From Stethoscopes to Smartphones – preventative health care in the palm of your hands

South Africa’s healthcare grapples with rising costs and capacity constraints, which has in turn, created a push towards prevention as the most effective and affordable form of care. Yet for millions, regular check-ups and screenings are out of reach, expensive, and time intensive. Fortunately, new AI-driven health technologies are beginning to change that reality, putting preventative care and smart diagnostic and screening tools directly into the hands of consumers.

Profmed CEO Craig Comrie says this shift is long overdue. “The world has spent decades refining treatments, but not nearly enough effort has gone into keeping people healthy in the first place,” he says. “AI and data analytics are enabling prevention to happen outside the traditional healthcare environment at home, in real time, through tools people already use every day.”

The rise of digital diagnostics

Artificial intelligence and digital imaging have enabled the extraction of meaningful health data from a simple smartphone camera. These tools can now analyse facial blood vessels to identify physiological markers such as heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and stress indicators with clinically validated accuracy.

Profmed’s Amplifire is one example of this technology in action. Using an FDA-approved screening facility, Amplifire enables members to complete a health assessment from any device with a camera and internet connection. Within minutes, it delivers a detailed summary of key health risks and highlights potential irregularities for further medical review. Profmed’s health coaches are also activated in terms of detected high risks where these coaches will engage with the member and their provider to confirm interventions and treatment. For many medical schemes risks are only detected once significant events occur and members land up in hospitals having serious procedures and many lead to lifelong dependency on chronic medical treatment. The digital advantage is that both the good and poor risks are then known to the medical scheme and opportunities to empower health consumers to improve their health status helps avoid long term chronic illness.

“The power of this technology lies in its accessibility,” Comrie explains. “It removes the logistical and financial barriers that often delay early detection. When you can check your vital signs at any time, you’re far more likely to identify a potential problem early and seek medical advice when it matters most.”

Prevention is the new healthcare economy

The economic argument for prevention is compelling. Chronic diseases account for more than half of South Africa’s healthcare expenditure. Catching warning signs early reduces long-term costs for both members and medical schemes and eases the burden on our healthcare infrastructure.

Comrie notes that preventative care should not be seen as an optional extra, but as a fundamental part of a sustainable healthcare model. “When prevention is built into people’s everyday routines, it leads to earlier diagnoses, fewer hospitalisations, and ultimately, better outcomes. It also means that the often-stretched resources in the healthcare system, can be focused where they are needed most.”

Amplifire is designed to complement, not replace, professional medical care. Its goal is to provide members with meaningful data that prompts informed action while rewarding engagement in preventative care with additional health booster benefits. The platform’s analytics detect trends over time, helping users see how lifestyle factors such as stress, sleep, and exercise impact their overall health and helop them improve or maintain their healthy status.

Data, trust, and human connection

While the rise of AI in healthcare brings exciting potential, it also raises important questions about data privacy and the human element in care. Comrie acknowledges these concerns, noting that tools like Amplifire are most effective when paired with sound data governance and trusted medical partnerships.

“Data security and ethical use of AI are non-negotiable,” he says. “Technology must enhance the relationship between patient and practitioner, not replace it. The purpose of digital screening is to give people a clearer picture of their health so that conversations with healthcare professionals become more informed and productive.”

The next frontier: personalisation

As these technologies evolve, digital health tools will increasingly draw on longitudinal data to provide more personalised insights. Instead of static readings, they’ll be able to record long-term health status and more accurately predict health trajectories helping individuals understand not just where their health stands today, but where it’s headed.

This level of precision, Comrie says, could reshape the future of medical schemes. “We are moving toward a model where data-driven insights can inform personalised health benefits and interventions. It’s a shift from reactive to proactive healthcare, and AI is the catalyst.”

A practical step for today

While large-scale transformation will take time, individuals can already take small, meaningful steps toward better health management. Using digital assessments like Amplifire gives members a low-cost, low-effort entry point into preventative care and knowing their health status. It also helps those who may not prioritise check-ups to gain a better understanding of their health risks.

“The message is simple,” Comrie concludes. “Don’t wait for symptoms. Prevention is not a luxury, it’s the foundation of sustainable health. And with the right technology, it’s finally within reach for everyone. The future of prevention, it seems, has already arrived.”