General consultations

Choosing a practice that offers telehealth as well as in-person

Find a private practice offering real telehealth and in-person integration. Learn what to check so both consultation types work seamlessly together for your care.

Finding a healthcare practice that seamlessly blends telehealth and in-person care has become less of a luxury and more of a practical necessity for busy South Africans. The real question isn't whether a practice offers both—it's whether the integration actually works for your needs, or whether you're paying for a half-hearted attempt at both.

What "both" really means in practice

Not all practices that claim to offer telehealth and in-person consultations do it equally well. Some have bolted video calling onto an otherwise traditional practice; others have genuinely redesigned their systems so that telehealth feels like part of your care, not a workaround. The distinction matters because a poor implementation—missed handoffs between remote and in-person notes, doctors who rarely do video calls themselves, or booking systems that force you into the wrong channel—will cost you time and peace of mind later.

When you're evaluating a practice, resist the urge to treat telehealth as a minor feature. Ask directly: Do the same doctors conduct both? Are your notes updated in real time across both consultation types? Can you seamlessly move from a video call to an in-person appointment without repeating your history? A practice that has thought this through will have clear answers; one that hasn't will fumble or avoid the question.

Booking flexibility without chaos

The mechanics of booking matter more than you might think. A well-integrated practice lets you choose the right consultation type for what you actually need—urgent throat check? Telehealth. Routine blood pressure monitor? In-person. Follow-up on test results? Either works. But the booking system itself should make that choice obvious and shouldn't penalize you for switching.

Check whether their online booking (if they have it) lets you filter by consultation type, and whether cancelling or rescheduling between telehealth and in-person carries hidden fees. Some practices lock you into a booked modality and charge if you want to switch. Others charge differently for telehealth versus in-person, which is fair—but the pricing should be transparent before you book, not a surprise on your bill. Also ask: if your internet drops mid-call, what's the protocol? Can you reschedule without penalty? A mature practice has a clear answer.

Continuity when you switch modalities

The real test of a dual-mode practice is what happens when you need both within a single episode of care. Say you have a telehealth consultation about headaches, and the doctor wants to examine you in person the next day. Does your consultation note feed straight into the in-person visit, or does the in-person doctor start from scratch? Are your vitals from home visits recorded alongside clinic vitals in one place?

Ask the practice to walk you through a scenario: "If I have a video call now and need to see the doctor in person next week, how will that work?" Their answer will tell you whether this is a thought-out service or improvisation. Also check whether they use a single patient management system or whether telehealth and in-person are handled by separate teams on separate software. The former is smoother; the latter often leads to duplicated work and missed details.

Practical fit for your life

Telehealth convenience is real, but it's not universal. If you live in an area with unreliable internet or load-shedding, a practice that treats telehealth as equal to in-person may not serve you well when power drops mid-consultation. Similarly, if you're managing a chronic condition that needs regular hands-on checks, you may find yourself coming in-person far more often than telehealth saves you time.

Be honest about your actual use case. Do you want telehealth for urgent after-hours issues, or for routine script renewals? For mental health follow-ups, or for initial assessments? The right practice will have different capabilities in different areas—some doctors excel at telehealth; others prefer to examine patients face-to-face. Ask which doctors do which, and whether you can request accordingly.

When you're ready to commit, look for a practice where the two modes genuinely serve each other, not compete. Strove lets you compare verified practices by their actual service offerings and read what other patients experienced with telehealth integration, so you can spot the difference between a gimmick and a genuinely dual-capable practice.

Common questions

Does telehealth cost less than an in-person visit at most practices?: Pricing varies by practice. Some charge the same; others discount telehealth slightly, and some have higher rates for urgent after-hours video calls. Always confirm fees before booking, as they're usually listed separately in the practice's schedule. What matters more is whether the fee structure is transparent and whether you can compare costs upfront.
What if my internet cuts out during a telehealth consultation?: Ask the practice their policy on this before you book. A professional practice will have a clear protocol—usually a reschedule without penalty or an offer to continue by phone. If they don't have an answer, that's a red flag that telehealth isn't fully baked into their service.
Can I see different doctors for telehealth and in-person visits at the same practice?: You can, but it's less ideal for continuity. Ask whether your notes are shared across doctors and whether the practice recommends seeing the same doctor for both when possible. Some practices have one doctor do telehealth and another do in-person, which can lead to missed details or repeated questions.
How do I know if a practice's telehealth and in-person services are actually integrated?: Ask them to describe how notes flow between consultation types and whether they use a single patient management system. Request a walkthrough of a hypothetical scenario: telehealth visit this week, in-person next week. If they hesitate or give vague answers, the integration likely isn't seamless.

Find a verified provider on Strove

Compare vetted general consultations providers, check their credentials, and book or request a quote — all in one place.

Find a Business

More on General consultations

What "both" really means in practice

Booking flexibility without chaos

Continuity when you switch modalities

Practical fit for your life

Common questions

Does telehealth cost less than an in-person visit at most practices?

Pricing varies by practice. Some charge the same; others discount telehealth slightly, and some have higher rates for urgent after-hours video calls. Always confirm fees before booking, as they're usually listed separately in the practice's schedule. What matters more is whether the fee structure is transparent and whether you can compare costs upfront.

What if my internet cuts out during a telehealth consultation?

Ask the practice their policy on this before you book. A professional practice will have a clear protocol—usually a reschedule without penalty or an offer to continue by phone. If they don't have an answer, that's a red flag that telehealth isn't fully baked into their service.

Can I see different doctors for telehealth and in-person visits at the same practice?

You can, but it's less ideal for continuity. Ask whether your notes are shared across doctors and whether the practice recommends seeing the same doctor for both when possible. Some practices have one doctor do telehealth and another do in-person, which can lead to missed details or repeated questions.

How do I know if a practice's telehealth and in-person services are actually integrated?

Ask them to describe how notes flow between consultation types and whether they use a single patient management system. Request a walkthrough of a hypothetical scenario: telehealth visit this week, in-person next week. If they hesitate or give vague answers, the integration likely isn't seamless.