The apps are coming! But will they be legal in South Africa?

Abstract

Technology is all around us. It helps us to be more productive every day. One of the main ways it does this is by automating processes that would otherwise have taken up our time. Doctors can leverage technology to help remove the burden of performing repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on seeing patients. This article deals with ways in which technology could be used for certain tasks such as renewing prescriptions. Using technology in such a way would fall under the concept of telemedicine. Local guidelines are assessed to ascertain whether the use of apps by patients in South Africa for healthcare advice by doctors would be legal.