Platform Booqit has developed the software on the basis of a government contract for the operational and financial handling of the journeys that the service provider mutas organizes within the framework of the agreements on non-urgent patient transport concluded with the various health insurance funds. The service provider states in a letter at the request of our editorial staff that every carrier within the Mutas network must be provided with a free Booqit account. All necessary and useful information related to the execution of the trip is then made available via this channel.
Mutas then further organizes the invoicing in the third-party payer regime for the carriers so that it only reaches the patient. co-payment must invoice. If the carriers wish to add their own software systems to the platform of the Mechelen company to link For further processing this is possible, as the CEO states, but an API must be ordered for this. And that is precisely where the shoe pinches, because that turns out to be a difficult, if not impossible, way.
When companies slow down innovation, it is often reason for us to keep asking the parties involved. We already rang the bell at the Mutualistische Alarmcentrale Mutas België vzw text and explanation and received a neat answer from Operations Manager Anja De Leeuw. Last week there was another reason for us to ask additional questions, but this time they were answered by company lawyer Vanhaeleweyck.
"If our carriers wish to link their own systems to the Booqit platform for further processing, this is possible, as Booqit states, but an API must be ordered from Booqit for this purpose".
obstacles prevent optimal operation
Still, the actuality still different than outlined for larger carriers who want to connect their own system. If carriers wish to link their own software to the Booqit platform for further processing, this is possible, according to Vanhaeleweyck, or at least that is what Booqit says at Mutas. According to the service provider Mutas, it is therefore possible to order an API from Booqit. Quite a few obstacles stand in the way of optimal operation. The CEO of Booqit writes to our editorial staff that it is slightly different from what was communicated by Mutas.
"Mutas will mean by this that they know that we work on a number of additional APIs. Both hospitals and insurers are already using certain APIs today, we are currently rolling this out for carriers. and not with Mutas ".
The platform's website states that ordering an API is possible, but van Kesteren indicates that the website is indeed no longer correct and it is not strategic for Booqit to keep it up-to-date. Again, the commitment that carriers will receive an API key and the necessary documentation to access these APIs. Philippe van Kesteren goes even further in his commitment and states that the carriers can also return their ETAs via API so that the applicants can follow this live. The account details of the API will automatically appear in the Booqit account.
fear of losing work
We spoke to hauliers who now no longer dare to respond to earlier reports in the media for fear that they might lose the work they are now doing for Mutas. Nevertheless, we continue to keep a finger on the pulse and believe that Booqit is slowing down all innovation within the sector. And that while Mutas indicates that it must be a 'neutral' party. But as van Kesteren points out: 'The roadmap for delivering new features lies with us and not with Mutas"
Many carriers are now ringing the bell and partly because of the obligation to pay Chiron to use, automation is more necessary than ever. The days of having to track trip assignments via a portal and download PDF files and then retype them into your own software systems are long gone.
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future plans
With regard to the plans for the design of the Flemish Mobility Center as of 1 January 2022, the Mutas spokesperson noted that this platform and the software to be developed for this purpose are currently themselves the subject of a public contract from the Flemish Government. Now that the supplier of this software is not yet known and what this software will entail, we cannot offer any further answer on this for the time being.
