating in the independent evaluation .
how to get started : update your profile information on healthgrades by clicking here . a provider can update their own information , or someone who works on behalf of the provider can also do this .
i have now reviewed a very bad physician three times on healthgrades without receiving an email to confirm . i in fact wrote the review and it has never been posted . now my friend had the same experience with the same physician and apparently healthgrades is withholding these bad reviews for some reason . you cannot trust a website that picks and chooses the reviews they print and give horrible doctors decent grades .
the ratings system is mostly anonymous , with patients needing only to use their email address to rate a provider . healthgrades audits ratings to look for suspicious patterns . for example , if a physician suddenly receives a large number of negative reviews in one day , healthgrades looks at the email and ip addresses of those reviewers to see if they are legitimate patients . if not , the responses are deleted .
any communication sent to the copyright agent or to copyrightagent @ urltoken for any purpose other than communication about copyright infringement may not be answered . healthgrades may terminate the accounts of repeat infringers under appropriate circumstances .
these terms of use prohibit users from violating another party’s intellectual property rights . for copyright claims , intellectual property owners should follow the terms related to removal of copyrighted material as set forth in section 11 . for other intellectual property violations , rights holders may submit a valid notice of intellectual property infringement to healthgrades via email at useragreement @ healthgrades . com . a valid notice of infringement must identify the following :
at healthgrades , better health gets a head start . we help millions of consumers each month find and schedule appointments with their provider of choice . with our scheduling solutions and advanced analytics applications , we partner with more than 500 hospitals across the country to cultivate new patient relationships , improve patient access , and build customer loyalty . healthgrades is headquartered in denver , with offices in atlanta , madison and raleigh .
the takeaway : healthgrades has released its list of the nation ' s top hospitals for patient safety and experience , but it notes the factors for improving performance on two measures varies by hospital and region .
is an online database of doctors , dentists and hospitals that has over 100 million users . when a patient searches google for your practice , healthgrades will likely show up on the first page of google .
healthgrades confers recognized doctor status on professionals who meet certain criteria : ● active , good - standing license in the state where you practice ● board certification in your specialty ● no previous license revocations or restrictions ● no malpractice claims or disciplinary citations within the past five years if you meet these criteria , contact healthgrades and ask to be included on the list of recognized doctors in your state . if not , well , it’s never too late to begin working toward this goal . most tech - savvy medical professionals know how healthgrades affects doctors online . fewer know how to change healthgrades ratings for the better . by following the five steps above and adhering to online reputation management best practices , you can set yourself apart from the increasingly crowded , competitive medical field and focus on taking care of those who matter most—your patients .
some hospitals score high on patient safety in a few specialties , but the institutions that earned the group ' s distinguished hospitals award for clinical excellence excel across the board , healthgrades said in a news release .
the healthgrades list of 262 clinical excellence hospitals omits some well - known institutions that dominate other ratings . massachusetts general hospital in boston and john hopkins hospital in baltimore , maryland , were first and second in the top 17 hospitals , as judged by us news & world report last year . however , these 2 big names and 11 others on the magazine ' s list do not appear in the healthgrades roll call .
the pew project ranked the most commonly researched topics as specific diseases or conditions . information available on healthgrades can help consumers find doctors based on specific disease , condition , and procedure needs , according to dejong .
© copyright 2018 healthgrades operating company , inc . patent us nos . 7 , 752 , 060 and 8 , 719 , 052 . all rights reserved . third party materials included herein protected under copyright law .
bowman added ,
health care consumerism is requiring hospitals and health systems to innovate in a variety of areas , including quality , to meet growing expectations about the level of care , personalization and convenience
( gooch / punke , becker ' s hospital review , 2 / 21 ; healthgrades methodology , accessed 2 / 23 ; healthgrades release , 2 / 21 ; mulero , healthcare dive , 2 / 22 ) .
if all hospitals performed at the level of the healthgrades america’s 50 best , 164 , 964 deaths and 18 , 900 inhospital complications could have potentially been prevented among the medicare population over the three years studied .
healthgrades will make it seem like you are calling the doctor ' s office , but really you are calling healthgrades and they will take down a lot of information about you before transferring you to the doctor ' s office . i did this and they took down my address and age and insurance and when i was transferred to the doctor ' s office i was told they don ' t have any availability . avoid .
healthgrades also provides products and services that have helped hundreds of the nation ' s largest employers and health plans make financially sound health care decisions based on the quality of care . many employers and health plans provide healthgrades ' health management suite so that their employees and plan members have access to a complete set of decision - support tools . these tools include provider ratings , health optimization modules , and health care finance tools .
members are selected via nominations submitted by hospitals or other organizations , in addition to healthgrades outreach . any member of the quality advisory board must have quality expertise to enable them to function broadly as a contributing member .
healthday ' s news and videos can be found on more than 5 , 000 internet and intranet websites as diverse as webmd , everyday health , msn health , healthgrades and more than 1 , 800 hospital websites .
ap’s dne program is designed to provide new revenue streams using ready - to - publish web content packages . the free program has historically delivered a variety of sports coverage , such as college football , with the ap top 25 poll , and now also includes trending health content through two customizable , embeddable widgets that direct traffic to a co - branded ap / healthgrades website . the new dne features top content from ap and healthgrades .
jessica dejong , public relations and communications manager for healthgrades , said americans visit that site a million times a day , searching for a physician or a hospital . over 4 , 200 hospitals are covered on their site .
we asked marks the best way to optimize a healthgrades profile . combining his advice with our experience , we’ve put together a list of six steps you can take to maximize your profile and help potential patients find you :
in cleveland , 84 . 2 % of patients who received care for valve surgery got treatment at a hospital rated five stars for the procedure by healthgrades , compared with the national average of 19 . 3 % ; and
health grades , inc . ( nasdaq : hgrd ) is the leading independent healthcare ratings organization , providing quality ratings , profiles and cost information on the nation ' s hospitals , physicians , nursing homes and prescription drugs . millions of patients and many of the nation’s largest employers , health plans and hospitals rely on healthgrades’ quality ratings , advisory services and decision - support resources . the healthgrades network of web sites , including urltoken and wrongdiagnosis . com , is a top - ten health property according to comscore and is the internet ' s leading destination for patients choosing providers . more information on how healthgrades guides america to better healthcare can be found at urltoken .
on healthgrades , patients can complete patient satisfaction surveys about a practice or physician . the surveys evaluate the office and staff , wait time , experience with the doctor and likelihood of recommending the doctor to family and friends .
a total of 281 faculty members from 25 programs were identified . a total of 266 otolaryngologists ( 94 . 7 % ) had a profile on healthgrades , and 247 ( 87 . 9 % ) had a profile on vitals . of those with profiles , 186 ( 69 . 9 % ) and 202 ( 81 . 8 % ) had patient reviews on healthgrades and vitals , respectively . the mean score was 4 . 4 of 5 . 0 on healthgrades and 3 . 4 of 4 . 0 on vitals . on vitals , 179 profiles ( 63 . 7 % ) had comments associated with them . overall , 49 comments ( 27 . 3 % ) were determined to be negative , and 138 otolaryngologists ( 49 . 1 % ) had at least 1 negative comment . academic position and subspecialty affected reviews on healthgrades . state and years in practice did not influence reviews .
there’s no rule against asking patients for positive testimonials . healthgrades actually offers feedback postcards to give your patients after a visit . each card has a practice - specific link that leads to your healthgrades feedback portal . while delivering friendly , attentive care and producing favorable outcomes are the most sustainable ways to secure positive feedback , you can boost your chances further by attaching a handwritten note to your postcard or sending out a reminder email after each visit .
founded in 1999 , healthgrades is headquartered in golden , colorado , and has over 200 employees . healthgrades and its employees enjoy sponsoring and volunteering for charitable and fund - raising events . our participation not only brings the healthgrades team closer together , it also allows us to provide support for and response to community and global needs . a few of the ways we ' ve been able to contribute include donations to the katrina relief fund , the victims of the asian tsunami , and for medical supplies for guatemala . employees have also volunteered for or participated in such events as race for the cure - breast cancer , and the ms 150 for the national multiple sclerosis society .
healthgrades last week gave its
2017 distinguished hospital award for clinical excellence
to 258 hospitals , recognizing facilities performing in the top 5 percent nationwide based on risk - adjusted clinical outcomes for dozens of common procedures and conditions .
healthgrades , a healthcare quality reporting group , today released a list of 262 hospitals that represent the nation ' s elite when it comes to risk - adjusted mortality and complication rates for 27 common procedures and conditions involving medicare patients .
denver , colo . ( may 7 , 2018 ) — healthgrades , the leading online resource for comprehensive information about physicians and hospitals , today announced that its appointment scheduling solution for hospitals is now available in the epic app orchard .
members serve a maximum of two - year terms . members provide their expert guidance and time to healthgrades and are compensated via an honorarium . members are given the option to donate the honorarium to a 503c organization of their designation .
compared with all other hospitals , the healthgrades america’s 50 best had risk - adjusted mortality rates that were , on average , 26 . 96 % lower and risk - adjusted inhospital complication rates that were 8 . 29 % lower .
sure , various web sites like healthgrades and ratemds have taken their shots , and yelp and angie’s list have made a go of it , too . but the listings are often sparse , with few contributors and little of substance .
similar to healthgrades and ratemds , vitals is an online database of medical professionals where patients can search for healthcare options . patients can search based on specialty , doctor or condition . filters can be applied for accepted insurance and location .
another common gripe about healthgrades is that a physician can receive a poisonous one - star review from someone who has never been a patient , despite the company ' s attempts to screen out imposters . healthgrades requires survey takers to supply an email address , which can be used to send a confirmation message ( the alternative confirmation mode is a text message ) . however , a fake patient easily can create a misleading address with the likes of gmail to play along .
the urltoken web site also offers a survey for users of healthgrades services . consumer and company response is welcomed on the web site survey . simply click on the survey tab in the upper right hand corner of the urltoken home page .
smh has been a recipient of the governor’s quality award seven years in a row . they also received the healthgrades patient safety excellence award for the past three years—ranking the hospital in the top 5 % of the nation for patient safety .
the organization adjusted the mortality and complications outcomes for clinical risk factors and patient demographics . healthgrades assessed hospitals ' performance on quality based on in - hospital complications , in - hospital mortality , and 30 - day post - admission mortality .
in denver , 3 . 6 % of patients who received care for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( copd ) got treatment at a hospital rated five stars for copd by healthgrades , compared with the national average of 11 . 8 % ;
“as consumers take an active role in managing their health , they can have confidence that hospitals that have achieved the america’s 50 best hospitals award stand above the rest , ” said brad bowman , md , chief medical officer , healthgrades .
tients who found you online are probably more likely to leave online doctor reviews . healthgrades allows physicians’ own websites to imbed a link to its site . it also offers cards that you can hand to patients after an appointment to make it easy for them . the cards , which you can request from healthgrades customer service , offers a link they can use to complete a survey about you . consider offering an incentive , such as a giveaway , for patients who leave reviews .
to make it easier to find a local doctor , dignity health sierra nevada memorial hospital ( snmh ) has partnered with the nation ' s largest consumer - based health search site , healthgrades . from a main office in denver , healthgrades has amassed information on over 3 million u . s . health care providers ( doctors , dentists , chiropractors , and others ) , including representatives of more than 1 , 000 practicing specialties . on its site , healthgrades . com , you can find lists of doctors and their specialties , together with how long they ' ve practiced , the procedures they perform , how their patients assess them , where they trained and other specific and objective information that might help you make your decision .
to create the new website , healthgrades examined patient reviews and 500 million claims from federal and private data sources . it then rated and ranked doctors based on complication rates at the hospital where they practice , their experience , and patient satisfaction .
another longstanding criticism of the healthgrades rating system is that it has a
denominator problem ,
in the words of neurosurgeon jeffrey segal , md , chief executive officer of a company called emerit , which helps physicians improve their online reputations .
how you ' re rated : a provider ' s healthgrades rating is based on a 1 - 5 star scale and gives users the option to write a free text review as to the likelihood of recommending the provider to family and friends .
in a report , healthgrades said that patients treated at hospitals who received five stars for a certain procedure had a 65 % lower risk of experiencing a complication and a 71 % lower risk of dying during their hospital stay compared with if they were treated at a hospital that received a one - star rating for the same procedure . healthgrades estimated that if all hospitals performed similarly to those that received five stars , more than 220 , 000 patient lives may have been saved since 2011 .
it ' s all about finding the right doctor for the right procedure ,
says healthgrades ceo roger holstein .
frequency is really important to look at . . . 20 % of the doctors see 80 % of the patients .
consumers are used to researching goods and services online , says healthgrades ceo roger holstein . the new website aims to extend that ability to health care .
it ' s about finding the right doctor for the right procedure ,
holstein says .
healthgrades then assigned hospitals ratings of one , three , or five stars—for
statistically significantly worse than expected
,
as expected ,
or
statistically significantly better than expected ,
respectively , for each of the 33 conditions and procedures .
researchers , led by j . matthew austin of johns hopkins medicine ' s armstrong institute for patient safety and quality , analyzed the ratings systems used by u . s . news & world report , healthgrades , the leapfrog group and consumer reports .
pros : healthgrades is very user friendly for patients . it doesn’t ask patients to answer questions , instead they just complete a survey . if you have a large amount of physicians in your office , you can contact the support center and submit a spreadsheet with your physicians’ information . the support center will then work to update all of the information for you without a fee . healthgrades will also send physicians personalized , printed postcards with a url to their profile that can be given to patients .
anyway , the doctor ratings business is starting to become more competitive , so i went elsewhere . after a while , though , i noticed $ 9 . 95 charges from healthgrades , what the company calls a
watchdog
subscription , charged to my
saline memorial hospital announced today that it is a recipient of the healthgrades 2018 patient safety excellence award™ , a designation that recognizes superior performance of hospitals that have prevented the occurrence of serious , potentially avoidable complications for patients during hospital stays . read more »
more than a ratings service , healthgrades offers a range of clinical consulting assessments and implementation recommendations to help you meet your quality goals . our team of experts provides advice on implementation and actionable analysis to maximize your quality performance – not just a dashboard .
healthgrades cmo brad bowman said ,
hospitals that have achieved ' america ' s best hospitals ' distinction have sustained high quality outcomes for their patients over many years and often , offer programs that engage consumers and their overall communities in their care .
in this analysis , healthgrades independently and objectively analyzed approximately 130 million medicare patient records from fiscal years 1999 through 2008 for 26 medical procedures and conditions . to be included in the analysis , hospitals must have met minimum thresholds in terms of patient volumes , quality ratings , and the range of services provided . prior to comparing the inhospital mortality and complication rates of the nation’s hospitals , healthgrades risk - adjusted the data to compare on equal footing hospitals that treated sicker patients . hospitals with risk - adjusted mortality and complication rates that scored in the top five percent or better nationally and who received this designation for at highest number of consecutive years were recognized as america’s 50 best hospitals . healthgrades’ methodology can be found in the study on the company’s web site .