The practical problem

Trusted people are not the same as tested authority.

PCO looks at what must keep working when the normal decision-maker is unexpectedly unavailable and unable to give instructions — who steps in, what they may do, which systems they can use, what limits apply and what still depends on a professional, provider or formal approval.

Practice structures

The Diagnostic changes with the way the practice is structured.

01 · Structure

Sole practitioner

One doctor carries most clinical, operating and financial decision-making.

02 · Structure

Partnership

Two or more doctors share ownership, clinical responsibility and decision rights.

03 · Structure

Clinic / multi-practitioner

Several practitioners, staff and shared systems create broader clinical and operating interfaces.

Profession-specific focus

What PCO would examine in a healthcare practice.

Clinical cover

Unresolved results

Patient records

Practice-manager limits

Prescriptions & referrals

Medical-aid / billing access

Banking & payroll

Hospital / provider interfaces

Questions that matter

The Diagnostic tests the operating reality, not just whether a document exists.

Examples from the Healthcare pathway:

01If you were unreachable tomorrow, which doctor would take responsibility for urgent results, repeat prescriptions, referrals and patients already under active care?

02Can the covering doctor and relevant staff access the clinical and billing systems through their own authorised accounts rather than your credentials?

03What may the practice manager approve immediately, and what still needs a doctor, bank, attorney, funder or other provider?

04Who sees hospital, medical-aid, laboratory and referral messages that currently come only to you?

05If the absence lasts 30 days, who coordinates clinical cover, staff decisions, payroll, suppliers and patient communication?

Practice Protection Diagnostic fees

Three structures. A defined entry price for each.

The Diagnostic price reflects the amount of work normally created by the profession and structure. After the Diagnostic, PCO assesses the actual work required and provides one fixed Practice Protection Implementation fee covering the Guided Governance Review and preparation and completion of the Practice Protection Plan.

Sole practitioner

R5,500

excl. VAT · standard published scope

Profession-specific Practice Protection Diagnostic for this structure.

Partnership

R7,500

excl. VAT · standard published scope

Profession-specific Practice Protection Diagnostic for this structure.

Clinic / multi-practitioner

R10,500

excl. VAT · standard published scope

Profession-specific Practice Protection Diagnostic for this structure.

Standard published scope: one legal entity and an ordinary small-to-medium professional practice. Multi-entity groups, more than 10 professionals, or more than two operating locations / branches are confirmed by PCO before payment.

The full Diagnostic

Twelve protection areas have to work together.

01Decision responsibilityWho normally decides, who can step in, and where decisions must escalate.

02Professional eligibilityRegistration, scope, competence, supervision or other eligibility required for regulated work.

03Client / patient / matter handoverWhat is live, urgent, incomplete or at risk if the principal stops giving instructions.

04Records & information custodyWho may see records, what must stay confidential, and how access is controlled.

05Systems & authenticationNamed-user access, portals, MFA, recovery routes and single-person credential dependencies.

06Money & payment limitsBanking, payroll, suppliers, refunds, client money where relevant, approval limits and backups.

07Contracts, mandates & approvalsWho may instruct, approve, sign, vary, renew or escalate commitments.

08Providers & third partiesBanks, SARS, regulators, laboratories, insurers, vendors and other external dependencies.

09Deadlines & renewalsFilings, court dates, project milestones, licence renewals, audits and client promises.

10Staff & operating coordinationWhat managers and staff may do, where their limits sit, and what cannot be casually delegated.

11Escalation & prohibited actionsWhat must not be done without the principal or required professional/provider approval.

12Evidence, testing & reviewWhat proves the arrangement exists, who accepted the role, and whether access and fallbacks were tested.

How it works

From free indication to a controlled plan.

01Practice Protection DiagnosticPCO tests the full 12-area pathway and produces findings.

02Practice Protection ImplementationPCO conducts the Guided Governance Review and develops the Practice Protection Plan.

03Your Practice Protection PlanThe completed PPP becomes the controlled operational outcome of the implementation.

04Ongoing Protection / NEXUSKeep the plan current as people, authority, providers, systems and circumstances change.

Important boundary: neither the free assessment nor the Diagnostic verifies that a POA, bank mandate, professional registration, provider permission, system entitlement or other arrangement is legally or operationally effective merely because the client says it exists. PCO identifies and tests the dependency; the relevant adviser, institution, regulator or provider confirms what only they can confirm.

Two useful starting questions

Would the practice know what to do tomorrow?

01If you were unreachable tomorrow, which doctor would take responsibility for urgent results, repeat prescriptions, referrals and patients already under active care?

02Can the covering doctor and relevant staff access the clinical and billing systems through their own authorised accounts rather than your credentials?

Start the free assessment Ask PCO privately

Related profession pathways

What happens to a medical practice if the principal cannot give instructions?

Trusted people are not the same as tested authority.

The Diagnostic changes with the way the practice is structured.

Sole practitioner

Partnership

Clinic / multi-practitioner

What PCO would examine in a healthcare practice.

The Diagnostic tests the operating reality, not just whether a document exists.

Three structures. A defined entry price for each.

Twelve protection areas have to work together.

From free indication to a controlled plan.

Would the practice know what to do tomorrow?

Explore other professional practices.

Explore common authority and key-person questions.