AI clinical care platform Heidi has officially launched in South Africa following adoption by 15,000 clinicians in the country, as workforce shortages and administrative burden push healthcare systems toward AI tools that integrate with existing workflows.
The launch comes after a wave of clinician-led demand, with adoption now extending beyond individual users into broader system implementation. Intercare Group is piloting the platform across its network, and Fourways Veterinary Hospital has deployed it within its clinical teams. Integrations with practice management systems including Practice Perfect and HealthFocus are enabling uptake without requiring workflow changes.
Heidi sits directly inside clinical workflows, automating documentation and routine administrative tasks. The platform meets local healthcare governance and regulatory requirements, supports multiple languages, and works offline in low-connectivity environments.
The launch is timely. South Africa is projected to face a shortfall of nearly 97,000 health workers by 2030, with administrative load identified as a key contributor to burnout — particularly in public hospitals, emergency departments and rural clinics where clinician time is most constrained.
“Adoption in South Africa has been almost entirely clinician-led,” said Tom Kelly, CEO and co-founder of Heidi. “Doctors are using it in real clinical settings, seeing the impact and recommending it to peers. That is what has driven us to more than 1.5 million consultations each month locally, with weekly active use growing 500% year-on-year.”
Globally, Heidi is supporting more than 2.5 million consultations per week, with the company stating its mission is to double the world’s healthcare capacity. “Markets like South Africa, where the workforce gap is most acute, are where that mission matters most,” Kelly said.
To support the next phase of growth, Heidi has appointed Calvin Howard to lead its South African operations, alongside Michelle Yuan, who will drive customer success and engagement with healthcare teams. Howard will oversee partnerships as adoption expands beyond individual users into larger healthcare organizations, while Yuan will focus on embedding the platform into team workflows.
“What stood out immediately was how naturally Heidi fits into South African clinical workflows. Its real impact is removing barriers to care,” Howard said. “With support for local languages and offline capability, clinicians can capture every patient interaction, even in rural settings without connectivity. In a system under real pressure, that kind of practical innovation matters.”
