For many families across South Africa, accessing healthcare is about much more than making an appointment. It often means taking unpaid leave from work, travelling long distances, and covering transport costs that place additional strain on already stretched household budgets.
With nearly one-third of South African children living in households without employed adults and below the food poverty line, finding innovative ways to deliver healthcare has never been more important.
At Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, the Department of Paediatric Surgery has embraced innovation through a telemedicine programme that is changing the way post-operative care is delivered.
Healthcare Beyond Hospital Walls
Following a successful pilot study, the department formally implemented telephonic follow-up consultations for selected paediatric surgery patients. Instead of returning to hospital for routine post-operative reviews, families are contacted by healthcare professionals from the comfort of their own homes.
The results have been remarkable.
The initial pilot demonstrated that telemedicine is safe, cost-effective and well accepted by patients and caregivers. Families participating in the study collectively saved approximately R4,500 in transport costs, while employed parents were able to avoid taking unnecessary leave from work.
For many families, these savings represent far more than money, they mean less disruption, reduced stress and improved access to ongoing care.
Proven Impact
Over a three-year period, the programme successfully managed 1,623 patients through telephonic follow-up.
Approximately 1,500 children avoided returning to the outpatient clinic, reducing the annual outpatient workload by 7.1% while requiring no additional resources beyond access to a telephone.
Importantly, families reported extremely high satisfaction with the service, with many using the opportunity to seek advice on other healthcare concerns, highlighting the trust that has been built between healthcare providers and the communities they serve.
Innovation That Creates Access
At Surgeons for Little Lives, we believe that innovation is not only about technology, it is about removing barriers to care.
Telemedicine has shown that simple, practical solutions can improve healthcare outcomes, reduce unnecessary costs and allow hospitals to focus valuable resources where they are needed most.
As healthcare continues to evolve, programmes like these demonstrate that compassionate, patient-centred innovation can make a measurable difference in the lives of children and their families.
Together, we continue to explore new ways to ensure every child has access to safe, affordable and world-class healthcare, no matter where they live.
