"Getting a sick note is as easy as going down the street & paying R50 for 5 days off from work".
Are you sick and tired of your employees being absent from work every Monday? Well there could be a remedy for that that could even see them being sick and fired! Yes, a new app called EDoctorsNote helps employers and Doctors keep track of sick notes, especially fake ones.
Why should this concern doctors? Well because some Doctors aren't even aware that they "issue" more sick notes than they thought.
Creators of this new app, Leverage Point spoke to Redi Tlhabi. Their MD Duke Mpapele said the aide is to bring credibility to the doctor's sick note. How this works is that doctors sign up with this system and they are given log in passwords and can upload sick notes THEY issue. This is to make sure no one would steal any doctor's sick notes pads and no one can misuse it without the Doctor's knowledge. Companies can also use this app to keep track of employees' sick notes history and this may discourage employees getting sick notes when they are actually not ill.
If you ever found yourself at a tertiary institution, you have probably come across someone who "sold" sick notes, that's because it's not impossible to get a hold of a Doctor's sick notes pad, and that's what this new app helps trace. Basically, Mondays are back in fashion again and you have run out of excuses to extend your weekend.
The app only works with doctors that are registered with the health professions council, all the patient does is to inform their employer that they are off sick and the employer can log onto the app and see the authenticity of their employee's claim. This means the patient/employer doesn't even need the physical sick note.
40% of sick notes are handed out without diagnosis! This leads to significant loss of productivity and is grounds for dismissal. Fact is that we are human and we do have days when our "human" machine tires up and requires refueling or relaxation, but we should be careful not to abuse this privilege and right.
So what about your traditional healer? It seems the app doesn't recognize them. "I'm a sangoma and I issue sick notes" said one caller to Redi. Duke says they don't make the rules, so they only work with members of the health professions council of South Africa with practice registration number.
Picture credit: 702.co.za
