HPCSA Series | Episode 5: Booklet 10 | Telehealth — The Rules Behind the Screen

If you’ve ever followed up with a patient over WhatsApp, done a phone check-in, or offered a video consultation and wondered “Is this actually okay?” — this episode is for you.

In Episode 5 of our HPCSA Guidelines series, we unpack HPCSA Booklet 10: General Ethical Guidelines for Good Practice in Telehealth — the booklet that governs how healthcare practitioners may legally and ethically deliver care through digital platforms.

Telehealth has become part of everyday practice, often out of necessity. But many practitioners are unknowingly operating in grey areas — not because they’re careless, but because no one has clearly explained the rules.

In this episode, we unpack:

• What the HPCSA actually defines as telehealth (and why it’s broader than most people think)
• The five non-negotiable ethical requirements for telehealth practice
• Why convenience does not override confidentiality or informed consent
• Where tools like WhatsApp and social media create unintended risk
• Why telehealth must supplement — not replace — in-person care
• How to protect patient information, document appropriately, and stay POPIA-compliant
• How telehealth can become a strategic business advantage when done properly



This isn’t about avoiding telehealth or being afraid of technology.

It’s about understanding how to use it intentionally, ethically, and safely — in a way that protects your patients, your practice, and your professional registration.

If you’ve ever asked yourself:

“Am I doing telehealth the right way — or just the convenient way?”

This episode will give you the clarity you’ve been missing.

🎙️ Part of our 8-part HPCSA Guidelines series — created to help healthcare practice owners build ethical, compliant, and sustainable businesses in a rapidly changing healthcare landscape.