Telehealth in South Africa: A guide for healthcare practitioners in primary care

Abstract

The use of telehealth is becoming a prevalent feature in clinical practice worldwide, partly because of advances in medical and telecommunications technology. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been a key driver in justifying the accelerated use of telehealth, leading to healthcare practitioners (HCPs) utilising virtual consultations more avidly. Although challenges remain, recent data have shown that remote consultations are feasible, safe and effective in South Africa (SA) and that HCPs should become proficient in conducting telehealth, virtual or remote consultations. These guidelines are based on the revised Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) General Ethical Guidelines for Good Practice in Telehealth (Booklet 10) and guidelines on remote or video consultations from the University of Oxford, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Psychiatrists. These guidelines aim to equip HCPs with the basic knowledge and skills pertaining to medicolegal, communication and practical aspects of telehealth and how to practise telehealth safely and effectively in primary care settings in SA during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

Guidelines and recommendations about virtual mental health services from high-income countries: a rapid review

“…22 (52.5%) articles described the importance of, or methods for, assessing before virtual appointments to evaluate whether virtual care is a viable, useful method of care delivery for a patient’s particular needs 22–43. For example, one article described the importance of establishing a ’relationship’ between healthcare providers and patients to assess virtual care appropriateness23; another three articles noted that patients generally have a positive view of psychological screening assessments conducted prior to a virtual visit 24–27…”

“…Ten articles (22.5%) focused on providing training for virtual care. Seven articles (17.5%) recommended that staff receive proper training and adopt an understanding and individualised communication approach 22 23 27 41–43 52. Two articles (5%) reported that providers should strengthen their communication skills by enrolling in training courses or programmes 57 60.…”

Coronavirus disease and assisted reproduction in South Africa: a qualitative study

“…These are understood to be providing opportunities for greater access to consultations and counseling. COVID has been described as a "key driver" in adopting telehealth at a community level and increasing efficiency in delivering clinical services to patients with chronic illnesses [26] . In this context, discussions about and decisions around assisted reproduction treatment were only one of many forms of care that changed mode.…”

Bridging the Access Gap: The Telepractice Experience of Speech Therapists and Audiologists at a Public Health Care Facility in South Africa

“…There is growing support for telepractice internationally (Camden & Silva, 2021, Cleffi et al, 2022Gefen et al, 2022;Hall & Luechtefeld, 2021) and nationally (Rabe, 2022;Adebayo et al, 2021). In our annual review of services, therapists in the STA department indicated that telepractice allowed for increased caregiver engagement and generalization of activities in the home environment, thereby allowing for improved family centered care (Camden & Silva, 2021, Cleffi et al, 2022Gefen et al, 2022;Hall & Luechtefeld, 2021).…”