Connect safely to a virtual healthcare consultation, straight from your web browser
In the last 15 months, many people have avoided doctors’ rooms unless absolutely necessary. While this is understandable, it has come with its own set of challenges – not least of which is a break in the continuity of care and neglect of general health. It has however also resulted in some remarkable technological innovations. Dr Johan Pretorius, CEO of Universal Healthcare discusses the launch of a new virtual consultation platform, changing the face of healthcare interactions now and for the future.
Universal’s leading-edge technology now brings you online consultations with uConsult™. Connect with your healthcare provider from anywhere using any smart device that has a stable internet connection.
Virtual connectivity is not a new concept – after all, we are living in the time of the digital revolution. That being said, there is a constant flow of change and improvement in the digital world, and we are fast learning that not all disruptive innovations are created equal.
uConsult™, a multi-sided virtual consultation platform making private home-based care singularly accessible in South Africa, is taking the lead on this one. This fully integrated system was built from the ground up by Universal’s international team based in Silicon Valley, California, using the latest technology available.
The platform allows patients to connect with general practitioners – and soon, other types of healthcare providers too – no matter whether they have medical aid cover or not, or which medical scheme they may belong to. Users can access the platform from anywhere in the world via their web browsers, so there is no need to download a restrictive medical scheme prescribed app, which is only available to select groups.
With Universal’s leading-edge technology we now bring you online consultations with uConsult™. Connect with your healthcare provider from anywhere using any smart device that has a stable internet connection.
Unlike other virtual consultation platforms, uConsult™ connects patients with healthcare providers using safe, scalable microservices technology. This makes it accessible any time from any device, be it a smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop. Real accessibility to quality healthcare is uConsult’s ultimate objective.
The platform enables patients to video chat and screen share with their provider, and to receive encrypted prescriptions, pathology forms, radiology forms and specialist referral letters electronically. In many cases the user is therefore able to experience the full journey from consultation to having their medication delivered without ever leaving the comfort and safety of their home or office.
Users are able to search for general practitioners on uConsult™ by name or geolocation and virtual consultations can take place no matter where the patient is based, locally or internationally. The patient and healthcare provider are, in addition, able to connect with other practitioners without having to switch between systems – a revolutionary development. Furthermore, the healthcare provider does not need to have any specific software installed to enable the uConsult™ functionality, increasing flexibility amongst the healthcare community.
It is just the beginning of a new era for the management of our health and how we interact with our healthcare professionals going forward. At Universal, this comes down to innovating and creating solutions that ultimately hinge on so much more than convenience – it is about making inroads into inclusivity, sustainability and connectivity for people within and beyond our borders.