FAQ

Membership of Wellness Express

Q. How do I qualify to join Wellness Express?
A. You must be an employee of a company which is both a member of SAEPA and a signatory to the Wellness Express service. You may then apply for membership and pay a monthly fee.

Q. How does my company become a participant in Wellness Express?
A. Your company must be a member of SAEPA. If it is not already a member, it must first join. Your senior management may contact the Executive Director of SAEPA, Garry Marshall on 0861 106 402. The necessary forms for Wellness Express membership can be downloaded from www.wellness-express.co.za or they are also obtainable from SAEPA.

Q How can I include my family in Wellness Express ?
A. Once you become a member of Wellness Express you are entitled to add family members onto the programme. You can add up to 5 family members - spouse and children - at your own expense. Each such additional member - known as dependants - will receive their own Wellness Express identity card which must be produced when attending Wellness Express health centres.

Q How do I get started with Wellness Express?
A. Once you are accepted as a member of Wellness Express, you will receive your own identity card which you must produce on every visit to a Wellness Express health centre.

During your first visit, the medical staff will open a file containing details of your medical history and condition to enable them to treat you most effectively.

Q How do I pay for Wellness Express?
A You are required to pay your company and your company pays Wellness Express. You may be able to make an arrangement with your employer to deduct your fees from your salary or wages.

Q What happens if I leave the company or lose my job?
A. Your membership of Wellness Express, your entitlement to consultation and medication fall away if you leave your employer. Your Wellness Express identity card will become invalid on the day you leave.

Q. What if I leave the company or lose my job while I’m on chronic medication?
A. If you are receiving treatment for chronic illnesses, we will continue to supply medication for three months to give you time to make other arrangements. This applies to Anti-Retro Virals treatment as well as other chronic medication.

In addition, we will refer you to a government health centre or doctor.

Q May I belong to a medical aid as well as Wellness Express?
A. Yes you may. It makes sense to provide as much medical cover as you can for yourself and your dependants. Wellness Express is not a medical aid and in no way conflicts with a medical aid. You may find benefits in belonging to both. Using Wellness Express, you don’t exhaust your medical aid benefits as far as primary health and chronic illnesses covered by primary health are concerned.

Q What are the advantages of joining Wellness Express?
A. Wellness Express provides many benefits for you and your dependants. To begin with it offers you primary health care and any necessary medication at facilities close to your place of work that are the equal of the best private care centres in the country. If you have a chronic condition, there are no preconditions nor exclusions regarding your joining and your chronic medication is provided.

There is no limit to the number of visits you can make. Total confidentiality is guaranteed. You will also be given free vitamins and advice and guidance on healthy living. Our objective is to promote wellness. What's more Wellness Express will attend to you quicker than public facilities. This means you spend less time away from your job. All services are included in your monthly fee which is less than a
monthly cellphone spend.

Confidentiality

Q Will the state of my health be disclosed to my employer?
A. All consultations between you, your family and the medical professionals at Wellness Express are strictly confidential and subject to the health practitioner/patient privilege. Wellness Express will never disclose details of your medical condition nor the content of any private matters discussed with the medical staff.

Wellness Express Services

Q What illnesses will Wellness Express treat me for?
A. Wellness Express will treat you for the range of illnesses and conditions defined by the government as primary health care. As a general guide this means any illness or condition which a general practitioner or a government clinic would treat.

These include

o Respiratory illnesses such as flu, bronchitis, asthma
o Ear nose and throat illnesses such as colds, ear infections, sinusitis, laryngitis
o Stomach and intestinal illnesses such as gastroenteritis, peptic ulcers, indigestion, stomach cramps, constipation, diarrhoea and nausea
o Muscles and bone conditions such as joint pain, muscle pain, sprains, backache
o Skin conditions such as rashes, cuts and scratches
o Allergies such as hay fever
o Sexually transmitted infections of all kinds
o Urinary system illnesses such as cystitis and infections of the bladder
o Reproductive health including family planning and condoms

Q. Does Wellness Express provide treatment for chronic illnesses?
A. Wellness Express provides treatment for chronic illnesses within primary health care limits. These include
o Diabetes, hypertension and other chronic illnesses defined by the government as primary health care illnesses
o First and second line ARVs for HIV patients
o All AIDS opportunistic infections that do not require hospitalisation or specialist care
o Counselling and nutritional support - vitamins ePap - for patients with weak immune systems

Q. Does Wellness Express provide treatment for AIDS patients?
A. Yes, Wellness Express provides services and treatment for AIDS patients including :
o HIV testing and diagnosis
o Prophylaxis - preventive medicines for some AIDS illnesses
o Treatment of HIV-related conditions
o Minor opportunistic infections in AIDS
o Some anti-retro virals ARVs
o Nutritional advice and support

Q What happens if I need to see a specialist?
A. Wellness Express will provide a referral if you have a condition we cannot treat. We try first to refer you to a government hospital with a specialist who can help. If this isn’t possible, we refer you to a private specialist.

Wellness Express does not cover the cost of specialist consultations or special medication. However, if the specialist prescription is for medicines which we keep in the Wellness Express pharmacy we will fulfil the prescription at no cost.

Q What do I do in case of serious illnesses?
A. If you have a serious illness we cannot treat, we first try to refer you to a government hospital with a specialist who can help. If this isn’t possible, we refer you to a private specialist.

Q What is occupational health ?
A. Occupational health refers to illness or accidents that occur on the job or are job related.

Q What happens in the case of accidents on the job or illnesses that are job-related?
A. Wellness Express will provide the initial stabilisation services but not the hospitalisation. In the unlikely event you have a serious accident Wellness Express personnel will do their best to keep you comfortable until an ambulance arrives to take you to hospital.

Q Are medical examinations included in the service?
A. Wellness Express includes entrance or exit medical examinations or job-related medical examinations where the law requires physical examinations relative to a specific job.

Access to Wellness Express

Q What hours do Wellness Express health centres operate?
A. The Wellness Express Health Centre is open from 06.00 to 20.00 on weekdays and 09.00 to 13.00 on Saturdays

Q. Do I need to make an appointment?
A. There is no need to make an appointment. You may visit the Wellness Express Health Centre at any time during its hours of operation.

Q. How long will I wait to be seen?
A. Most likely, you will be seen within 20-25 minutes. We estimate that your visit in total - registering with the receptionist, seeing a nurse or doctor and receiving your medication from the pharmacy - should take no more than 40 minutes.

Q How often may I use Wellness Express service?
A. You may visit Wellness Express Health Centres as often as you need to at no extra charge.

Q Where are the Wellness Express health centres located?
A. The first Wellness Express health centre is open at Jet Park near Johannesburg International Airport. Further health centres are opening in Centurion (Pretoria), Cape Town and Durban before the end of 2008. Three more health centres will open elsewhere in South Africa according to demand during 2009.

Q How can I get treatment when I am away from home?
A. If you have your Wellness Express identity card with you, you can apply for treatment at any Wellness Express health centre. This benefit applies to your dependants as well. Note however that you may use only Wellness Express health centres. If you visit another health centre or doctor, you will be responsible for your own costs. This applies whether you are away from home on business or holiday.