According to Statistics South Africa, the South African Economy loses an estimated R12 billion to absenteeism every year, and while this macro-economic figure is staggering it is at the business level that the true effects are felt. Employees are a company’s greatest asset and their health and wellbeing are essential to the day-to-day successful running of a business.
FeelBetterFast is a digital voucher based health service that allows employees to seek treatment for everyday minor ailments that would otherwise keep them out of work. Vouchers are redeemed at a convenient local community pharmacy and includes a clinic consultation with the nursing sister and medication dispensed by the pharmacist. A fast, professional health service that helps employees feel better fast and return to work timeously.
How FeelBetterFast works
Employers and their employees are set up on the web-based FeelBetterFast platform. When an employee is feeling sick, they call their employer, who is able to issue a pre-paid digital voucher code directly to the employee’s phone. This voucher can then be redeemed at participating pharmacies for professional advice and medication. This means employees get the care they need to feel better without the costs of going to the doctor or standing in a long queue at the clinic. Employers are able to assist their employees at a low cost and avoid the loss in productivity associated with sick absenteeism. It really is a win.
Apart from using the FeelBetterFast service for employees when they are sick a voucher may also be issued to keep your employees fit and healthy and at work. This includes the Flu Vaccination (Flu is the leading cause of sick absenteeism in the SA workplace) as well as a HealthCheck. If the nursing sister determines that the ailment is more serious and requires more advanced medical attention a referral note will be provided to the employee.
How FeelBetterFast benefits the employer
The FeelBetterFast service provides an option for employers to provide a healthcare service for their employees. Having your employees health and well-being at heart promotes employee engagement in their work day. Eighty two percent of employees say health and wellness initiatives would encourage them to stay in their jobs longer.
The HealthCheck has the added advantage of screening employees early so that any interventions can be initiated sooner rather than later and reduce upstream medical costs.
Health provision can be expensive but FeelBetterFast works on a ‘pre-paid’ voucher system – the employer may purchase as many vouchers as required and top them up when they run low. This creates an affordable ‘pay-as-you-go’ healthcare service with no monthly premiums or additional costs.
The convenience of a ‘walk-in’ health service at a local pharmacy saves time for both the employee and the employer resulting in an improvement in productivity and absenteeism all round.
A clinic attendance note is also issued to the employee which can be brought back to the employer.
How FeelBetterFast benefits the employee
Unexpected medical costs when you are feeling unwell may discourage early treatment and if not speedily resolved may result in a more serious ailment, more time off and greater expense further down the road. FeelBetterFast encourages the early resolution of healthcare issues with the simple issuing of a voucher with no cost to the employee.
The peace of mind that can be generated by a sit down consultation with the nursing sister and some professional care is a benefit well received by employees.
There is no cost to the employee for the nurse consultation and the medicines received.
New accredited pharmacy locations are continuously added to the network to improve access and convenience for the employee and reduce travel costs.
A regular HealthCheck with the nursing sister can also detect early signs of chronic disease which may be reversed through appropriate lifestyle modification.
What minor ailments are covered by FeelBetterFast
What is a minor ailment? It can be described as a common or self-limiting or uncomplicated condition that may be diagnosed and managed without the need to see a doctor.
While symptoms may sometimes point to a more serious illness the vast majority of these ailments are easily treated through a consultation with the pharmacy nurse and access to over the counter medicine.
The FeelBetterFast service covers all of these minor ailments and has been expanded to provide for the Flu Vaccination, Emergency Oral Contraception and the HealthCheck.
HealthCheck includes: Blood pressure, Cholesterol, Glucose, Weight/Waist (BMI) and Smoking status. A HealthCheck report and advice is issued to the employee for their records.
If you would like to know how you can sign up for the FeelBetterFast program, contact us today.
Email – info@feelbetterfast.co.za
Phone – 021 180 4490