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Online GP Consultations in South Africa

HPCSA-aligned video consultations with your own doctor, not a stranger on a call-centre roster. Book from anywhere in South Africa.

Provided by Dr Ethan Chellan and Dr Claudia Lakay, MBChB (Stellenbosch University).

  • HPCSA-aligned telehealth (compliant with current guidelines)
  • See your own NeoHealth GP, not a random available doctor
  • R450 private rate, medical aid at scheme rate
  • Video link sent before your appointment

What telehealth is (and what it isn't)

Telehealth is a video consultation with your doctor. For patients who cannot physically come to the practice, cannot take time off work easily, have moved from the Garden Route but want continuity of care, or simply need a focused follow-up that doesn't require a physical examination, video consultations work well.

Good video consultations cover follow-ups for known conditions, chronic script renewals for stable patients, discussing test results, mental health check-ins, paediatric advice where no examination is needed, HIV follow-up reviews for patients stable on ART, and triage advice when you're unsure whether to come in.

Telehealth cannot replace in-person care for everything. Physical examinations cannot happen over video. Procedures, vaccinations, blood tests, ECGs, and hands-on assessments all require you to be at the practice. Certain acute conditions must be seen in person. We will tell you honestly during the consultation if what you are describing needs a physical visit, and we will arrange it.

What telehealth works well for

Based on consistent clinical experience, telehealth consultations work particularly well for:

  • Chronic disease reviews: stable hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol, thyroid, asthma, COPD where home monitoring data (blood pressure readings, glucose logs) is available
  • Script renewals: chronic medication for known patients, once reviewed
  • Mental health follow-ups: anxiety and depression reviews, especially check-ins between in-person visits (see Mental Health)
  • Test result discussions: blood work, pathology results, imaging reports where findings and next steps can be explained verbally
  • Paediatric advice: assessing whether a child needs to be seen, post-illness follow-up, developmental questions where no examination is required (see Child Health)
  • HIV follow-up for stable patients: viral load review, adherence check-ins, script renewals for patients established on ART. Initial HIV consultations require an in-person visit. (see HIV Management)
  • Post-procedure check-ins: wound care review, recovery progress, when stitches can come out
  • Occupational health form review: discussing requirements, getting clarification before or after a physical assessment
  • Specialist referral letters: discussing specialist findings, coordinating next steps

For privacy reasons, HIV queries are not discussed via WhatsApp. HIV telehealth consultations are booked through the normal online booking or by calling 044 868 0707.

When you should come into the practice

Telehealth is not the right setting for everything. Please book an in-person consultation (or call an ambulance, whichever applies) for:

  • Chest pain, severe shortness of breath, or any suspected cardiac symptom
  • Severe or sudden-onset symptoms: severe headache, sudden weakness, loss of consciousness, severe abdominal pain
  • Suspected infections needing physical examination: ear infections in children, possible pneumonia, suspected UTI with fever, cellulitis, suspected meningitis
  • New onset neurological symptoms: weakness, numbness, speech changes, vision changes, seizures
  • Any condition needing physical examination: abdominal pain, rashes that need close inspection, lumps, musculoskeletal injuries
  • Procedures and vaccinations: sutures, wound care, ECGs, blood tests, vaccinations, IUCD insertion or removal, cervical screening

If during a telehealth consultation your doctor decides you need to be seen in person, they will tell you directly and help arrange the appointment. Your telehealth consultation fee applies whether or not an in-person visit follows.

For medical emergencies, NeoHealth is not an emergency service. Please go to the nearest emergency room. See Emergency for local hospital contacts.

How it works

Booking and attending a telehealth consultation at NeoHealth follows a simple sequence:

  1. 1Book: Online through our booking system or by phone on 044 868 0707. Select “Telehealth Consultation” at the appointment type step.
  2. 2Confirmation: You receive an email confirming your appointment time and the video link you will use to join.
  3. 3Prepare: Find a quiet, private space with good lighting. Have your medical aid card ready, a list of your current medications, and any home monitoring data (blood pressure readings, glucose logs) you want to discuss.
  4. 4Join: Click the video link at your appointment time. The doctor will join from the practice.
  5. 5Consult: The consultation proceeds like an in-person visit. The doctor can see and speak with you, review symptoms, discuss results, adjust chronic scripts, and advise on next steps.
  6. 6Scripts and pathology: Prescriptions are issued digitally. Most can be sent to any pharmacy of your choice by name, or dispensed by NeoHealth for patients within delivery range. Pathology requests are sent electronically to the lab of your choice.
  7. 7Billing: Medical aid members are billed directly to their scheme at the applicable tariff. Self-pay patients pay R450 at the time of consultation.

Technical requirements

To attend a telehealth consultation you need:

  • A smartphone, tablet, or laptop with a working camera and microphone
  • A stable internet connection (home WiFi, office WiFi, or 4G/5G mobile data)
  • A quiet, private space where you can speak openly about health concerns
  • Good lighting (ideally facing a window or light source, not with light behind you)

You do not need to download any app or install software. Video consultations run in any modern web browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge). If you use data rather than WiFi, a 15-minute consultation typically uses around 100 to 200 MB.

If the connection drops during the consultation, call 044 868 0707 and reception will help reconnect you. A consultation that cannot be completed due to technical failure is not billed.

Privacy and HPCSA compliance

NeoHealth's telehealth service complies with HPCSA telehealth guidelines (2020, updated 2024), which govern professional standards for video consultations with South African doctors. In practice, this means:

  • Professional standards are identical to in-person consultations. Your doctor is the same doctor you would see at the practice, providing the same standard of care.
  • Consultations are conducted over encrypted video. No third-party call-centre staff listen in.
  • Sessions are not recorded unless you explicitly request and consent to a recording (for example, to help you remember a complex discussion).
  • Clinical notes are kept in your medical record in the same way as in-person consultations.
  • Your rights under POPIA apply identically to telehealth consultations.
  • HIV telehealth carries additional confidentiality protections. HIV queries are never discussed via WhatsApp. The video consultation itself is the secure channel.

See our privacy policy for how we handle personal information, including your rights to access, correction, and retention queries.

Cost and medical aid

Telehealth consultations are billed as follows:

  • Self-pay patients: R450 cash rate, payable at the time of consultation via card or EFT.
  • Medical aid members: billed directly to your scheme at the applicable tariff. Most of the 40+ schemes we bill accept telehealth consultations under the same benefit structure as in-person GP visits, though individual scheme rules vary. Reception will confirm your scheme's telehealth coverage when you book.

Scripts, pathology requests, and referral letters are handled the same way as in-person consultations. If medication is dispensed by NeoHealth, it is billed through your scheme's acute or chronic formulary rules (see Fees for full details).

If your scheme does not cover telehealth, we will let you know at booking so you can decide whether to proceed at the private rate or come in person.

Frequently asked questions

Common patient questions about telehealth. If yours isn't covered, please contact us.

Is telehealth HPCSA-compliant?

Yes. NeoHealth's telehealth service follows the HPCSA Telemedicine Guidelines (2020, updated 2024). The consultation is between you and your usual NeoHealth GP, the same doctor you would see in person, conducted over encrypted video.

Can my medical aid pay for a telehealth consultation?

Most medical aids cover telehealth consultations at the applicable scheme tariff, often under the same benefit structure as in-person GP visits. Individual scheme rules vary. Reception will confirm your scheme's telehealth coverage when you book.

Can I get a script from a telehealth consultation?

Yes. Prescriptions can be issued digitally during a telehealth consultation and sent to a pharmacy of your choice, or dispensed by NeoHealth for patients within delivery range. Standard script rules apply, controlled medications and first-time chronic scripts may require an in-person visit depending on clinical judgement.

Does telehealth work for children?

Telehealth can work for paediatric follow-ups, developmental questions, and triage advice where a physical examination is not required. For a sick child who needs examination (ear infection, suspected pneumonia, anything with fever and examination findings), please book an in-person consultation. See Child Health for the full scope.

What if my doctor thinks I need to come in?

If during the telehealth consultation the doctor decides you need physical examination or procedure, they will tell you directly and help arrange an in-person appointment. Your telehealth fee applies whether or not an in-person visit follows.

Can I do telehealth if I'm travelling?

Telehealth works best within South Africa. For consultations from outside South Africa, HPCSA guidelines have specific provisions, and scheme coverage may differ. Call reception on 044 868 0707 before booking if you are travelling internationally.

What platforms or apps do I need?

None. Video consultations run in any modern web browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge) on a smartphone, tablet, or laptop with a camera and microphone. No app download required.

How long is a telehealth appointment?

Standard telehealth consultations are scheduled for 20 minutes, the same as in-person visits. Extended consultations are available when needed.

Can I do mental health follow-ups via telehealth?

Yes. Mental health follow-ups, particularly between in-person visits for ongoing anxiety or depression management, work well via telehealth. Initial mental health consultations are generally recommended in person. See Mental Health for the full scope.

Can I do HIV follow-ups via telehealth?

Yes, for stable patients on ART. Viral load review, adherence check-ins, and chronic ART script renewals can be handled via telehealth. Initial HIV consultations and treatment initiation require an in-person visit. HIV queries are never discussed via WhatsApp for privacy reasons. See HIV Management.

Meet the doctors

Dr Ethan Chellan

MBChB (Stellenbosch University), Diploma in Child Health (CMSA), Diploma in HIV Management (CMSA)

Dispensing GP with postgraduate qualifications in child health and HIV management. Offers telehealth for chronic disease reviews, HIV follow-up on stable ART, men's health, and family medicine across the life course.

Read full bio

Dr Claudia Lakay

MBChB (Stellenbosch University)

Dispensing GP with a clinical focus on women's health, antenatal care, IV therapy, and minor procedures. Offers telehealth for chronic reviews, mental health follow-ups, script renewals, and post-procedure check-ins.

Read full bio

Available anywhere in South Africa with stable internet. Common users: patients who have moved from the Garden Route and want continuity of care, patients travelling domestically, housebound patients, working professionals who cannot easily take time off, and parents with young children who cannot attend in person. For patients in George and the wider Garden Route, in-person options remain available at our practice.

Book a telehealth consultation

Contact Us

NeoHealth

Suite 12, Prince Vintcent Square, Gloucester Avenue, George Central, 6530. Western Cape, South Africa.

Mon to Fri: 09:00 to 17:00. Saturday: 09:00 to 13:00. Closed Sunday and public holidays.

Disclaimer: This page describes telehealth services offered at NeoHealth and is intended as general information. It is not personalised medical advice. All clinical decisions are made in consultation with a doctor, based on individual history and examination. In medical emergencies, call 10177 or go to your nearest emergency facility.