Healthcare is moving beyond the traditional doctor's rooms and hospital, as digital channels create new ways for patients to access medical services. Retailers, pharmacies and digital kiosks within retail are emerging as important entry points, offering consumers convenient access to healthcare through apps, messaging and virtual consultations.
From health services in pharmacies to blood donations and cancer screening facilities in shopping centres, healthcare is becoming part of the environments people already visit in their everyday lives.
The shift reflects changing expectations. People have become accustomed to accessing banking, shopping and other services on demand, and increasingly expect healthcare to offer similar convenience.
The next step is to connect these physical touch points to digital healthcare services, creating a more convenient and continuous patient journey.
Artificial intelligence, connected devices and digital healthcare networks are set to change not only how patients access medical services, but also how they navigate the healthcare system.
The concept of the digital front door is gaining traction in retail healthcare. It uses digital tools such as apps, video consultations and messaging to give consumers easier access to medical advice and services. The shift is being driven by changing expectations: people are accustomed to accessing other services conveniently and increasingly want the same flexibility when it comes to healthcare.
But providing a consultation or screening at a retail outlet is only one part of the opportunity. The real value lies in connecting these services to a broader network of healthcare professionals and providers, so that patients can access follow-up consultations, tests, treatment and ongoing care without having to navigate separate systems.
Dr Petrus van Niekerk, founder and CEO of Udok, believes digital platforms can help create these connections through partnerships between doctors, pharmacies, laboratories and hospitals. A patient, for example, could access a GP virtually, be referred to a nearby laboratory for tests and have a prescription sent to a local pharmacy, with a follow-up consultation arranged to review the results.
The technology also creates opportunities to improve the information available to healthcare professionals. Whether a patient describes symptoms through messaging or a video consultation, the important consideration is capturing and processing accurate information. Large language models could assist doctors in interpreting this information and ensuring relevant details are not overlooked.
The real opportunity is in the data
The proliferation of communication channels is only part of the story. The more significant opportunity lies in collecting accurate patient information from different sources and processing it in a way that supports clinical assessment.
Whether information comes from a text conversation, photograph, video consultation or connected device, it needs to be translated into useful clinical information.
“The challenge is that important information can get lost between the patient describing a problem and the doctor making an assessment. AI could help structure that information, identify patterns and flag details that warrant further investigation. It gives the doctor another layer of assistance, rather than another communication channel to manage,” says Van Niekerk.
This has implications beyond treating existing conditions. Better information could support more effective patient education, screening protocols and preventive care, helping healthcare professionals identify warning signs before conditions become more serious.
Van Niekerk stresses that clinical responsibility must remain with medical professionals. AI can assist with processing information, but it should not replace the judgment of a qualified doctor.
For retail and pharmacy-based healthcare to fulfil its potential, these services need to form part of an integrated patient journey rather than operate as isolated offerings. Technology should extend access to qualified professionals, not replace doctors or existing patient relationships.
There are also practical barriers to overcome, particularly smartphone literacy and access to affordable data. Looking ahead, AI platforms and connected devices may introduce additional ways for consumers to find healthcare advice and services. But for now, the opportunity is to use the reach of retail and pharmacy environments, supported by digital platforms, to make healthcare more accessible and connected.
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