Recomed

RecoMed operates as a significant online healthcare booking platform and marketplace within South Africa, established to streamline the connection between patients and healthcare providers. Founded in 2013 by Sheraan Amod, the company emerged from his personal experience with the difficulty of securing a last-minute medical appointment. Amod, a serial entrepreneur with a background in engineering from the University of Cape Town and experience from co-founding the personalized merchandise company Personera, identified a clear need for a more efficient healthcare booking system.

The platform's core function is to allow patients to find and book appointments with a wide range of healthcare practitioners, including doctors, dentists, and physiotherapists, at any time of day directly from a phone or computer. This service is provided free of charge to patients. For healthcare providers, RecoMed offers a subscription-based model. Practices pay a monthly fee to be listed on the platform, which enhances their visibility and helps fill their appointment schedules. The business model, therefore, is primarily B2B, generating revenue from these subscription fees.

RecoMed's platform serves as a two-sided marketplace. On one side, it provides patients with a convenient tool to manage their healthcare needs. On the other, it acts as a valuable patient acquisition channel for medical and wellness professionals. The company has established key integrations and partnerships with major players in the South African healthcare and retail sectors, including Discovery, Clicks, and Dis-Chem, embedding its booking functionality into their ecosystems to drive patient traffic to its listed practitioners. This network effect is a crucial component of its value proposition.

Over the years, the company has secured funding from a mix of local and international investors, enabling its growth and expansion. Notable funding rounds have included investments from entities such as HAVAÍC, the ASISA ESD Fund, and Japan-based AAIC, which have supported the company's efforts to scale its operations and technology. The platform has facilitated millions of bookings since its inception, demonstrating significant traction in the market. Keywords: healthcare marketplace, online booking, medical appointments, health-tech, patient acquisition, practitioner directory, B2B SaaS, South Africa, digital health, clinic management