Udok: Building South Africa’s Largest Private Healthcare Network for Cash-Paying Patients
Udok is building a connected private healthcare network across South Africa, linking patients with 300+ medical practices and 3,000 pharmacies. Patients can access online or in-person consultations, secure AES-signed prescriptions and flexible payment options through one convenient healthcare platform.
3 min read
Accessing private healthcare should be simple, affordable and convenient—whether a patient needs to speak to a doctor online, visit a practice in person or collect medication from a nearby pharmacy. Udok is building a connected private healthcare network designed around the needs of cash-paying patients. By bringing doctors, pharmacies and patients together on one digital platform, Udok makes it easier to access quality private healthcare without unnecessary delays or complicated administrative processes.
A nationwide network delivering hybrid healthcare
The Udok doctor network consists of more than 300 medical practices across South Africa. Every doctor on the platform is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
Patients can choose how they want to receive care:
- Consult with a doctor online from a phone, tablet or computer.
- Visit a participating Udok doctor for an in-person consultation.
- Use the Udok Express Queue for an on-demand virtual consultation.
- Select a doctor according to location, availability, language or gender.
This hybrid model combines the convenience of virtual care with the reassurance of access to a physical doctor when an examination, investigation or further treatment is required.
From consultation to medication
A healthcare journey does not end when the consultation is completed. Patients must also be able to access their prescribed medication quickly and conveniently. Udok supports a pharmacy network of approximately 3,000 pharmacies across South Africa. This allows patients to have their prescriptions dispensed by a convenient participating pharmacy. Prescriptions issued through the Udok platform are signed using an Advanced Electronic Signature (AES), helping pharmacies verify the authenticity and integrity of each prescription. This creates a secure and efficient connection between the consulting doctor and the dispensing pharmacy.
Flexible ways to pay Udok was built to make private healthcare more accessible to patients who pay directly for their care. Patients can choose from a broad range of secure payment options, including:
- Electronic funds transfer (EFT)
- Capitec Pay
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
- Samsung Pay
- Payflex
- Scan to Pay
- 1Voucher
Medical aid payments are also accepted where applicable.
By supporting both cash and medical aid patients, Udok gives more South Africans the freedom to choose how, where and when they access private healthcare.
Secure and compliant healthcare Patient privacy, clinical governance and prescription security are central to the Udok platform. Udok is designed to comply with applicable South African healthcare and data-protection requirements, including the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). All doctors are HPCSA-registered, and electronic prescriptions are protected with Advanced Electronic Signatures.
This provides patients, doctors and pharmacists with a secure and reliable digital healthcare journey—from registration and consultation to prescription and dispensing.
Free virtual doctor support for pharmacies Udok is inviting pharmacies across South Africa—with or without an existing clinic—to join the network at no cost.
Participating pharmacies can:
- Offer patients access to virtual consultations with HPCSA-registered doctors.
- Facilitate doctor consultations from an existing pharmacy clinic.
- Support patients who need timely access to a doctor.
- Receive secure prescriptions signed with an AES.
- Provide an additional healthcare service without employing an on-site doctor.
- Help patients move seamlessly from consultation to treatment.
For pharmacies with clinics, Udok provides a practical way to add virtual doctor support to existing nursing services. Pharmacies without clinics can still register to receive Udok prescriptions and help patients access their prescribed medication.
There is no registration or platform cost for participating pharmacies.
Join the Udok connected care network Udok’s vision is to build South Africa’s largest connected private healthcare network for cash-paying patients—bringing together trusted doctors, accessible pharmacies and secure digital healthcare technology.
Join more than 200,000 existing members on the Udok Connected Care app and access trusted doctors, secure prescriptions and convenient pharmacy services through one connected healthcare platform.
If you operate a pharmacy or pharmacy clinic and would like to offer virtual doctor support or receive AES-signed prescriptions, register your interest today.
