Want to consult a GP without taking the risk of COVID-19? Stay safe with TytoHome
If you get COVID-19, you should stay at home to rest and avoid seeing other people. You also need to be able to see a GP and be examined. The TytoHome kit lets you do both. It takes virtual consultations and examinations to the next level.
With South Africa's lockdowns and the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become common to meet friends, colleagues and even doctors online instead of in person. Until recently, voice and video consultations with a GP were mostly to find out if you needed to go in and see them in person, to get referred for a COVID-19 test, or to follow up after you'd already had an in-person consultation. Virtual consultations are powerful tools that help limit contact with other people during the pandemic so you can avoid becoming ill and spreading infections.
TytoHome takes virtual consultations further
The problem with a virtual consultation that only uses a voice or video call is that it's difficult for your GP to diagnose you accurately or prescribe medicine without:
- Knowing your temperature
- Looking into your ears and throat
- Listening to your heart and lungs, or
- If you have a rash or an insect bite, seeing what your skin looks like.
In a first for South Africa, Discovery Health is giving you access to the TytoHome kit, which gives a GP access to all this information.
With the TytoHome palm-sized medical device, you can examine yourself with the help of a GP during a virtual consultation. It allows you to stay home and benefit from informed medical advice at the same time. The kit sends the GP the information they need to diagnose common medical conditions.
If a laboratory test shows you have COVID-19, you can also use this technology to have check-ups without leaving your house or even your room. This saves you a trip to see a GP while you're unwell and need to rest, and also lowers the risk of the disease spreading.
Find out more about TytoHome and how it works.
Use TytoHome with Discovery Connected Care
Discovery Health Medical Scheme members can use the Discovery Connected Care platform to connect the TytoHome device. While the TytoHome device records medical information, Connected Care allows your doctor to access the information and write prescriptions for the medicine you need to treat your condition. You can also have your medicine delivered to you and track its delivery using Connected Care.
As a member of Discovery Health Medical Scheme, we automatically cover your virtual consultations and medicine from your available benefits when you use Connected Care. Your cover depends on your health plan.
To send your doctor the information on the TytoHome device, you have to open Discovery Connected Care available on www.discovery.co.za. You can then link your TytoHome device using your wireless internet connection to share medical information with your GP.
Not a Discovery Health Medical Scheme member?
You have temporary access to an offline version of the TytoCare app to set up and test your device until the Discovery Connected Care platform is available to you. Use these steps to pair your device.
Your cover for the TytoHome kit if you have COVID-19
If a laboratory test shows you have COVID-19 and the Scheme considers you at risk, Discovery Health Medical Scheme pays 75% of the cost for the TytoHome kit without using your day-to-day benefits.
How to pay the rest (your co-payment) depends on your health plan and Discovery products:
- If you have an Executive, Comprehensive, Priority or Saver Plan, we automatically pay the 25% from the available money in your Medical Savings Account.
- If your plan doesn't have a Medical Savings Account or your Medical Savings account doesn't have enough money for the co-payment, you can pay using a credit card.
- If you have Discovery Comprehensive Gap Cover, we automatically pay the co-payment back into your bank account five to seven days after you claim. You have to pay this amount back to Discovery Health Medical Scheme if the Scheme originally paid the co-payment from your Medical Savings Account.
The Scheme also pays 75% for the device without using your day-to-day benefits if you're in the third trimester of pregnancy or are a young family registered for the My Pregnancy or My Baby programmes and the youngest child is not yet six years old. Find out more about your benefits and cover.
General cover for the TytoHome kit
If you're interested in getting a TytoHome kit and you don't meet the medical requirements for cover, you still have cover for the kit if you have a health plan with a Medical Savings Account and have benefits available for external medical items. We automatically pay the full amount from the available money in your Medical Savings Account. If you don't have benefits available, you can pay for the TytoHome kit using a credit card.
Anyone can order the TytoHome kit through Discovery
Members of Discovery Health Medical Scheme and Discovery clients receive a discount on the TytoHome kit.
How to order the TytoHome kit depends on your Discovery products:
- Member of Discovery Health Medical Scheme: Order through MedXpress (R6 284)
- A Discovery client, but not a Scheme member: Redeem your voucher on the Discovery website and use your code when you order from the iStore (R6 284)
The Discovery Health Medical Scheme is an independent non-profit entity governed by the Medical Schemes Act, and regulated by the Council for Medical Schemes. It is administered by a separate company, Discovery Health (Pty) Ltd, an authorised financial services provider.
