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Johannesburg - The Hello Doctor organisation is disappointed that the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) has condemned telemedicine as unethical without contacting them, a spokesperson said on Friday.
"The HPCSA has not returned any of our numerous telephone calls or replied to our letter requesting a meeting to discuss the Hello Doctor business model and the protocols developed by the doctors working on the Hello Doctor telemedicine infrastructure," said spokesperson Andy Milne.
Milne said he found it ironic that the Council was urging the public not to make use of these "unknown offerings" and purported violation of patient rights when the Council itself did not know, nor had it taken the time to enquire from or contact Hello Doctor as to what these offerings were.
He said Hello Doctor fully supported the HPCSA's initiative to regulate telemedicine and would be more than happy to work with them in ensuring that patients and consumers, from all income groups, had the opportunity to receive access to high quality, cost effective and accessible healthcare.
Hello Doctor's clinical director, Steven Holt, said they were striving to improve clinical quality and convenience for consumers and patients by developing technologically advanced, yet locally developed medical processes and protocols of the highest standards.
"These clinical protocols have been developed from international clinical standards developed over the last 15 years and tailored for the South African consumer and patients of all income groups."
The HPCSA on Thursday condemned telemedicine as unethical.
"Organisations offering the services of a doctor just a call away were in breach of patients' rights, including the practitioner-patient relationship, patient confidentiality and informed consent, said HPCSA spokeswoman Bertha Peters-Scheepers.
Recent initiatives offering the service had been noted with concern by the regulator, she said in a statement.
The HPCSA had referred Sanlam [JSE:SLM] and MTN Group [JSE:MTN] telemedicine initiatives and the 'Hello Doctor' service to its undesirable business practice committee for consideration.
It said the 'Hello Doctor' service was not approved or registered by the HPCSA, which was still considering guidelines for telemedicine.
Peters-Scheepers said the HPCSA called on practitioners not to participate in telemedicine practices and the public not to use them.
"The HPCSA has not returned any of our numerous telephone calls or replied to our letter requesting a meeting to discuss the Hello Doctor business model and the protocols developed by the doctors working on the Hello Doctor telemedicine infrastructure," said spokesperson Andy Milne.
Milne said he found it ironic that the Council was urging the public not to make use of these "unknown offerings" and purported violation of patient rights when the Council itself did not know, nor had it taken the time to enquire from or contact Hello Doctor as to what these offerings were.
He said Hello Doctor fully supported the HPCSA's initiative to regulate telemedicine and would be more than happy to work with them in ensuring that patients and consumers, from all income groups, had the opportunity to receive access to high quality, cost effective and accessible healthcare.
Hello Doctor's clinical director, Steven Holt, said they were striving to improve clinical quality and convenience for consumers and patients by developing technologically advanced, yet locally developed medical processes and protocols of the highest standards.
"These clinical protocols have been developed from international clinical standards developed over the last 15 years and tailored for the South African consumer and patients of all income groups."
The HPCSA on Thursday condemned telemedicine as unethical.
"Organisations offering the services of a doctor just a call away were in breach of patients' rights, including the practitioner-patient relationship, patient confidentiality and informed consent, said HPCSA spokeswoman Bertha Peters-Scheepers.
Recent initiatives offering the service had been noted with concern by the regulator, she said in a statement.
The HPCSA had referred Sanlam [JSE:SLM] and MTN Group [JSE:MTN] telemedicine initiatives and the 'Hello Doctor' service to its undesirable business practice committee for consideration.
It said the 'Hello Doctor' service was not approved or registered by the HPCSA, which was still considering guidelines for telemedicine.
Peters-Scheepers said the HPCSA called on practitioners not to participate in telemedicine practices and the public not to use them.
