South Africa's professionals carry a particular kind of pressure. Long hours, demanding careers, years of study before a first real salary, and the constant weight of responsibility, what Profmed refers to as the "invisible load", often mean that the people best equipped to care for others are the least likely to prioritise their own health. For a medical scheme built specifically for professionals, that paradox is exactly the challenge Profmed WellBeing was designed to address.
Against this backdrop, Profmed has partnered with health technology company Strove to launch Profmed WellBeing. The app builds on more than 60 years of caring for South Africa’s professionals, supporting members not only when they need treatment, but also in the everyday decisions that influence their long-term health and wellbeing.
A shift in what a medical aid can be
For most people, interaction with a medical scheme is episodic. It typically happens when something goes wrong. Yet many of the factors that have the greatest influence long-term health, including physical activity, sleep, nutrition, stress and mental wellbeing, are shaped not by acute events, but by the habits formed between them.
This is where digital health tools are beginning to change the healthcare experience. As members manage more of their lives through their phones, they increasingly expect healthcare to be just as accessible, personalised and responsive.
Rather than engaging with their medical scheme only when they need treatment, many are looking for support that fits into everyday life. Profmed's collaboration with Strove reflects that shift, helping members take a more active role in managing their health and wellbeing.
"When we partner with a scheme like Profmed, we are not simply adding a wellness app to the member experience. We are helping redefine how a modern medical scheme supports people’s health,” says Chris Bruchhausen, CEO of Strove. "Profmed has spent decades serving South Africa's professionals, and Profmed WellBeing allows us to support members every day, not only when a they’re unwell. That is where healthcare is heading: helping people build healthier habits before they need care. We are proud to be doing that alongside a partner that understands its members as well as Profmed does."
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An everyday companion, not another benefit to claim
Profmed WellBeing is designed to fit naturally into members' daily lives rather than exist as just another benefit to claim. The platform helps members build healthier habits by encouraging movement, supporting better nutrition, promoting stress management and providing ongoing motivation.
Within the app, members can track their activity through the wearables and health apps they already use, while receiving personalised nutrition guidance to support healthier everyday choices. Regular wellbeing check-ins help members monitor how they are feeling over time, and a personalised health score provides them a simple snapshot of their progress. Guided content spanning fitness, mental wellbeing and nutrition is tailored to individual needs, while monthly challenges and an integrated rewards system help make positive habits more engaging and sustainable.
"Our members are professionals who lead demanding lives, and their own health too often takes a back seat," says Craig Comrie, Principal Officer and CEO of Profmed. "Profmed WellBeing gives every member, regardless of their plan, a simple and rewarding way to look after themselves every day. It reflects our commitment to providing value that goes well beyond traditional cover."
One connected journey
Profmed WellBeing does not operate in isolation. It forms an important part of Profmed's broader Consumer Digital Journey, which supports members from their initial digital health assessment and preventative care tracking through to ongoing wellbeing engagement.
Where the Amplifire Health Journey on the Profmed App helps members better understand their health and unlock additional value from their membership, Profmed WellBeing helps turn those insights into action. It is designed to support members in maintaining healthy habits over time, making it easier to stay engaged with their wellbeing long after an assessment has been completed.
Prevention that fits into a busy life
The clinical evidence is clear: much of what influences long-term health is determined not in a consulting room, but through the everyday choices people make over time.
"The healthcare system is very good at treating illness once it appears, but far less equipped to help people stay well in the first place," says Dr Jarrad Van Zuydam, Chief Medical and Innovation Officer at Strove. "What excites me about Profmed WellBeing is that it puts prevention into members' hands in a practical and accessible way. Small, consistent improvements in how we move, eat, sleep and manage stress can compound over time, leading to meaningful improvements in long-term health outcomes."
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Built for South Africa's professionals
Profmed's strength has always been its singular focus on professionals, and Profmed WellBeing extends that focus into the digital health space. For people balancing demanding careers and busy lives, wellbeing support needs to be proactive, personalised and easy to incorporate into everyday routines. That’s exactly what the platform is designed to deliver.
As South Africans navigate increasingly demanding professional and personal responsibilities, tools that combine preventative health, behavioural support and ongoing engagement are likely to play an increasingly important role in helping people stay well. Ultimately, the goal is not only to support successful careers, but also the healthier, more balanced lives that sit beyond them. DM
To learn more about Profmed WellBeing, visit Strove.health and Profmed.
About Profmed
Profmed is South Africa's largest restricted medical scheme for graduate professionals. With over 60 years' experience, it designs benefits and services around the unique needs of professionals at every life stage.
About Strove
Strove is a health technology company building preventative, data-driven wellbeing solutions. It partners with schemes, insurers and employers to turn everyday engagement into measurable, lasting behaviour change.
About PPSHA
PPS Healthcare Administrators (PPSHA) provides Profmed's administration services, from claims and contributions to pre-authorisation and member support. It is a subsidiary of PPS, which focuses exclusively on graduate professionals.