Health Protector

Product Description

Personal Health Advisor is a revolutionary healthcare system offering access to a professional assistance service that deals with any health query 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This service is offered in the majority of the official South African languages.

Personal details and medical history are loaded into a computer database for easy access.

Product Benefits

• Assesses the caller's symptoms and refers him/her to the appropriate type of health care
• Provides the caller with important health knowledge on any aspect of health from surgery to detailed information on varying problems such as lice, moles, measles or mumps
• Provides expert counselling on any chronic ailments or diseases to help the caller live with their condition or that of a loved one
• Provide expert information on medicines, including purpose, side effects, and contra-indications

The Product Includes:

Emergency Medical Advice

In the event of a medical emergency, the Personal Health Advisor will provide appropriate first aid advice to the caller to provide assistance until medical help arrives.

Assessing day-to-day Symptoms

The Personal Health Advisor can give advice on various common illnesses such as colds. Although unable to diagnose, the nurses have access to a computer database and their own clinical experience to guide the caller through various home care advice strategies.

Important Health Knowledge

The Personal Health Advisor can explain various medical terms, results of tests and explain procedures to the caller as well as give dietary information.

Drug Database

The Personal Health Advisor has access to a complete drug database to assist the caller with information on a specific drug, the contra-indications, when it should be taken and whether there are any dietary specifications linked to the usage of the drug.

Poisoning

The Personal Health Advisor also comprises of a database with poisoning protocols for the nurses to assist the caller. The immediate and long-term needs are addressed with the caller who will also be advised to go to a medical facility. An ambulance will be dispatched if the patient is critical and in need of immediate medical care.  

Health Counselling

The Personal Health Advisor can offer the caller a better understanding of various chronic ailments such as cancer, HIV/Aids, diabetes, asthma etc. and offer specific treatment to help the patient, and those around them, cope better with their circumstances.

The Ailments Covered Are:

HIV/Aids and Cancer

The registered nurses are amongst the leading counsellors in this field and assist the caller in managing and living with the condition to the best of their ability.

Addiction

All the nurses are trained counsellors and can offer advice on coping skills or refer callers to appropriate medical care clinics.

Stress Management

The Personal Health Advisor can assist stressed callers on a daily basis offering counselling, advice and relaxation techniques. They discuss, and although no definite risk evaluation takes place, in cases where the nurse realises that there is a need for further assistance, the caller will be referred to a doctor for initial assessment and further treatment.

Trauma Debrief

A debrief takes place with an invitation to call back if the need arises to discuss the situation further. In cases where assessment takes place and the nurse feels that professional assistance will be required, they advise that the patient visit a professional trauma counsellor for a one-to-one session.

Teen Line

The nurses offer advice to teenagers and counsel them on physical, emotional and sexual questions and problems they may be experiencing. The caller is spoken to in his/her home language and advice given includes:

• Drug related questions
• Coping with studies
• Peer pressure
• Living with HIV/Aids

Abused or neglected children are also encouraged to phone the Teen line as the nurses are trained to address such issues in a sensitive manner.

The nurses will help the abused child understand that the abuse is not their fault and that they can do something about their situation. If the nurse, following the assessment of symptoms, concludes that there is some kind of abuse, and that the caller is a minor, they will:

• Persistently guide the victim to act in their own best interests;
• Encourage them to speak to their parents, teachers, or priest;

• Make them understand that abuse needs to be reported;
• Refer them to the social welfare department.

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