Dis-chem’s Health Hub redefines the roles of retail in healthcare
Getting healthcare in South Africa can often feel complicated, time-consuming and expensive. Dis-Chem is aiming to change that with the launch of its new Melrose Arch Health Hub, marking a significant step forward in its ambition to reduce the cost of healthcare, increase access and improve health outcomes for South Africans.
The new Health Hub is more than just a store. It brings together a clinic, pharmacy and health cover services under one roof, creating a one-stop destination where customers can access care, advice and products in a single, seamless visit.
Instead of healthcare being an add-on to retail, the entire space has been designed around people’s health needs, from prevention and everyday wellness to treatment and ongoing care.
“South Africans have long had to navigate their healthcare alone, moving between disconnected providers and fragmented systems. This store is our answer to that. It is not enough to just stock health products. We want to actively deliver care. When healthcare, pharmacy, financial services and technology work together in one place, we can reach more people, at lower cost, and with better outcomes. That is the ambition, and this is where it starts,” says Dis-Chem CEO Rui Morais.
What Customers Can Expect
At the heart of the store is the Hub, a central, full-service gateway positioned as the primary entry point into Dis-Chem’s healthcare system, where trained advisors help guide customers through their journey, whether they need to see a nurse, collect medication, explore health cover or simply need help navigating our retail offering to find the right products.
The pharmacy experience, a cornerstone of the model, has been redesigned to focus on efficiency and impactful engagement. Customers can submit prescriptions in multiple ways, avoid long queues thanks to a digital ticketing system, and spend more meaningful time with pharmacists when needed.
The in-store clinic has been upgraded to deliver a complete clinical experience, with nurse-led consultations, virtual GP access, and a fully equipped pre-assessment and diagnostic testing room staffed by a dedicated clinic care assistant. The clinic care assistant role, fulfilled by a qualified phlebotomist, reflects a deliberate choice to make clinical services feel welcoming and accessible without compromising on expertise. Centralised administration, managed through the Hub, removes the administrative burden from clinical staff and allows more time for patient care.
For those thinking about longer-term health planning, financial services are fully integrated into the experience, with dedicated financial advisors available in private consultation spaces that connect directly with both healthcare services and retail. This allows customers to engage with health cover, life insurance and funding solutions as part of a single, connected journey.
Everything in the store has been intentionally redesigned through a healthcare-first lens, with product ranges curated to support prevention, treatment and long-term wellbeing.
A New Approach To Everyday Healthcare
The Melrose Arch Health Hub is the first of its kind for Dis-Chem and forms part of a broader plan to roll out this model across the Dis-Chem footprint, ensuring that healthcare delivery, operational efficiency and customer experience can be consistently integrated at every touchpoint.
“Our goal is simple,” adds Morais. “To make healthcare easier to access, easier to understand and ultimately more effective for more South Africans, bringing Dis-Chem closer to its ambition of becoming South Africa’s most accessible and trusted healthcare partner.”
