Vodacom and Discovery have partnered to deliver a simple but powerful online healthcare platform for the benefit of all South Africans during the COVID-19 pandemic. This platform provides easy access for all citizens to a COVID-19 risk tool, to help understand their personal risk for COVID-19 plus, where needed, to immediately schedule virtual healthcare professional consultations and get advice.

As South Africa continues to closely monitor the incidence of COVID-19, this virtual healthcare platform will work alongside other initiatives to give all South Africans free access to reliable information, risk screening and, when necessary, free online medical consultations. The online healthcare platform is dedicated to COVID-19-specific screening and consultations.

Step-by-step guide

There are seven easy steps to use an online doctor consultation:

1. Start the process by visiting Vodacom’s COVID-19 information hub
2. Members of Discovery Health Medical Scheme can access the service through the Discovery app. Vodacom customers can get additional information and do a self-assessment via USSD by dialling *111#.
3. Utilise the COVID-19 self-screening risk assessment tool, by answering a few easy questions.
4. If you are confirmed as high risk of having COVID-19, a short registration and consent process on the DrConnect app will follow.
5. Book a virtual consultation with a doctor who is available to assess the need for COVID-19 testing.
6. If the doctor recommends testing, a photo of the completed pathology form will be sent to you by SMS, WhatsApp or email. The same process will apply to scripts for medicine.
7. Testing and collecting of medicine will be facilitated by the relevant essential healthcare service providers that you have to visit. Doctors will receive test results electronically and can then advise if you should schedule follow-up appointments to discuss results and next steps.

USSD Journey:

1. Customer dials *111#
2. Customer clicks on option 3) Corona Virus
3. Customer does self-assessment 
4. If the user is low risk, they will be presented with prevention tips
5. If the user is a high risk, they will view ways to get treatment

Watch Shameel Joosub, Chief Executive Officer of Vodacom Group; Adrian Gore, Chief Executive Discovery Group; Mariam Cassim, Chief Executive Officer of Vodacom Financial Services and Dr Ryan Noach, Chief Executive Officer of Discovery Health, explain the importance of this partnership and how the platform works in this video.