need to be equipped to deliver virtual care .
In future , mental health care might well be the long-term driver powering telehealth adoption and shifting patient behaviours and expectations .
The easier and less fraught mental health care becomes , the higher the adoption thereof is . One must take into account how to strike the balance between delivering digital healthcare and creating a sustainable relationship with a patient .
Providers will need to be well versed on the myriad of technological applications available to patients and
then “ prescribe ” wellness applications based on that knowledge .
Patients may also have increased expectations of care being delivered in their homes . Especially those that are chronically ill who want to be empowered with devices able to record key metrics shared in real time with their treating practitioner . The availability and storage of this information in a uniform , portable and Protection of Personal Information Act-compliant manner is a key component of delivering both virtual and home-based care .
South Africa is no exception when it comes to investment
into digital health . For example , a company called Brandmed has made its digital platform available to treating practitioners and was the first to launch a holistic virtual wellbeing platform that consumers can access from the comfort of their homes .
Providers of care can be reassured that the content made available on the Brandmed platform meets clinical standards and is vetted by some of the leading clinical and wellness practitioners in the country .
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