Flu myths debunked

We are heading towards this year’s flu season – or rather ‘crazy season’. This time of the year is filled with great myths and mystery (or rather misery) caused by flu. Quite a number of people belief in home remedies, a post on Facebook, or something they read on a blog, rather than solid, evidence-based medicine. Let’s clarify a few myths about flu or influenza.

Medical scheme myths and misconceptions

The world of medical schemes is a complicated one - and there are many myths and misconceptions doing the rounds. The Medical Schemes Act, 1998, regulates the operation of medical schemes in South Africa and the Council for Medical Schemes is the industry’s regulatory body. So to ease your mind, here is the truth about some myths and misconceptions.

Preventing Cervical Cancer

The prevalence of HPV-caused cervical cancer in South Africa is almost double the global prevalence, with 27 cancer cases in a population of 100,000 persons (the global average incidence is 15 out of 100,000). From the high prevalence of risk factors associated with HPV related cancers to low quality and lack of affordability for healthcare, dealing with HPV in South Africa remains a challenge, but the chance to reduce the second largest cancer-related killer of women in South Africa is within our reach. With the HPV vaccine roll-out and regular cervical screenings, we can lower the instance of genital and other HPV-related cancers in South Africa for good.

Want to make your medical savings account go further and reduce out-of-pocket payments?

It seems that every year medical scheme premiums go up and medical savings accounts (MSA) are used up sooner. This article will help you understand what your rights are with regards to how your medical scheme uses your savings to finance your healthcare needs.

Blood types - are you positive or negative?

There are four main blood groups (types of blood) - A, B, AB and O. Your blood group is determined by the genes you inherit from your parents. Each group can be either RhD positive or RhD negative, which means that in total there are eight blood groups.

General Practitioner Availability

While some consultations may take just a few minutes, others will often overrun, thus making it difficult for the average general practitioner to accept more patients at short notice.

What if you can't find a GP Appointment?

Intercare Medical Centres are helping break the deadlock by extending GP consulting hours and even operating on weekends.

Dentists as Healthcare Professionals

While many people still fear a visit to the dentist, the reality is that new techniques, much-improved instruments, and more effective anaesthetics have been very successful in minimising the pain and discomfort.

What can a GP do?

In any health service, whether it is state-funded or privately run, it is the general practitioner (GP) that makes up the bulk of those required to man the front line.

Holistic General Practitioners

Although the general practitioner (GP) is often thought of as a basic physician with no specialised interest, this is far from the truth.

Speech therapy enhances quality of life

What do you think of when hearing the term “speech-language therapy”? Children who lisp, people who stutter, or children who cannot produce the ‘r’ sound? Yes, Speech-language therapists (SLTs) treat all of these as well as a wide range of other difficulties related to speech, language, hearing and swallowing.

Medical Doctor Types

Within the medical profession, the title of "Doctor" is one that is shared both by general practitioners and specialists in as many as 60 different fields.

Visit Your Dentist Regularly

We tend only to resort to dentistry when we are actually experiencing a problem which, in many cases, a routine visit to the dentist could have prevented.

Preventing the Emergency Dentist

There are instances in which a visit to an emergency dentist can be avoided simply by observing a few simple precautions.

Bullying and your child

For most children, the beginning of a new school year is filled with expectation and excitement, but for some, going back to school is a stressful and humiliating experience as countless children fall victim to bullying, harassment and abuse at schools. Research found that 57% of South African school children claim to have been bullied at school.

Occlusal disease - the modern day dental problem

Occlusal disease is caused by an imbalance between the teeth, the chewing muscles and the jaw.The consequences, if left untreated, are many, progressive and widespread. The disease is not limited to the older generation.

30 Days to train for the Intercare 5 km Road Race Challenge

Running will help you to reduce stress, boost your energy levels and instil a sense of overall well-being. Before beginning an exercise program, you should check with your doctor to make sure you don't have any health issues.

Medical Doctor Specialities

Given such a vast range of specialisms, it is fortunate that there is also a special kind of doctor whose job it is to ensure that, if you are found to need specialised treatment, you will be referred to someone with the appropriate, specialised medical or surgical skills.

Crooked teeth and bad bites - does straightening teeth matter?

A beautiful smile is immediately associated with youth, health, and vitality. A smile can thus be an asset or a distraction. Besides appearance, crooked teeth or bad bites can also cause complications and long-term health problems if they are left untreated.

Winter warmer dinner - citrus chicken and sweet potato bake

Arrange the chicken breasts, onion and sweet potatoes in a large baking tray and pour over the marinade.

Giving sight to those in need

Intercare, Operation Healing Hands and ophthalmologist Dr Marcel Niemandt, will offer 45 free cataract surgeries at Intercare Hazeldean Day hospital during South Africa’s Eye Care Awareness Week.

Babies get cavities too!

Baby bottle tooth decay happens when sweetened liquids or even those with natural hidden sugars, linger in the mouth; this includes otherwise healthy liquids like fruit juices, milk, formula or tea. These sugars then cling to the teeth and tooth germs (bacteria in the mouth) thrive on this sugar and attack these teeth.

Snap on veneers at Intercare Dental Centre Tyger Valley

Cosmetic dentistry or a dental smile makeover is often a big step or commitment for a patient and usually requires extensive rehabilitation and invasive treatment involving, porcelain veneers, crowns, implants and orthodontic treatment (braces).

Intercare Dental competition

Terms and conditions

Save Time And Money At A Day Hospital

Patients admitted for relatively minor treatments are almost invariably occupying a bed for too long, often delaying the treatment of more serious cases. As it happens, the day hospital offers an effective and economical means to resolve this long-standing difficulty; a fact that simply needs to be better highlighted.

Emergency Dentistry

While you might well prefer that a particular dental problem be treated without delay, this does not automatically mean that your condition is sufficiently serious to justify the attention of an emergency dentist.

Targeting Breast Cancer

A proactive approach to screenings and limiting risk factors can help you combat breast cancer which is one of the more treatable cancers if caught early.

Medical Doctors and Degrees

Although the first reaction of most people is to assume they are talking to a medical professional when engaging with someone bearing the title of doctor, this is not necessarily the case.

Oral Health & The Roles of the Dentist

Those regular check-ups at the dentist might not only be good for your appearance, but they could also be saving you from serious health issues such as a heart attack or a stroke.

Dental Clinics for All Oral Healthcare Requirements

As well as providing basic dentistry and orthodontics, a good dental clinic is likely to have specialists able to perform more complex procedures such as gum and maxillofacial surgery.

Oral health affects total health. Is your mouth healthy?

Oral health refers to the condition of gums, teeth, and the surrounding bone and soft tissues of the mouth. Good oral health is an important part of general health and wellbeing.

Medical Clinics & An Ageing Population

With age, however, comes the inevitable consequences of ageing and the longer one lives, the more frequent those visits to the local medical clinic become.

Day Hospitals Enables More Surgical Procedures

The day hospital has the potential to eliminate long waiting lists for in-patient procedures while reducing the cost of surgery and the associated inconvenience. Book your appointment today via our easy-to-use online booking facility.

Medfem - To Women's Health

To summarise, the Medfem Fertility Clinic offers the specialised treatments women most frequently require, in a comfortable, well-equipped, and discreet environment.

Meet Dr. Saba Shembe

Dr. Shembe graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from Medunsa in 2002 and completed her internship and community service thereafter. She received her diploma in HIV/AIDS Management in 2006 and embarked on HIV/AIDS research for more than twelve years. She worked as a Provincial Advanced Clinical Care Program Manager (Drug-resistant HIV and TB) in the Free State for the past three years. She has extensive knowledge of Emergency and Casualty care, as well as Male Medical Circumcision (MMC).

Day Hospitals & Healthcare Accessibility

Tonsillectomies, appendectomies, corneal transplants, circumcisions, vasectomies, hernia repairs, and breast augmentations are just a few of almost a hundred procedures available at an Intercare day hospital.

When you need an Emergency Dentist...

Specific conditions that hold the risk of long-term dental or general health complications justify calling an emergency dentist.

The General Practitioner

In the field of medicine it is left to a single player, the general practitioner (GP), to limit the pressure on others in the healthcare team.

Finding A Doctor When You Need One

Once again, Intercare has understood the problem and responded by extending its operating hours, thus enabling its members to find a doctor to see them even on weekends and public holidays.

21st Century Dental Clinics

Neither the baby boomers nor their less fortunate antecedents could have anticipated the remarkable facilities of a typical 21st-century dental clinic.

Meet Dr Carryn Peters

Dr Peters earned her medical degree from the University of Cape Town in 2010. She received an additional diploma in Emergency Medicine as well as a certificate in Aesthetic Medicine from the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine. Her current interests include aesthetic medicine, emergency medicine, and surgical procedures.

Hello Wellness. Becoming a healthier you.

We can all be healthier. Starting today. Good health is about more than just “the absence of illness, disease, disability or injury”. Defining ‘health’ as “a state of complete physical capacities, mental and social wellbeing” seems to be an elusive and unrealistic state to aim for.

Specialist GP's

Even GP's will have been required to undergo the same length and intensity of training as certain other healthcare professionals.

Regular Dentist Visits

Poor oral health can lead to some more serious problems that regular examinations by a dentist could easily prevent.

Dynamic Doctors

Consulting the right doctor is important and so Intercare has done everything possible to speed the process with multidisciplinary clinics and simplified online bookings.

Meet Dr Denisha Naidoo

Dr Naidoo graduated from the Witwatersrand University in 2010 where after she practiced in both the private and public healthcare sector. In 2015 she travelled to schools across South Africa to help underprivileged children receive oral health care. Dr Naidoo has a special interest in cosmetic and paediatric dentistry.

Roles of a General Practitioner

In light of the many specialities that are features of modern medicine, just how important the role of a general practitioner can be is often overlooked.

Meet Dr. Gideon du Plessis

Dr. Gideon du Plessis obtained his dental degree in 1978. He has a special interest in endodontics - diagnosing and treating tooth pain and performing root canal treatment - children’s (paedodontics), and aesthetic dentistry. For more than 30 years Dr. Du Plessis has provided exceptional dental care to and perfecting smiles for generations of families. He combines his knowledge and years of hands-on expertise with the latest technology and research to provide a unique and dynamic approach to enhancing and maintaining your oral health.

Services Available At Our Dental Clinics

At Intercare, the role of our dentists at our dental clinics can be regarded as consisting of three parts – routine care, more advanced procedures, and oral hygiene. Let’s take a closer look at just what each of these aspects of dentistry might entail.

Change in the roles of Dentists

Today, the emphasis for Dentists are on preserving and restoring a patient’s teeth wherever possible, rather than resorting to extractions. Patient’s, in turn, have become more conscious about the appearance of their teeth, prompting new and improved methods to assist.

How Day Hospitals Help Prevent Bed Shortages

The Intercare day hospital can not only help to rectify this problem but, in many cases, those patients who are scheduled to undergo relatively minor procedures can often be discharged on the same day.

Becoming a Medical Doctor

The first step to becoming a medical doctor in South Africa is to satisfy the entry requirements of one’s preferred school of medicine. Once qualified, if a medical doctor chooses to specialise in any given discipline, further intensive studies within the chosen filed and a board examination will be required to secure the additional specialist qualification.

General Practitioners in South Africa

Intercare continues to recognise the importance of a General Practitioner as your family doctor and has taken steps to ensure that their services will remain available to those patients who also appreciate the value of easy access to the personal and professional attention provided.

Dental Clinics For All Situations

Recognised in South Africa as a leader in the provision of high-quality healthcare, the extensive medical facilities operated by Intercare include a number of modern dental clinics to provide for most eventualities. Manned by accomplished and caring professionals, they are dedicated to the goal of maintaining the highest possible standards of patient care.

Evolving Roles of Medical Doctors

In practice, research in a whole range of different roles & fields for Medical Doctrs has served to change the nature of medicine dramatically and is continuing to do so.

Caring Dentists

Intercare dental centres embrace advanced technologies to provide an extensive range of services including oral hygiene, implants, porcelain crowns, inlays and veneers, and periodontal screening and treatment. Most importantly, though, we provide a dentist who cares.

General Practitioners - Cornerstones of the Healthcare System

The general practitioner continues to be among the cornerstones of the healthcare services, both public and private. Often, one's first step is invariably to make an appointment with a GP.

Get to Know Your Diabetes Care Team

A diabetes diagnosis may come as a shock at first. But, with the right care, you can maintain good health. These are the people that should be part of your diabetes care team.

Understanding Diabetes

There is nothing sweet about diabetes. The warning signs can be so mild that, at first, they often go unnoticed. This is especially true for type 2 diabetes. Many people don’t find out that they have the condition until complications from long-term damage occur.

Kindness can make a big difference in healthcare

Pole ni dawa, a Swahili proverb, meaning “concern is like medicine” rings true in today’s day and age but does it make a difference in the healthcare environment? One of Intercare’s core values that drives management and employees alike is compassion.

COVID-19: At Intercare we put our patients first.

We have been guided by the Intercare values for nearly 20 years. These values are at the heart of our business and will guide us now as we face the uncertainty and impact brought about by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). On the 5th of March 2020, the Minister of Health announced the first confirmed case of COVID- 19 in South Africa. Since then, a number of individuals have been diagnosed with the condition, the vast majority being travellers returning from countries with existing outbreaks. Most recently, community transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

Wisdom Teeth Removals

The removal of wisdom teeth is common and a visit to your dentist will let you know whether or not it may be necessary. Here's a few points to consider.

Training tips for the holiday season

Some runners may struggle to keep up with their training schedule during the holiday season. Staying active in some way will give you energy, reduce stress and tension and, of course, help mitigate some of the extra calories you may be consuming. Here are some tips for effective training during the holiday period.

Healthcare for Women

Intercare has gone the extra mile to provide all the many specialised healthcare services commonly required by women under a single roof with Medfem.

A Doctor When You Need One

The option to either phone or book an appointment easily and conveniently online means Intercare’s patients never struggle to find a doctor.

State-of-the-art Dental Clinics

Intercare is a private healthcare group that is quick to embrace any new technology that is of benefit to its patients – a strategy that is evident in each of its state-of-the-art dental clinics.

GP Surgeries vs. Medical Clinics

Few stalwart healthcare professionals are in a position to offer the extensive range of services available from a modern medical clinic at Intercare.

The Option of Day Hospitals

The day hospital offers patients shorter waiting times, lower costs, and minimal time away from their homes for the ultimate in convenience. For staff, it means less stress and greater productivity.

Intercare Classic Toddler Run

The Intercare Classic is back on 1 February 2020, at Rietondale Park in Pretoria, and this time the whole family can join in the active fun! We've added a 50m Toddler Run. Entry is free and all finishers will receive a medal.

Vision for 2020 – Looking back to go forward

The future of healthcare is difficult to predict, although most futurists agree that how and where care will be provided, is likely to change. Healthcare organisations should learn to spot the infliction points in the environment; do a reality check and reposition their organisations to face a brand-new decade.

Google vs. Your Medical Doctor

Is it really so bad that Dr Google is always on call or is it best to visit your medical doctor 100% of the time? We explore the question in this article.

Checking Your Diet With Your General Practitioner

General practitioners can assess your weight, if you're lacking in nutrition, check your mental health, your lifestyle, and adjust any medication where needed.

How The News Affects Your Health & Wellness

There's nothing wrong with keeping your finger on the pulse when it comes to the news – but when does it become harmful to your overall health and wellness?

COVID-19 Important Healthcare Information

Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting society on many levels. Intercare, however, remains the provider of choice offering quality medical and dental care, especially during the current challenging circumstances.

Expert care for your child's teeth

Kids are naturally against regular 'mouth inspections', especially little ones, so early tooth decay can be pretty hard to spot! That's where a dentist is needed.

Healthy gums hold your smile together.

Also known as 'Gum Disease', Periodontitis is a common condition in which the gums and deeper periodontal structures become inflamed. The inflammation usually takes the form of redness, swelling and a tendency to bleed during teeth brushing, and is the body’s response to certain bacteria that have been allowed to accumulate in the mouth.

Intercare Tyger Valley Free Dental Consultations

Terms and Conditions

Fertility care - The ART of becoming pregnant

Cases of infertility among South African couples are increasingly common with reports indicating that more than 20% of South Africans struggle to conceive naturally. Infertility is usually diagnosed if you don’t conceive after one year of unprotected intercourse. Don’t wait. If you’ve been trying to become pregnant for about a year, make an appointment with a reproductive specialist. If a woman is 35 years or older however, it is best to initiate a fertility care evaluation after six months of unprotected intercourse.

Sub-Acute Care - Where Recovery Begins

Sub-acute care, sometimes referred to as step-down or transitional care, is a comprehensive and cost-effective inpatient programme for patients who have suffered an acute event as a result of an illness; injury or disease; have a determined course of treatment; and who do not require intensive diagnostic and/or invasive medical procedures. Intercare’s sub-acute and rehabilitation hospitals focus on patients with complex medical needs or those in need of rehabilitative care and treatment.

Improving Your Wellness In 2020

We believe in improving the quality of our patient’s lives – mind, body, and soul, and we have compiled a list of tips to easily improve your wellness in 2020.

Stop Believing These Oral-Health Myths

Plenty of households in South Africa believe many myths surrounding their dental hygiene, and these misconceptions may deter people from visiting their dentist.

Discussing Your Mental Health

While a general practitioner is not a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist, they are trained to spot the symptoms of mental-health issues.

Doctors as Medical Specialists

While we might call just about every medical professional we know a “doctor”, but did you know that not all doctors are the same?

Your Relationship With Your Medical Doctor

For some patients, it may be challenging discussing sensitive aspects of their health. A medical doctor, however, is a professional trained to cover these very conversations.

Watch your mouth

You can't have a healthy body without a healthy mouth. Oral health is a key indicator of overall health, wellbeing and quality of life and refers to the condition of gums, teeth, and the surrounding bone and soft tissues of the mouth. Oral disease affects people throughout their lifetime and can cause pain, discomfort and disfigurement.

Having Trouble Sleeping? A GP Might Help.

You may be struggling to determine the root cause of your inability to fall or remain asleep. In this case, a visit to your GP will prove useful.

Receive Screenings From Your Medical Doctor

Partnering with a medical doctor you trust can ensure that you improve your health and receive regular screenings that help you stay on the ball.

Dentist Tips for Children

In this article we explore four tips that will save you a few emergency trips to the dentist and improve your little one’s oral health.

General Practitioners Helping You With A Fresh Perspective

Your general practitioner will not only make resources more accessible to you but keep you on track when it comes to the healthy future you envision.

Your 2020 Wellness

An accurate assessment of overall wellness takes into consideration every aspect of what it means to be human.

Coronavirus: Global Public Health Emergency

Intercare is collaborating with other healthcare organizations nationally and has developed and implemented protocols in both its Primary Care centres and Hospitals to identify and appropriately manage any suspected case of 2019-nCoV, which may present to a facility.

When To See Your GP

If symptoms are unmanageable or disruptive, it's best to see a GP, they'll assess the signs and prescribe the right medication or advice.

CELEBRATING WORLD HEALTH DAY

This year marks the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the observance of World Health Day, being celebrated on the 7th of April. This special awareness day was established by the first World Health Assembly, the governing body over the World Health Organization (WHO).

THE USE OF FACE MASKS IN INTERCARE FACILITIES

The use of face masks and gloves can increase the risk of transmitting COVID-19 if used in an inappropriate setting. All the Intercare facilities apply the recommendations made by the World Health Organization (WHO) in relation to the use of protective equipment.

Tips for a successful Virtual Consultation

A virtual consultation is a remote video conversation between a patient and a healthcare professional. This process is not changing the who, but rather the when, where and how of care delivery. Here’s a quick checklist to make sure your appointment is successful and free of technical glitches.

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR CELL PHONE

Even before the COVID-19 outbreak, cell phones were shown to notoriously harbour bacteria and viruses. People handle their phones continuously, which means potentially exposing yourself to germs all the time. With Covid-19 cases still rising worldwide, and flu season still to come, it’s important to disinfect your cell phone regularly.

COVID-19 CONTROL OF VISITORS

Intercare is conscious of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, and in an effort to ensure that we are best managing the risk to our patients and staff, the decision has been made to temporarily withdraw visiting hours. While we understand that visiting hours are important to our patients’ recovery, we believe that this is currently the most appropriate decision.

Intercare keeps patients, doctors and staff safe during COVID-19.

Patients are asked to report any known exposure to COVID-19 or symptoms to allow us to assist them appropriately, including at the time of the appointment and arrival at the facility.

Intercare salutes our nurses

On 12 May, International Nurses Day, Intercare recognises and salutes our nurses for their continued commitment to excellence. Florence Nightingale, who defined nursing, once said nursing is: “To love, to help one another, to act together, to strive together, to work to the same end.” Two centuries later, her words are echoing around the world.

Need a Medical Clinic That Does It All? Intercare Is Your One-Stop Health Hub

Patients who are ill, fighting chronic conditions, and seeking medical help are often shunted between medical professionals. This requires new appointments and unnecessary travel from a person who is likely already not feeling well.

Occlusal Disease and When You Should Visit a Dental Clinic

When it comes to teeth, we are most familiar with terms such as “cavities” and “root canal”. We know to brush and floss and that a regular visit to a dental clinic is essential.

4 Questions to Ask Your Medical Doctor During Your Appointment

Some patients find a visit to the GP a little intimidating, despite how dedicated and compassionate most doctors are. It is natural to feel a bit tongue-tied when it comes to your appointment, as patients often only think of questions they’ve been pondering long after their medical examination.

Boosting Your Immune System with the Help of Your General Practitioner

With the biting chill in the morning air, it is clear that winter is well on its icy way in. This time of the year is known for the sniffles and people often flock to their general practitioner for help only once a viral infection has already made them feel quite ill.

Here’s How to Work on Your Wellness While Stuck at Home

Being cooped up indoors all day can be challenging – especially if you are someone who finds comfort in the great outdoors. While more people across the globe are practising social isolation than ever before, some are finding it more difficult than others.

The importance of managing chronic disease and oral health during COVID-19

If you are concerned about your risk of contracting COVID-19, then you should know that there may be significant opportunities to lower your risk beyond hand washing and social distancing. If you are fortunate enough to be healthy, it is vitally important to stay that way. And the best ways to stay healthy are to be active, eat nutritious food in proper amounts, keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels in the optimal range and avoid toxins, like smoking and excess alcohol.

How to Partner with Your General Practitioner in the Fight Against an Infodemic

The Internet is possibly the single most powerful tool of the 21st century. This information superhighway gets us fast results for any number of queries we have about news, entertainment, and even our health.

“Where Can I Find A Doctor Near Me?”, and Other Common Queries We Often Receive

Our health is precious, and becoming ill or struggling with a physical ailment can be severely debilitating. Nobody wants to get sick and if we could, we would all live without the risk of ever losing our physical wellbeing.

Curb the spread of infection at Intercare

COVID-19 - Let's all play our part to curb the spread of infection.

The 5 Benefits of Our Virtual Dental Screenings

Do Your Online Searches Include, “Doctor Near Me”? Let Us Help

Unlike the good old days when you could call your house doctor to pop on over when you were not feeling well, modern practices require in-person visits from patients seeking treatment.

Intercare Virtual Consultations

Considering the current COVID-19 pandemic, Intercare, a recognised leader in healthcare, is proud to announce the launch of virtual consultations. Intercare has a clear vision of reinforcing primary care’s essential role within the continuum of care, and firmly focus on integrated patient–centric family healthcare through a network of experienced healthcare professionals.

For an Emergency Appointment with a Doctor, We Offer Walk-In Care

Seeking an emergency doctor appointment when you need it urgently is a hassle – it requires finding a nearby and available facility, and then relying on the hope that the doctor who treats you or your loved one knows what they are doing.

Do You Need an Emergency Dentist Appointment? Pay Attention to These Signs

Some patients will go to great lengths to avoid an emergency dentist visit. Whether from unpleasant childhood memories or a dislike of a stranger working in one’s mouth, it is understandable that many people put it off or even steer clear of their local dental clinic for years.