Virtual Consultation

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lock-down presented an acute need for most healthcare providers to offer some form of virtual consultation. Commonly referred to as telemedicine, or telepsychiatry, this entity has successfully been implemented in various countries overseas already for some years.

In Liaison Psychiatry and Psychology specifically virtual consultation (VC) has clearly been demonstrated to improved clinical monitoring and access to care, not to mention the improved productivity aspect for Patients as they spend less time travel to, and waiting in waiting rooms for Doctors.

For these reasons we therefore hope that virtual consultation will remain available and enjoy even more supportfrom Funders in the future.

At NEUROCARE we offer VC on a variety of platforms, most commonly by way of telephone consultation, WhatsApp voice calls, WhatsApp video calls, Microsoft Teams, Zoom and Skype.

We have developed full clinical capabilities such as processing prescriptions (scanned and emailed to Patients or ideally Pharmacies directly), being able to order bloods tests (pathology), arrange scans (radiology), and perform symptom testing and monitoring through Mediweb (www.mediweb.co.za).

During the lock-down most Medical Aids has agreed to support funding for this initiative as per normal consultation arrangements, still honouring PMB registrations etc.

Irrespective of individual Medical Aid funding concessions, NEUROCARE has agreed to void any unpaid fees for VC consultation (such as all co-payments), in the interest of our primary objective which is the health and safety of our Patients.

Private options for virtual consultation have been added to our Practitioner rate schedules for current- and future use.

Additionally some prescription processing obstacles have also been lifted (such as the need to present original scripts when digital versions have been sent directly from Practice to Pharmacy directly).

However, some may not feel comfortable to engage virtually, and is requested to communicate them opting-out of this initiative. Additionally any unsatisfactory virtual engagement will also be cancelled further to written communication.

Our VC experience have demonstrated an equal quality of healthcare service delivery, with in some instances an even improved level of care as monitoring and emergency access has most certainly become more efficient.

Virtual Consultation: WhatsApp 082-5002588