Discovery Health has detailed the features of its new Health App, which will give members access to doctors 24/7, and allow them to complete a consultation, get a script for medication and have it delivered to them at home.

The new app soft-launched to Discovery Health members at the end of September as the “ultimate healthcare ecosystem”, which aims to bring healthcare to the home in a big way.

On the face of things, the app is a wider profile management tool that Discovery members can use to manage and track their health plans. Members have access to digital cards for their medical aid and Vitality schemes and can manage claims and other admin related to their profiles.

However, as they delve deeper into its features, they will be able to do things like:

• Check their symptoms using AI guidance, which will then recommend different paths of action;
• Book appointments with healthcare providers;
• Get in contact with a GP for a virtual consultation;
• Access an online pharmacy, through Discovery’s partnership with Dis-Chem;
• Gain access to a variety of mental health tools, including sessions with coaches;
• Take virtual physical therapy sessions, supported by consultations with specialists;
• Activate emergency assistance, including panic buttons, call-backs or the dispatch of emergency care services.

According to Dr Ron Whelan, Deputy CEO of Discovery Health, the group has a firm belief that the future of healthcare is in the home, and the app goes a long way in realising this.

Having 24/7 access to healthcare professionals is a key shift in the market, especially given that Discovery’s data shows that peak periods for members seeking healthcare happen at the end of the day (after 16h00) and closer to end of the week – times when healthcare is often inaccessible.

Explaining the setup of the virtual consultations, Whelan said that members would be able to get in touch with a team of healthcare providers through the app, and the whole process can be followed straight through to getting a prescription.

The app can then connect to the online pharmacy – currently in partnership with Dis-Chem – which will already have the script at hand. This can then be fulfilled with same-day delivery or collection.

In terms of costs, Whelan said that the virtual consultations are at a “preferential” price, but can vary depending on the healthcare provider. Users can set their own preferred providers, and when searching for a consultation will be presented with options based on preference, location and suitability with their plans (ie, if they are part of specific networks etc).

If fully integrated, the process comes out of available funds (medical savings, or whatever is suitable), otherwise an out-of-pocket transaction is applied.

Whelan noted that eventually Discovery Bank or HealthPay members will be able settle the payments within the Discovery ecosystems, but other members will still have to deal with the invoice from the healthcare provider as they typically would in an in-person consultation.

However, he noted that payment gateway services are still part of the plan as the app continues to evolve – so eventually, payments would be able to be completed in-app as well.

Clicks Pharmacies are also set to be integrated into the ecosystem in 2024, he said, while Discovery continues to engage with other prospective partners.

Discovery said that it has onboarded a whole host of healthcare providers and specialists to be part of the virtual consultation service and that the number fluctuates based on usage.

Whelan said that the system is flexible so that more providers can be made available during times of peak demand (say, flu season), and that most common diagnoses can be done without specialised equipment.

In the event that a consultation requires more in-depth assessments or further action, members would be directed on the required path.