Medical Disclaimer

This website is operated by Dr Christiaan R. Oosthuizen, an Orthopaedic Surgeon registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.

This Medical Disclaimer applies to all content, tools, forms, patient portal features, articles, images, videos, downloadable materials, telehealth-related services, and AI-assisted screening features made available on this website.

1. General educational information only

The information on this website is provided for general patient education and informational purposes only.

It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, a second opinion, or a recommendation that is specific to your personal medical condition.

You should not use information on this website as a substitute for a consultation with a qualified healthcare practitioner. Medical decisions must be made by an appropriately qualified clinician after considering your medical history, symptoms, examination findings, imaging, test results, and individual circumstances.

2. No doctor-patient relationship

Your use of this website does not create a doctor-patient relationship between you and Dr Oosthuizen or his practice.

A doctor-patient relationship is only established when Dr Oosthuizen or his practice formally accepts you as a patient and provides healthcare services to you through an appropriate consultation process.

Submitting information through this website, using the patient portal, uploading X-rays, completing a screening form, reading website content, or receiving automated feedback does not, by itself, create a doctor-patient relationship.

3. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional

You should always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making any medical decision or taking any action based on information you read on this website.

Do not ignore, delay, or avoid professional medical advice because of anything you have read on this website or because of any feedback generated through an online tool.

If you have symptoms, pain, injury, limited movement, swelling, numbness, weakness, or concerns about your health, you should seek proper medical assessment from a qualified healthcare practitioner.

4. Not for emergencies

This website is not intended for medical emergencies.

If you believe you may be experiencing a medical emergency, do not use this website, the patient portal, online forms, telehealth services, or the AI screening tool.

Examples of urgent symptoms may include severe pain, major trauma, heavy bleeding, chest pain, difficulty breathing, sudden weakness, loss of consciousness, signs of stroke, or any other condition that may require urgent medical attention.

5. Accuracy, completeness, and availability of information

Dr Oosthuizen and his practice make reasonable efforts to keep the information on this website accurate and up to date.

However, medical knowledge changes over time, and website content may become outdated, incomplete, or unsuitable for your specific circumstances.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Dr Oosthuizen and his practice do not make any warranties or guarantees that the website content is complete, accurate, current, uninterrupted, error-free, or suitable for your particular medical needs.

You use this website and rely on its content at your own risk.

6. AI screening tool and X-ray review disclaimer

This website may include an AI-assisted screening tool or allow users to upload X-rays or other information for preliminary review.

Any AI-assisted feedback is provided for preliminary screening and informational purposes only. It is not a diagnosis, medical opinion, treatment plan, or substitute for assessment by a qualified healthcare practitioner.

AI tools may produce results that are incomplete, inaccurate, misleading, or not applicable to your individual case. An AI system cannot fully assess your symptoms, medical history, physical examination findings, pain level, functional limitations, previous injuries, medication use, allergies, or other clinically relevant factors.

You must not make medical decisions based only on AI-generated feedback. You should follow up with a qualified healthcare practitioner for proper assessment and advice.

Where applicable, your use of the AI screening tool must also be read together with the website’s AI Screening Disclaimer, Patient Portal Terms of Use, Privacy Notice, and Telehealth Consent.

7. Telehealth and remote consultation limitations

If telehealth or remote consultation services are offered through this website, you acknowledge that remote healthcare has inherent limitations.

A telehealth consultation may not allow the same level of assessment as an in-person consultation, especially where a physical examination, further imaging, blood tests, or specialist procedures are required.

By using any telehealth-related feature, you acknowledge that you understand the limitations of remote assessment and consent to the process described in the applicable Telehealth Consent.

Dr Oosthuizen may recommend an in-person consultation, additional investigations, referral to another practitioner, or urgent care where appropriate.

8. No guarantee of outcome

Nothing on this website guarantees any particular diagnosis, treatment outcome, surgical result, recovery period, improvement, or clinical result.

Every patient is different. Outcomes may depend on many factors, including the nature of the condition, age, general health, severity of injury, previous treatment, compliance with medical advice, rehabilitation, and other individual circumstances.

9. Limitation of liability

10. Third-party links and resources

This website may contain links to third-party websites, platforms, articles, resources, or services.

These links are provided for convenience only. Dr Oosthuizen and his practice do not control, endorse, or accept responsibility for third-party content, products, services, privacy practices, or medical information.

You access third-party websites at your own risk.

11. Privacy and personal information

If you submit personal information, health information, contact details, X-rays, images, or other documents through this website, that information will be processed in accordance with applicable privacy laws, including the Protection of Personal Information Act, where applicable.

Please read this Medical Disclaimer together with the website’s Privacy Notice, Cookie Notice, Patient Portal Terms of Use, Telehealth Consent, AI Screening Disclaimer, and Website Terms of Use.

12. Intellectual property

Unless otherwise stated, the content on this website, including text, images, design elements, logos, documents, and educational material, belongs to Dr Oosthuizen’s practice or is used with permission.

You may not copy, reproduce, adapt, distribute, or use the website content for commercial purposes without written permission.

13. Accessibility

Dr Oosthuizen’s practice aims to make this website reasonably accessible and understandable to users.

If you experience difficulty accessing any content or need information in another format, please contact the practice for assistance.

14. Changes to this disclaimer

Dr Oosthuizen’s practice may update this Medical Disclaimer from time to time.

The latest version will be published on this website with the effective date and version number. Your continued use of the website after changes are published means that you accept the updated disclaimer.

15. Governing law

This Medical Disclaimer is governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa.

If any part of this disclaimer is found to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable, the remaining parts will continue to apply.

Short website notice