When you think of a medical clinic, services like vaccinations, routine care, general practitioner medical examinations, and dental care may come to mind. And you are right. All these services are available under one roof for your convenience. However, you can now also schedule an appointment using our convenient online booking system.
But what if you are located on a farm, cannot drive, or are too far from a healthcare facility to visit the doctor, but you need a consultation?
The solution lies with virtual consultations and Intercare is at the forefront with this service in South Africa. Before Covid-19, people rarely thought of virtual consultations, but the lockdown period, movement limitations, and the fear of contracting or spreading a disease, have made it necessary for people to consider new ways of scheduling appointments and undergoing examinations.
The shift towards remote working, online shopping, and virtual meetings has also led to more people using the Internet to find health-related information for self-diagnosis and treatments of health conditions. Intercare recognises the importance of meeting patients where they are. As such, you now have access to world-class healthcare whether through in-person visits to one of the Intercare facilities or by means of virtual doctor visits.
Does it Mean Virtual Consultations Will Replace the Demand for Brick-and-Mortar Medical Clinics?
No. In-person examinations are important. Many services cannot be offered online, but for consultations, it is possible to have thorough examinations. This also applies to specialist service offerings like that provided by psychologists.
When are Virtual Consultations Suitable as Alternatives to Visiting a Medical Clinic?
Instances where it is not possible or feasible to visit the healthcare facility justify virtual consultations. Senior citizens, who require check-ups or health advice, but do not have readily available transport, benefit from these virtual consultations. Likewise, when someone’s bedridden or suffers from a highly infectious disease and does not want to risk spreading the diseases, they can make use of the virtual healthcare facility visits. Also, where a person is located far from the medical centre and can only get to it sometime in the future, but needs expert health advice regarding their condition, they can use the virtual consultation option.
How Does Appointment Scheduling Work?
With the convenient online booking system, you schedule a virtual appointment or healthcare facility visit. The same procedure as for booking an in-person visit applies, making it a straightforward and hassle-free process.
What Does a Virtual Medical Clinic Visit Entail?
It is a doctor’s consultation whereby the health professional and patient are connected via the Internet. They use video conferencing technology and a platform, such as Zoom, Skype, or Google Meet to connect. It is a video call, and for that reason, the users must both have video communication enabled with sound and video on. The doctor asks the patient a series of questions and can also ask the patient to perform specific actions, such as pressing on their stomach and lifting their arms, according to the type of examination and the condition for which the patient consults the physician, much like an in-person visit to a medical clinic.
You receive the same level of professional care as with an in-person visit to the medical clinic, with the difference lying in the where and how of the examination. It is even possible for the doctor to prescribe medication remotely.
Operating Hours
The same operating hours apply for virtual consultations as for conventional healthcare facility hours. You can view available slots and schedule your appointment accordingly.
Conditions that are More Appropriate for In-Person Consultations at the Medical Clinic
Some conditions are best examined by a doctor at the healthcare centre. These include conditions, such as breast lumps, experiencing difficulty with breathing, extreme pain in the abdomen area, blood in urine or stool, coughing up blood, or excessive redness or swelling of a wound or area where you have had surgery before. Other conditions, such as seizures, convulsions, and chest pain are also best treated in person. In these instances, it is recommended to arrange for transportation to the healthcare facility.
Minor Injury Treatment Consultations
If you experience a slight infection of an insect bite wound or have a slight cut or bruise, it is possible to obtain professional healthcare guidance regarding home treatment for the wound. However, the health professional will, based on the assessment, determine if a trip to the clinic is necessary or whether a follow-up visit to the clinic will be needed.
Best Way to Prepare for a Virtual Consultation
Keep in mind that the GP cannot physically examine you. As such, the more information you have available, the better. This includes photographs where relevant. Where a visual physical examination will be necessary, make sure you are in an area with sufficient light and that is private enough to undress if needed. Write down the symptoms, history of the condition, and all the questions you want to ask beforehand. Test the speakers, video, light condition, and connection prior to the virtual meeting. Have the doctor’s number at hand in case you experience an interruption in the Internet connection. View the guidelines on how to prepare for the virtual examination here.
Getting a Prescription Online
If the health professional previously prescribed medication for the specific chronic condition, then you can receive a repeat prescription by means of the virtual consultation. This helps to reduce travelling time, especially if you are located quite a distance from the healthcare centre.
Why Medical Clinics Now Also Offer Virtual Consultations
There are many reasons why medical clinics now offer virtual consultations, including:
Medical Aid Coverage of Virtual Consultations
Although virtual consultations cost less than in-person visits to the healthcare centre, it is best to enquire from your particular medical aid regarding cost coverage.
Consultation Duration
As with conventional in-person visits to the healthcare facility, the virtual consultation lasts between 10 and 15 minutes. However, it can last longer if a more thorough examination is required. It is best to clear at least 30 minutes from your schedule and to ask other household members not to stream video during the period to ensure optimal quality and no connection interruptions due to bandwidth issues.
Whether you want to schedule a virtual consultation or in-person examination at an Intercare medical clinic, you can do so here, using the convenient online booking system.