All Doctors are expected to abide by the Hippocratic Oath undertaken upon graduating as a medical Doctor.

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Terms and conditions are below and subject to change:

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1. All Doctors when using the Phonedoc Doctor App will be advised to adhere to the strict ethical principles and guidelines as set out for Telemedicine as per HPCSA. This can be found on www.hpcsa.co.za for further perusal and understanding. 

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2. Doctors should give off to the best of their knowledge to all patients in a non racist, non confrontational and non bullying manner.

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3. The doctor should always listen to their patients concerns and offer the best suitable medical advice possible at all given times.

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4. No doctor would be allowed to answer their phone whilst driving or intoxicated.

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5.Doctors should avail themselves to answer calls from patients if they deem to be in a safe environment that does not expose them to harm or risk of bodily harm.

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6. All doctors are expected to make detailed notes of each patient that they consult with telephonically via the app.

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7.Doctors are not allowed to answer the patient call and cancel of decline the call, before any medical advice is given.

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8.Doctors are not allowed to be verbally abusive or threatening in any manner over the phone to their patient.

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9. Doctors agree to the SLA that would be emailed to the doctor once their request for using the Phonedoc platform is accepted.

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Terms and Conditions for Phonedoc Doctors:

Thank you for choosing to be a part of this innovative journey with us at Phonedoc Pty Ltd., as a Registered South African Company. By virtue of you registering with Phonedoc, you aim as a registered health care practitioner, to provide professional, respectful health care advice and services to all qualified patients, using this Phonedoc Doctor Application. We look forward to your sustained and professional healthy journey with us, as we address the respective health care concerns and  help improve the health of our citizens and those that visit South Africa.

 

You would need to carefully read these Terms and Conditions stipulated herein, for your thorough clear understanding, before rendering your professional medical advice consultations, provided on this remote telehealth care platform, namely Phonedoc Doctor App. 

To utilize this platform, you would need to accept these Terms & Conditions, before you use the Phonedoc App. Should you have any queries on the use of this Phonedoc Doctor App, could you please forward your concerns to: info@phonedoc.co.za

 

Who we are: 

Phonedoc is a licensed telemedical service provider on a virtual platform and has utilized the Telemedicine Guidelines as per the Heath Professional Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Phonedoc Pty Ltd is a wholly South African owned telehealth care initiative, for 

the use of all South Africans and its current citizens and would be in all countries that we are scheduled to expand into, at a proposed later stage. 

 

Requirements: 

You would need to be a qualified & registered medical practitioner with HPCSA. Have your own mobile phone, that has a sufficiently charged battery power, with a strong secure phone reception connectivity, and or strong wi-fi signal. This is to ensure that the 

connection between you, providing professional medical consultation and the patient, via this Phonedoc App, is not interrupted during your telemedicine consultation. Also, that you have sufficient data available on your mobile phone, to support the entire duration of your consultation. Should the call disconnect due to your insufficient battery power, weak signal or lost wi-fi, Phonedoc reserves the right not to refund the cost, but will attempt to ensure that when the patient returns the call, to possiblyresume the consultation. Phonedoc’s primary goal is to help improve South Africa’s health care, one patient at a time. 

 

 

What We Do Not Treat: 

1. Before we get started, please remember that Phonedoc App should NOT be used in the event of a Medical Emergency, as this is purely an online remote healthcare provider, for non-emergency use. 

2. The Disclaimer is that should the patient have a Medical Emergency, they are advised to attend their nearest Hospital or Medical Doctor. 

3. Some Medical Emergencies that we Do Not Treat are: cardiac or chest pain, acute severe respiratory illness, foreign object lodgement in airways, hypoxia, head or neck injuries, loss of consciousness, breathing difficulties, acute asthma attack, congestive obstructive pulmonary disease, heart attack, palpitations, dysrhythmias, urinary retention, acute abdominal pain, lethargy, suspected meningitis, kidney stones, vascular clots, pregnancy and pregnancy related medical concerns, severe allergic reactions, angioedema, life threatening anaphylaxis, severe burns, epileptics, sudden eyesight loss, lacerations, surgical operations, motor vehicle accidents, suicidal ideations, strokes, cardiovascular accidents, scrotal torsion, sepsis, falls and suspected fractures, bleeding, head injuries, eye injury, or any musculoskeletal injury that is acute, babies that may need resuscitation( meaning more investigations or bloods that need to be done), acute abdomen, appendicitis, or any surgical procedures that may be required.

4. Phonedoc does not offer medication refills, no sick notes, no medical certificates, no claims for insurance companies to complete, no referrals, no grant forms to be completed, no government associated business, no insurance or private forms to be completed, or to be reviewed, or emailed for review with a view to having forms completed.

5. Phonedoc does not complete any paperwork, or documentation for any patient in any form, even if forms are emailed for review (with Phonedoc Pty Ltd permission.)

6. Phonedoc provides patients that have been duly consulted with a prescription for medication, if the consulting doctor deems it necessary to provide a prescription accordingly.

7. Phonedoc does not provide family medicine or general practitioner services and does NOT replace your family doctor or your primary healthcare provider. Phonedoc does not refer to specialists if needed, and advise that you attend your general practitioner, family doctor or healthcare provider, to ensure that a specialist referral is done, if our healthcare professional finds that this is professionally required. 

8. Should you as a specialist avail your specialist healthcare professional on Phonedoc, you may or may not advised the consulted patient, to attend a specialist in person for a physical examination. 

9. Phonedoc is for urgent care medical conditions which are: coughs, colds, back pain, sinus conditions, muscle pain, sprains, soft tissue injuries, sore throat, earaches, minor burn advice, eye and ear conditions, nasal conditions, skin conditions, minor infections, psychology advice, physiotherapist advice, nurse’s advice care, dietician care and specialist care.  

 

 Abusive Behaviour:

Phonedoc does not tolerate any vulgar abusive verbal language or abusive vulgar video conferencing. The healthcare professional reserves the right to disconnect the call if disrespectful, abusive verbal language, screaming, shouting, inappropriate video conference is used, in part of the duration of the consultation, without a refund. 

 

Medical Aid:

Phonedoc is not contracted to any South African Medical Aid company in any form. Once the consultation is completed, the Phonedoc App automatically generates a receipt that is emailed to the patient’s provided email address. The receipt has the required info regarding patient’s details, date and amount paid etc. This shall be the responsibility of the patient to submit this receipt to their respective Medical Aid Claims Dept, as a medical aid claim for due process re-imbursement if possible and if their medical air plan allows same.

Phonedoc Pty Ltd does not insure or guarantee that the expense of using the Phonedoc Patient App platform would cover medical aid or benefits, or any other packages or plans that patients may have with their medical aid. 

You need to accept these Terms and Conditions, before you use the Phonedoc App. Should you have any queries on the use of this Phonedoc App, you could forward your concerns to: info@phonedoc.co.za.

 

1. General:

1.1 Phonedoc requires you to accurately and  correctly complete the electronic Application as Medical Practitioner / Health Care Provider, on the Phonedoc website ( www.phonedoc.co.za), with all required info details. This details provided are to ensure your authenticated process and verification as a registered, qualified medical professional with HPCSA. 

1.2 Once this vetting process is completed and successful, you shall receive an email confirming this status and your approval for onboarding to use the Phonedoc Doctor App. Phonedoc would then send you a Service Level Agreement (SLA) that requires you to clearly review, sign and return to info@phonedoc.co.za. Once received your professional details shall be uploaded on the Phonedoc database, for you to start your virtual live patient consultations. 

1.3 All information entered in the registration process, is stored on a database that is POPIA compliant and follows Privacy and Policy data storage requirements in South Africa. All healthcare professionals are vetted to the best of Phonedoc’s ability, to ensure that all healthcare professionals are active in their respective discipline and have their professional registration current in South Africa. 

1.4 Your registration details are not limited to, or inclusive of email or phone number being used to correspond with the patient to inform of medical disease outbreaks, marketing, and newsletter updates.

1.5 Trademark: Phonedoc has been registered with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) of South Africa.

1.6 Doctor Reviews: Phonedoc requests feedback form Patients who have had consultations using the Phonedoc Patient App, with Phonedoc Healthcare Professional providers on the quality of service provided. Phonedoc may, in its sole discretion, make these Doctor Reviews, available through posting on the Phonedoc site and or third-party providers in accordance with the terms of use governing such websites.  

1.7 Phonedoc App makes use of audio and video conference calls, and the patient and doctor can turn their video on or off, and the speaker/microphone on or off, whichever the patient or doctor prefers,as all calls are live in real-time in South Africa. The calls are not recorded, and all medical information pertinent to the call is recorded by the typing of notes, by the healthcare professional, on a server that is POPIA compliant and stored in South Africa, with sole access by Phonedoc. 

1.8 Phonedoc provides you the qualified registered medical practitioner or health care provider the platform, to privately and confidentially have a consultation with patients, on this secured platform app.

1.9 Phonedoc takes no medical or legal responsibility, for the content or quality of medical advice provided by you to the consulting patient at any time and absolved from any recourse or medico-liability, with or in connection or related in any said way with the respective medical practitioner providing the medical consultation accordingly.

1.10 All medical consultations provided via the Phonedoc Doctor App are delivered by a registered qualified healthcare practitioner, in their own professional capacity and take fulls responsibility for medical care provided as well as any medico-legal matters arising from any involvement or interaction and healthcare provided by the Phondedoc Doctor App.

1.11 By virtue of you using the Phonedoc Doctor App, you expressly acknowledge and agree to the terms and conditions of this user agreement. If you do not agree to these terms and conditions, then please refrain from proceeding with registration and the use of this Phonedoc Doctor App.

 

2. Phonedoc Healthcare Services & Phonedoc App process: 

2.1 Phonedoc strives to have the following registered healthcare providers, with qualified medical professional services, such as: Doctor, Specialist, Dietician, Nurse, Physiotherapist and Psychologist. 

2.2 All medical health care providers have been screened to verify their qualifications and registration with health regulatory organizations/bodies in South Africa, such as HPCSA and their respective professional health boards.

2.3 Each phone call made via the Phonedoc Patient App, is unique with a Registration and Login Process.

2.4 As stated above, each call made via the Phonedoc Patient App, is for a singular patient consultation process and no multiple patients can access the same call, to obtain healthcare advice, as this action would then contravene the patient confidentiality and privacy regulations, as well as the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).

2.5 Phonedoc Patient App is for usage for one patient for pertinent medical health care concern, per payment. Phonedoc Patient app is not desired for multiple patient use on one call and the doctor reserves the right to advise the non-paying patient to register and call, as each call is confidential and unique. 

2.6 Should the non-paying patient have a life-threatening condition; the patient should attend the nearest hospital or healthcare facility as soon as possible, as noted on the bottom as Disclaimer on the Phonedoc Patient App.

2.7 Please follow the respective screens on the Phonedoc Doctor App, from the start and provide the required information personal details, to ensure you are registration is confirmed on the Phonedoc App and your respective status displayed for patients’ info, “Offline, Busy of Call Now”. 

 

3. How does Phonedoc App operate:

3.1 As previously mentioned prospective patients can access the online healthcare service providers, by downloading this Phonedoc Patient App. 

3.2 Potential patients must be 18 years of age or older to use the Phonedoc Patient App. 

3.3 Minors under the age of 18 years, seeking such health care medical advice, shall be done on their parents or guardian’s behalf and consent. Verbal consent may have to be obtained from the patient’s parents or guardians by the healthcare professional, if the patient is under 18 years of age. Those over 18 years of age, implied consent is conveyed.  

3.4 The Phonedoc Doctor App is a platform provided purely for medical health consultations, providing the best possible service in its current form and without any warranty or guarantees. 

3.5 The acceptance by you to these terms and conditions and an acknowledgement that you have read and clearly understood the content and provides complete consent to conducting a private and confidential medical consultation.

3.6 You must ensure that you login to Phonedoc Doctor App, each time to access this platform, using your username and password, thereby ensuring you maintain the security and privacy of your personal information in this process.

3.7 Your mobile phone would need to have adequate battery charge,with sufficient data in a strong reception area to sustain the entire duration of the medical consultation online, with the respective chosen medical service provider. 

3.8 Phonedoc shall not be held liable for the connectivity, signal strength or data charges in the duration of the call & that you are responsible for this with your network cell phone service provider. 

3.9 Patients shall make payment to Phonedoc to access your professional and confidential health care/medial  consultation, as per the agreed tariff rate accordingly.

3.10 At the start of the medical consultation you should introduce yourself with your professional name and thank the patient for choosing Phonedoc to provide medical assistance to them and ask the consulting patient the required professional questions for conducting the consultation. You shall note their responses and medical condition ailments accordingly for diagnosis and treatment with a prescription of medication required, as professionally needed. 

3.11 You cannot knowingly use any virus, trojans, worms, malware, or any other forms of malicious or harmful technology, to gain unauthorised access to Phonedoc Doctor App or corrupt its operations and technology in anyway. Such attempts shall deny you access and permanently blocked from using this Phonedoc Doctor App, with possible criminal case proceeding. 

3.12 Those patients that have forgotten their password can email Phonedoc at: info@phonedoc.co.za to have their password reset.Patients will have the right to change their password and language after logging onto Phonedoc Patient App.

 

4. Your Medical Consultation:

4.1 All medical practitioners and healthcare service providers conducting these medical consultations on the Phonedoc DoctorApp are qualified, registered professionals with HPCSA and are licensed to conduct these medical consultations, by their relevant regulatory organizations/bodies.

4.2 Phonedoc does not store any credit card details, and each time the patient uses Phonedoc Patient App, they would have to re-enter the credit card details. Your phone settings and certain smart (Android and Apple devices) phones may store the credit card details on the phone, but Phonedoc Patient App does not store credit card details nor has it been built to store credit card details.

4.3 All You must ensure that all patient detailed information, or symptoms which you feel is very relevant and pertinent for their best professional medical evaluation/assessment is correctly and accurately noted. 

4.4 Patients would have a choice to consult with Doctors in their preferred language and it is best to communicate in their language for best quality professional consultation and medical care advice. 

4.5 All medical and healthcare practitioners providing consultations, shall treat patients and their detailed personal information provided, with the utmost respect, confidentiality, professionalism and dignity, throughout your medical consultation process. 

4.6 Phonedoc does not tolerate any abusive or offensive language, or behaviour and reserves the right to terminate your account and block your access to this Phonedoc Doctor App, in the event that there is any misconduct, or unprofessional ethical behaviour and breach of these stated Terms and Conditions. 

 

5. Results from Phonedoc Medical Consultation:

5.1 Once you have thoroughly completed the medical consultation, you shall provide professional results of your medical condition assessment and advise the patient accordingly. 

5.2 Medical Prescription shall be provided by the attending medical health care practitioner and sent to the patient electronically via their registered email, or registered phone. It is the prerogative of the patient’s responsibility, to complete that transaction with their pharmacy of choice, to acquire the necessary medication prescribed. 

5.3 Please note that this prescription is valid for one transaction only, with a valid duration of 7 days for the prescribed medication to be obtained by their pharmacist, or medicine dispenser of choice. 

5.4. Should the medical practitioner or healthcare professional be of the opinion, that the patient requires further medical evaluation or investigation, you shall then advise the patient to attend a specialist for required tests, scans or X-Rays, at their preferred hospital or medical centre of choice, at their own cost. 

5.5 The Healthcare Professional may or may not as their professional prerogative, refer patients to a specialist, depending on the merits of the diagnosis or if medical condition is non-urgent, or will advice follow up with your family doctor as needed, if a physical examination or investigation is required.. 

5.6 Your medical consultation via text-based notes, shall be kept confidential, private and professionally digitally stored, should there be a follow up, or medical investigation required or medical legal case. 

 

6. Phonedoc Responsibility and Liability:

6.1 Phonedoc shall make every reasonable effort to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency operations of this app on its platform.

6.2 Phonedoc does not make any representations, warranties or guarantees, whether it be expressed or implied in any way, that the content in the app is totally accurate, complete or up to current date. 

6.3 Phonedoc provides the platform between Patient and Health care professionals and would not take any legal responsibility for any medical advice offered by participating healthcare professionals, or behaviour by either patient or healthcare professionals.

6.4 The use of the Phonedoc App does not guarantee that the availability of its operations process or functionality thereof be free from any from electrical, electronic, load shedding, generator, telecommunication cell phone tower or personal cell phone disruptions, by either patient or medical practitioner. 

6.5 Phonedoc supports safe professional communication. Phonedoc advises that consultations should not be conducted when driving a vehicle, except when in handsfree mode and extremely safe to do so.

6.6 Phonedoc advises not to use the cell phone in any hazardous environment, that may pose a risk to your life. 

6.7 These possible disruptions that is not conclusive, it brought to the user’s attention, that may be caused by a variety of factors, including some of the following:
6.7.1 Problems with your phone battery, sufficient data, connectivity quality, or signal, or reception, or with your hardware/equipment, network, software, or third-party service provider.
6.7.2 You are responsible for your situational circumstances for poor quality connectivity and ensuring a clear strong signal reception that is required for this entire medical consultation to be completed.
6.7.3 A possible software virus risk on your cell phone device, or any other possible security threat that may not be evident to you. 

6.7.4 Any other possible situational circumstance that is beyond our control.

 

7. Phonedoc Liabilities: 

7.1 Should Phonedoc not comply with our stipulated obligations as prescribed by our Terms and Conditions, and not offer a satisfactory service, and you as the patient are not in contravention or breach of our obligations in these Terms and Conditions, then Phonedoc, after a thorough investigation, shall reimburse you solely for the cost incurred for the payment of the relevant healthcare provider’s cost, within a limited time if found guilty of same.

7.2 Phonedoc’s liability is not excluded or limited in any way where it would be unlawful to do so. This may include liability resulting in death or any personal injuries, caused by any registered Healthcare Provider’s medical negligence, or subcontractors or any form of fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

8. Phonedoc Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights:

8.1 Phonedoc Pty Ltd solely owns and is the registered licenced service provider, for this Phonedoc Patient App in South Africa. 

8.2 No person or company, is allowed to reproduce, copy, duplicate, display, sell, or in any way try to commercialize the use of this Phonedoc App, or its official Logo, or Trademark, in any part or form, without written permission, consent and approval from its copyright owners, Sole Directors.

8.3 Any unauthorized use of this information, in part or total form, of any aspect detailed in 8.1 above, may be seen as contravention & breach of these Terms and Conditions, that may result in leading to criminal investigations and legal prosecution charges accordingly.

 

9. POPIA and Promotion of Access to Information:

9.1 Phonedoc shall strive to adhere all compliance requirements of POPIA.

9.2 By using this Phonedoc App, you hereby give consent in terms of POPIA, Chapter 9, Section 72: Transfer of Personal Information outside Republic of South Africa. 

9.3 In terms of the Promotion of Access Information Act (PAIA) No.: 2 of 2000 & in accordance, ensure commitment to accountability and good corporate governance, Phonedoc shall respect your rights of personal information that you supplied on Phonedoc and to ensure it is kept private and confidential. 

 

10. Phonedoc App Product development and changes in Terms and Conditions:

10.1 Phonedoc reserves the right to amend/change/edit the scope and or purpose and operational functionality of the Phonedoc App, as and when deemed necessary to do so. 

10.2 The respective tariff charges for the health care practitioners can be changed at any time as deemed necessary to do so and may include amending these Terms and Conditions, as revised to current business operations for the Phonedoc DoctorApp. 

 

11. General Conditions: 

11.1 This mutually accepted agreement is between You, the healthcare professional (deemed Medical Doctor) and Phonedoc via the Phonedoc Doctor App, as described in these Terms and Conditions and is specifically unique and personal to you, thereby cannot be transferred by you to any other person in any form. 

11.2 Phonedoc Pty Ltd reserves the sole mandate rights, to amend, edit or add to its list of health care medical practitioners, or employ any sub-contractors in any manner, as deemed necessary to do, to totally fulfil its rights and due obligations, as defined in these Terms and Conditions, to fulfil our rights and obligations under these Terms and Conditions.

11.3. The Service Level Agreement between You, the Medical Practitioner and Phonedoc once read, signed and accepted, is legal binding in its content accordingly.    

11.4 Should there be any matters arising between Phonedoc PTY LTD and the healthcare professional, each is wholly within their right to obtain legal guidance and opinion, without any prejudice.