Chucking a sickie has never been easier

Chucking a sickie has taken on a new meaning over the past two years, but the process of calling in sick to work is easier than ever.

A game-changing phone app designed by three pharmacists will allow Australians to get a sick note without having to leave their beds.

The app, Sicky, connects patients with pharmacists for a free health assessment via video call. Patients will be asked a few questions, which will allow the team of pharmacists to determine whether they are too sick to work or study.

Sicky app co-founder Avinash Vazirani said he and his two co-founders created the app as a way to free up waiting rooms and ease the pressure on doctors.

“Whether it’s a killer migraine or this season’s flu, Sicky makes sense compared to seeing a health professional face-to-face,” he said.

“Open the app from the comfort of your bed, answer some simple questions with one of our health professionals, and you’ll have a sick note issued within minutes.”

Mr Vazirani believes the app will “single-handedly assist in preventing the spread of viruses and other illnesses” by removing the need to visit a doctor or pharmacist while ill and contagious.

The app was an Australian-first that would save people time, money and a troublesome visit to the local GP, he said.

A sick leave certificate from Sicky will cost users $19.95, but Mr Vazirani noted doctors could charge up to $60 for an appointment.

“When you consider $36.30 of that $60 figure is how much the government pays, you’re actually helping out our economy by being less of a burden to our healthcare system,” he said.

To ease pressure on busy doctors, Sicky employs pharmacists who are able to issue sick leave certificates and assess conditions that don’t require a physical examination.

“Pharmacists go through four years of degree qualifications and there are many primary healthcare conditions we can assess through speaking and seeing the patient,” Mr Vazirani said.

The app also provides insight into when and why people are getting sick. It was launched just after the Covid outbreak and has been used by more than 30,000 Australians.

Unsurprisingly, data from the app showed the number of people wanting a sick note spiked dramatically following a public holiday. Sicky recorded a 42 per cent increase in people calling in sick to work after a long weekend.

“Quite often it’s because our patients have overindulged or have mixed with infectious people while socialising,” Mr Vazirani said.

With this groundbreaking app, Australians won’t even need to leave their beds to get a sick note to send to their bosses.