Report says patient verification woes in hospitals deepen under SHA system
The latest SHA transition scorecard report identifies delays in receiving one-time passwords (OTPs) as the main cause.
More private healthcare providers are struggling with patient verification under the Social Health Authority (SHA) system, a new survey has found.
The challenges have worsened over the past two months, with the proportion of affected providers rising from 74 per cent in December 2025 to 83 per cent in February.
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The latest SHA transition scorecard report, released by the Rural and Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA) on February 16, 2025, identifies delays in receiving one-time passwords (OTPs) as the main cause.
About 63 per cent of providers flagged OTP delays as a major hurdle, leading to longer patient wait times.
The report also highlights that 59 per cent of patients do not have access to a phone, making the verification process even more difficult.
This issue is particularly pronounced in rural and underserved areas, where access to digital tools remains limited.
Additionally, 55 per cent of health facilities reported difficulties in verifying dependents due to missing data in the SHA system.
Technical problems
Technical problems with the Afya Yangu portal, intended to simplify registration, have further compounded the situation, with 49 per cent of patients experiencing disruptions and delays.
"Patient verification challenges have worsened, affecting 83 per cent of organisations (up from 74 per cent). Key issues include delays in OTPs (63 per cent), patients without phones (59 per cent), missing relatives in the SHA system (55 per cent), and technical issues with the Afya Yangu portal (49 per cent)," the report states.
Despite the high availability of credentials at 93 per cent, 62 per cent of providers report difficulties accessing the SHA portal due to non-functional credentials, automatic lockouts, and internet connectivity issues.
Frustrations with the system extend beyond verification, as 89 per cent of providers say they face persistent challenges navigating the SHA portal.
Outpatient services have also been a significant point of concern, with many providers dissatisfied with low reimbursement rates.
As the SHA transition continues, healthcare providers are urging authorities to address these verification and technical challenges to ensure smoother service delivery.
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