As South Africa experiences tough economic times, employers and workforces alike can benefit from solutions like telemedicine. In a nutshell, telemedicine is the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients by using ICT. This allows an individual to seek a doctor’s advice about non-emergency situations that don’t require an in-person visit.

In this episode of TechCentral’s TCS+, Guardian Eye AVA specialist Justine Pillay chats to host Brendan Haskins about this powerful new combination of technology and telemedicine that is set to shake up the way primary healthcare is handled in South Africa.

The solution by Guardian Eye, dubbed “AVA”, is an innovative asynchronous internet-of-things medical device and telemedicine platform that is set to bring positive change to the local healthcare industry.

According to Pillay, the AVA medical device, powered by IoT, is bridging a gap in the workplace by improving access to care, cutting costs and boosting efficiency in healthcare delivery for everyone involved. The offering is aimed at companies with more than 150 employees and is a first-to-market in Africa.

Collecting vital data

The AVA Guardian Eye link features remote monitoring of patients by gathering and saving all historical medical data and images, and other forms of communication, allowing healthcare providers to deliver care outside traditional in-person visits.

In addition, by using the "Higo Pro” connected e-health care product, AVA can be used to collect vital data from an employee who is feeling unwell. These vitals are then sent to an online healthcare professional to make an initial assessment – generally within a waiting period of only 30 minutes.

All medical exams are carried out by a nurse or a trained AVA “champion operator”, with data sent to a qualified doctor for a final diagnosis.

If warranted, the doctor will give the employee a prescription for medication and a sick note they can send to the HR department.

Benefits for all

In this way, AVA saves the employee time by reducing travel and waiting-room times. They can also save money by receiving this unlimited access to a healthcare provider as a work-sponsored benefit, rather than having to pay for their doctors when needed.

For employers, Guardian Eye’s AVA can keep digital healthcare records for all members of staff, and increase motivation and morale through the provision of a quality employer benefit. Productivity is also increased, and sick leave is reduced through the provision of onsite telemedicine.

Don’t miss a fascinating discussion. TechCentral