Dis-Chem is stepping up its shift from pharmacy-led retail to wider healthcare delivery. The group says it wants to tackle South Africa’s “fragmented” healthcare system. Consumers often face rising costs. They also face long waiting times. Services can feel disconnected.
The retailer’s answer is a new Dis-Chem Health Hub model. It brings multiple services into one setting. The pilot format launched at Melrose Arch. It blends clinics and pharmacies with healthcare funding and digital care tools. Dis-Chem describes it as the foundation of an integrated healthcare ecosystem.
Chief executive Rui Morais says the goal is practical impact. He argues that stocking products is no longer enough. The group wants to “actively deliver care”. The ambition is clear. Reduce healthcare costs. Improve access. Make the journey simpler for patients.
Dis-Chem Health Hub Targets Fragmented Care
The Melrose Arch hub includes virtual GP consultations and diagnostic testing facilities. It also supports digital prescription systems. Dedicated healthcare advisers are on site to guide customers through services and funding options.
Dis-Chem’s scale in primary care is already substantial. In its latest annual report, the group reports more than 540 clinics in the 2025 financial year. 535 registered nursing practitioners staffed these. The network delivered more than 1.2 million consultations.
The company has rolled out telemedicine infrastructure across all clinics. This supports virtual GP consultations and electronic prescriptions. For Dis-Chem, it is a key lever in widening access to care. It also helps patients avoid unnecessary travel and delays.
Dis-Chem Health Hub Adds Funding And Telehealth
Dis-Chem is also building healthcare funding products. The company launched Dis-Chem Health. It later introduced Dis-Chem Life after acquiring a 50% stake in insurance platform OneSpark in 2024. It has positioned these products as pathways into private healthcare and insurance.
The retailer says its medical insurance and gap cover products could enable an additional 15 million South Africans to access private healthcare services. That claim underlines the strategic direction. Dis-Chem is developing care delivery and care funding together, not in silos.
The hub concept was developed alongside X, bigly labs. This is Dis-Chem’s innovation and analytics division. It focuses on customer behaviour, data analytics and digital healthcare solutions. Data-led service design is becoming central to the group’s healthcare play.
Digital Workflow Aims To Cut Waiting Times
The group has designed operational changes to speed up pharmacy services. We separated prescription submissions from medication collection and introduced digital ticketing. App-based script submissions are now part of the workflow. The aim is shorter queues and faster turnaround.
Even the retail layout has changed. Product ranges are organised around prevention, treatment and long-term wellbeing. This replaces conventional merchandising categories. It is a subtle but meaningful repositioning. The store becomes a health destination, not only a shop.
Dis-Chem is rolling this strategy out as competition intensifies across retail and healthcare. The group is prioritising digital healthcare, automation, analytics and customer retention. Financial results point to momentum. E-commerce revenue rose 37.2% in the past financial year. Total income grew 9.2%. Operating profit rose 18.3%.
The big question is scale. Dis-Chem says the model is designed to be rolled out across its store network. If the Dis-Chem Health Hub can replicate the Melrose Arch experience, it could reset expectations for how retail and primary care work together in South Africa.
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