Telehealth gains momentum in SA

ONLINE CONSULTATIONS

- Hein Kaiser

Telemedicine has, over the past five years, seen significant growth.

Health care access technology has moved from early adopters through to retailers now offering online consultations as part of its everyday product offering.

Whether it’s a cold and flu consult or guided weight loss, the impact and growth of the medium is undeniable.

Netnographer and online cultural specialist Carmen Murray said that the upward trajectory of telehealth and wellness is a sign of the time famine coupled with social pressure and online accessibility.

“The adoption rate is climbing at a steeper angle,” she said. “Health care entered the digital age with a measure of consumer reticence but since the pandemic, it has rapidly become a real-world option for people with busy lives or conditions that could make many people avoid the waiting room.”