Teething problems for Discovery, as Covid-19 unshackles telemedicine
After the pandemic, SA might decide that the utility of the virtual service dictates it should become part of our medical infrastructure
14 April 2020 - 06:00
In the past two months, the world of medicine has been turned on its head. Doctors, wanting to limit their own exposure to Covid-19 and keen to protect their patients, have been relying increasing on video consultations.
Until three-and-a-half weeks ago, the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) had banned the use of telemedicine, which meant medical aids didn’t pay doctors for virtual consultations. But under pressure from doctors this ban was lifted for the duration of the pandemic, sparking a surge of interest from GPs, specialists and psychologists...
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