Informed Consent to Telehealth Treatment

Last updated 30 July 2026

This Informed Consent to Telehealth Treatment ("Consent") is between you and the Oryx-affiliated, HPCSA-registered practitioner who treats you through the Services ("your practitioner"). It forms part of, and is incorporated by reference into, the Oryx Terms of Use. Terms defined in the Terms of Use have the same meaning here.

1. What this covers

By confirming your consultation, you consent to receiving medical treatment from your practitioner by telehealth, and to Oryx facilitating that treatment, including the dispensing and delivery of any prescribed product.

You acknowledge that the health information you provide during your consultation is special personal information as defined in section 26 of the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 ("POPIA"). By confirming this Consent, you provide your informed consent as contemplated in section 27 of POPIA for Oryx and your practitioner to process your health information for the purposes of your treatment. This consent is given freely, specifically, and on an informed basis.

2. Nature and limitations of telehealth

• Your consultation is conducted remotely, not in person. Your practitioner relies on the information you provide, so its accuracy matters.
• A consultation does not guarantee a prescription. Your practitioner makes an independent clinical judgement and may decline to prescribe, refer you elsewhere, or request further information or tests.
• Telehealth is not appropriate for medical emergencies. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, contact emergency services or go to your nearest emergency room. Do not wait for an Oryx consultation.
• Your practitioner may end the treatment relationship, or decline to continue prescribing, where clinically appropriate.
• To participate in a telehealth consultation, you need a device with a camera and microphone, a stable internet connection, and access to the video platform used by Oryx (currently Microsoft Teams). You are responsible for ensuring your technology is working before the consultation.
• Telehealth carries inherent risks, including the possibility of technical failures, poor connectivity, delays in treatment due to technology issues, and limitations in physical examination. In rare cases, information transmitted may be insufficient for appropriate clinical decision-making.
• Telehealth may not be suitable for all medical conditions. Your practitioner will advise you if an in-person consultation or referral is more appropriate for your needs.
• You may withdraw your consent to telehealth treatment at any time, without penalty, by notifying Oryx at support@oryx.health. Withdrawal does not affect the validity of treatment already provided (see section 11 below).

3. Your responsibilities as a patient

• You must provide accurate and complete information about your medical history, current symptoms, and all medications you are taking (including over-the-counter medicines, supplements, and herbal remedies).
• You must inform your practitioner of any changes to your health, medications, or circumstances that may affect your treatment.
• You must follow the treatment plan and dosing instructions given to you by your practitioner, and report any adverse reactions or side effects promptly by contacting Oryx at support@oryx.health or your practitioner directly.
• You must ensure you are in a private, safe location during your consultation, and that you are not driving or operating machinery.

4. Fees and payment

• Consultation and product fees are as displayed at the time of booking or ordering, and are governed by the payment terms in the Terms of Use.
• If you miss a scheduled consultation, or cancel with less than 48 hour's notice, a fee of R600 applies.
• You remain personally liable for amounts owed to Oryx for consultations and products, whether or not another party, such as a medical scheme, also has an obligation to pay.
• Where an account remains unpaid after reasonable attempts to recover it, Oryx may record the default with a registered credit bureau.

5. Disclosure of your medical information

To provide your treatment, your practitioner and Oryx may share your relevant medical information with other Oryx-affiliated practitioners involved in your ongoing care. The other parties who may receive it, for example your pharmacist, testing laboratories, and relevant regulators, are set out in the Oryx Privacy Policy.

Everyone who receives your information this way is bound by confidentiality obligations. Full detail on how your information is collected, used, and protected is in the Oryx Privacy Policy.

Oryx engages technical service providers (referred to as "operators" under section 1 of POPIA) who process your health information on Oryx's behalf. These operators are bound by written agreements that impose appropriate security and confidentiality obligations, and they may only process your information for the purposes set out in this Consent and the Oryx Privacy Policy.

Certain service providers (for example, Microsoft Teams, which is used to conduct video consultations) may process your information outside South Africa. Where this occurs, Oryx ensures that the transfer is subject to the safeguards required by section 72 of POPIA, including that the recipient is subject to laws or binding agreements that provide an adequate level of protection.

6. Automated eligibility screening

Before your first consultation, you complete a pre-consultation eligibility screening. This screening applies automated criteria to determine whether telehealth treatment through Oryx is appropriate for you. Certain responses (for example, being under 18, not being located in South Africa, or not meeting clinical suitability criteria) may result in an automated decision that you are not eligible.

In terms of section 71 of POPIA, you have the right to request that any automated eligibility decision be reviewed by a human. To request a review, contact Oryx at support@oryx.health.

7. Recording of consultations

Consultations conducted via Microsoft Teams may be recorded for the purposes of clinical record-keeping and quality assurance. Where a consultation is recorded, your practitioner will inform you at the start of the session. Recordings form part of your medical record and are retained in accordance with the National Health Act 61 of 2003 and the Oryx Privacy Policy. You have the right to request access to any recording of your consultation by contacting Oryx at support@oryx.health.

8. Second opinions and referrals

You may request a second opinion from another Oryx-affiliated practitioner, or a referral to an in-person healthcare provider, at any time. Your practitioner will assist you with an appropriate referral where requested or where clinically indicated. Requesting a second opinion or referral will not affect your ongoing care with Oryx.

9. Liability

Your practitioner will exercise the skill and care expected of a reasonably competent professional in their field. Neither your practitioner nor Oryx is liable for loss, injury, or harm arising from your treatment, including harm from incomplete or inaccurate information you provide, or your failure to follow the treatment plan or dosing instructions given to you. This does not apply to harm caused by their negligence.

You indemnify Oryx against any loss it suffers as a direct result of information you have provided that is false, inaccurate, or misleading.

10. Who this is for

This Consent, and the treatment it covers, is only available to patients who meet the eligibility requirements in the Terms of Use.

11. Withdrawal of consent

You may withdraw your consent to telehealth treatment at any time, without penalty, by notifying Oryx in writing at support@oryx.health. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of any treatment or processing of your information that took place before you withdrew. If you withdraw consent, Oryx will not provide further telehealth consultations to you, but will continue to retain your medical records as required by law.

12. Breach notification

If Oryx becomes aware of a data breach that compromises the security of your health information and that creates a reasonable risk of harm to you, Oryx will notify you and the Information Regulator without unreasonable delay, as required by section 22 of POPIA. The notification will describe the nature of the breach, the information affected, and the steps Oryx is taking to address it.

13. Complaints procedure

If you have a concern about the treatment you received or how your information has been handled, please raise it with Oryx first by contacting support@oryx.health. We will acknowledge your complaint and aim to resolve it within a reasonable time. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may escalate your complaint to the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) for clinical matters, the Office of the Health Ombud for health service concerns, or the Information Regulator (enquiries@inforegulator.org.za) for data protection matters.

14. Governing law and your address for notices

This Consent is governed by the law of South Africa, including the National Health Act 61 of 2003, the Health Professions Act 56 of 1974, the HPCSA's General Ethical Guidelines for Good Practice in Telemedicine, and POPIA. Jurisdiction is as set out in the Terms of Use. The residential address you provide when registering is your address for legal notices under this Consent.

15. Record keeping

Your medical records are retained in line with the National Health Act 61 of 2003 and the Oryx Privacy Policy, which sets out the applicable retention periods and your rights to access, correct, or request deletion of your information.

16. Your acceptance

You confirm that you have read and understood this Consent, have had the opportunity to ask questions, and freely agree to be treated on this basis. You confirm that the information you give your practitioner is accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge.