A 41-YEAR-OLD woman employed as a chief billing officer at a local hospital has been dragged before the Harare Magistrates Courts facing allegations of defrauding the health institution of US$37 000.
Loyce Mashoko was remanded in custody to November 20 this year for continuation of trial when she appeared before Harare magistrate Lisa Mutendereki.
The State alleges that between December 2021 and June 2022, Mashoko was employed by Vislink Investments (Private) Limited responsible for billing all admitted patients, compilation of blue books and collection and handling of refunds for patients.
Mashoko billed the patients in the hospital computer system and allegedly transferred the information to manual blue books, where she deliberately understated figures from the system.
She allegedly understated total bills incurred by and inflated amounts to be paid as refunds to patients.
The court also heard that she would then pocket the difference between the understated hospital bill and the inflated refund. As a result some patients ended up being discharged while owing the hospital.
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The offence came to light after a patient called the hospital demanding a refund.
On checking in the system, it was discovered that the patient’s refund was collected by Mashoko and she allegedly converted it to her personal use.
A check was made with the hospital computer system and uncovered that bills were higher than what was recorded.
The total value stolen is US$37 100,53 and nothing was recovered.