Afterhours Telehealth Service Policy

Updated: 2026-08-19 14:46 SAST
Telehealth Afterhours Consent

1. Purpose

This policy explains how afterhours telehealth consultations are delivered, billed, and managed, including service limits, patient responsibilities, payment confirmation, and the conditions that may be booked through the afterhours telehealth page.

Effective date: 1 September 2025.

2. Scope & Eligibility

  • Available to new and established patients.
  • If no prior practitioner-patient relationship exists, consultations proceed only if clinically appropriate.
  • Intended for acute, non-emergency conditions. Emergencies must go to an emergency facility.
  • This is a telehealth-only service and is limited to concerns that do not require a physical examination, procedure, or investigation by a healthcare provider.
  • Patients may only book a condition or service option displayed on the afterhours booking page or returned by the approved search results.
  • If the concern does not reasonably match one of the listed afterhours options, the patient should not proceed with this service and should book an in-person GP consultation or seek urgent care where appropriate.

3. Booking & Payment

  • Consultations are booked and prepaid online via PayFast or another approved secure payment provider used by 4FR Health.
  • A booking is only regarded as confirmed once the full payment process has been completed successfully and the payment confirmation has been received or recorded by 4FR Health.
  • If payment is interrupted, declined, abandoned, reversed, or not successfully completed, the booking may be treated as unconfirmed.
  • Base fee aligns with professional guidance.
  • Due to afterhours automation and limited admin support:
    • The base fee covers the professional service only.
    • A medical-aid-ready invoice/statement may be issued on request: R50.00 (incl. VAT).
    • 4FR Health does not submit or manage medical-aid claims for this service.
    • Patients accept reimbursement may be lower than the fee charged; platform costs may not be reimbursable.

4. Consultation Duration & Limitations

  • Strictly 15-minute consultations with a 5-minute admin buffer.
  • Only one primary qualifying condition per booking (no “shopping lists”).
  • The selected booking option must match the main concern discussed during the consultation.
  • If the condition cannot be safely managed through telehealth, an in-person follow-up or urgent/emergency referral may be required.
  • 4FR Health may decline, redirect, or end an afterhours telehealth consultation if the concern falls outside the approved scope of this service.

5. Refunds & Cancellations

  • If 4FR Health cancels, a full refund or reschedule is offered.
  • No refunds for patient no-shows or avoidable technical failures.
  • Credits may be considered at the doctor’s discretion.
  • No refund is guaranteed where a patient books an option that does not reasonably match the actual concern or falls outside the approved scope of the afterhours telehealth service.
  • This policy must be read with the Cancellation & No-Show Policy.

6. Scope of Care

Telehealth does not replace physical examination, procedures, or physical investigations. Prescriptions follow the Prescription Fulfilment Policy and applicable law.

The search function is a convenience tool to help patients find the closest available afterhours option. It does not provide a diagnosis, does not guarantee that the concern is suitable for telehealth, and does not replace the doctor’s clinical judgement.

7. Privacy & Data Security

Personal information is handled in line with our POPIA Compliance Policy and Privacy Policy. Consultations are not recorded unless clinically required and with consent.

9. Compliance

  • Professional telehealth guidance (including relevant updates).
  • Ethical Rules of Conduct under the Health Professions Act.
  • Medicines and Related Substances Act.
  • POPIA (2013).

10. Compliance Enquiries

For compliance enquiries, contact: compliance@4fr.co.za