20/01/2021
We had a great chat with Dr Tanyala (Mrs) last week, this week we caught up with the other Dr Tanyala (Mr) and asked him questions that we thought you’d want to know.
Morning Dr T, thanks for meeting up with us so early, tell us a bit about yourself.
I was born and raised in Mahalapye by a hard-working single-mother. I’m third born of four. Family is very important to me. My wife is a partner in the clinic and the other practitioner. We have four children. Besides my lovely children, I’m an uncle to an awesome bunch of nephews and a niece. The indelible love I have for fine art shows in how I practice the art of medicine. I am also a farmer, i enjoy farm life and i do go as often as i can when my schedule allows. My pastimes include painting, poetry and lately riding motorbikes.
Woah we definitely we have never guessed those as your past times. Where did you study and how long have you been practicing?
I graduated from Nelson Mandela School of Medicine, University of Kwazulu Natal, Durban, SA. I have been practising for 12 years, three (3) of which were in the public service at Princess Marina Hospital. I have also worked for a Public Private Partnership (ACHAP) before going into private practice eight (8) years ago.
Alright, so what are your specialty areas/areas of interest in medicine?
I’m a General Practitioner. I have interest in mental health and geriatrics (taking care of the elderly). While in medical school, I enjoyed learning cardiology and it remains engrained in my mind to date.
What is your vision for the clinic in the next 5 - 10 years?
The vision is simple. It is for the Acacia Medicare Clinic brand to be a centre of excellence for private primary healthcare. A place where young Batswana practitioners aspiring to go into private GP practice would come to for experience and mentorship. Establishing a strategic partnership with schools of medicine (eg. UB SoM) is one way of achieving this. Enhanced patient experience is important to us. That is why the clinic was designed to be a one-stop centre from inception. One of the latest improvements in this regard is free Wi-Fi for all clients. In the era of Covid-19, we have also adapted the clinic not only to comply with the consequent protocols, but to ensure the safety and comfort of our clients. We are working with other partners to ensure that virtual consultations are realized. The response to Covid-19 challenges in healthcare makes this innovation compelling. In the long term, we will increase our working hours. This exercise entails recruiting more personnel and improving security. We continue to learn from other establishments, with the intention to make our service worthwhile.
That sound amazing and also sounds like a lot of work to be done! But we know is up for the challenge. What would you like your potential clients to know?
It’s okay to know. A lot of people think a knowledgeable patient intimidates doctors. This shouldn’t be the case. There’s however a difference between being knowledgeable and being disruptive in a consultation.
Here’s 5 things I encourage patients to know:
i. Know your diagnosis (If unknown at the time of your consultation, ask for it after)
ii. If you have a chronic disease, know it “better than your GP”. Make learning about it your mission. Use all resources, including your doctor
iii. Know your medications. Doctors generally know medications by name, not by colour, size or taste. It’s very important to know your medications’ name, effects, common side effects and its alternatives.
iv. Know your allergies. Say them upfront when your see a doctor. If you’re allergic to certain medicines, always check with the doctor and pharmacist.
v. Know your doctor. Choosing a doctor entails a lot of different set of criteria by different clients. Get the right doctor for your problem. A recommendation from a friend or general reviews can help.
Also just a little advice to everyone out there:
i. Know your medical aid benefits
ii. Know your general medical check-up date (if it’s not there, make one)
iii. And remember to respect your doctors’ time and effort even when you clearly know more than them
