Best health apps for reminders and appointments in South Africa

Medical disclaimer: This article is general information, not medical advice. For personal guidance, consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Emergency note: If symptoms are severe, sudden, or getting worse fast, call local emergency services or go to the nearest emergency unit.

Life gets busy. School runs, long commutes, loadshedding, work stress, and family care. Then somewhere in that chaos, you are meant to remember a clinic follow-up, a repeat script date, and a hospital appointment time. It is a lot.

The good news is you do not need a fancy smartwatch or a complicated system. A few reliable health apps can make reminders and appointments easier, especially in South Africa, where people often juggle both public and private care.

This guide focuses on practical, SA-friendly options. Not miracle solutions. Just tools that help you stay organised and show up when it matters.

In this guide

• What to look for in a reminder and appointment app
• The simplest option that works on almost any phone
• Apps that help you book clinic or doctor appointments (SA options)
• Medical aid and hospital apps that reduce admin
• WhatsApp and SMS options that actually help
• A setup checklist you can copy today
• What to do next if you are supporting someone else

What makes a health app worth using?

Before we name apps, it helps to know what you are choosing for. A good appointment reminder app should do three things well:

First, it must be easy. If it takes ten steps to add one appointment, you will stop using it.

Second, it must be reliable. Notifications should come through even when your phone is on silent or you are offline for a while.

Third, it must fit your real life. Many South Africans manage care for a child, a parent, or a partner. So sharing reminders or keeping notes in one place is a win.

Look for features like

• repeating reminders (monthly meds, yearly check-ups)
• space for notes (what to ask the nurse or doctor)
• attachments or photos (referral letter, script, results)
• a simple way to track appointments for more than one person

In EMS we often see how small admin gaps become big problems later, like missed follow-ups or lost paperwork. A simple reminder system can quietly prevent that.

The easiest starting point: Google Calendar or Apple Calendar

If you only choose one tool, choose a calendar you already have.

Google Calendar (Android and also available on iPhone) and Apple Calendar (iPhone) are “boring”, but powerful. You can set:

• an appointment event
• a reminder the day before
• a reminder two hours before
• a repeating schedule (for monthly chronic meds or injections)

Add a short note like “Bring clinic card and meds list.” That one sentence saves time when you are rushing out the door.

This is also the best option if you are trying to keep things professional and low-cost, because it is already built into most phones.

Clinic appointment booking app options in South Africa

Sometimes the biggest headache is not the reminder. It is booking the appointment in the first place. A few SA services make this easier.

Clicks Clinic booking

Clicks offers online booking for clinic appointments in many areas, which is helpful for basic primary healthcare needs and screening services.

If you use Clicks clinics, booking online can reduce back-and-forth calls, and you can screenshot your confirmation to keep as proof.

Dis-Chem Clinic appointments

Dis-Chem offers online appointment booking for clinic services like health tests and preventative care, with a sign-in flow for managing bookings.

This can be useful for planned care. Then you use your calendar for the reminders.

Netcare appointment tools

Netcare’s appointment options include request-based booking, where an advisor helps match you to a suitable healthcare professional. Their Netcare app also highlights features like specialist appointment booking and emergency support access.

If you are in the private system, this can reduce the stress of phoning multiple rooms.

Mediclinic appointments and tools

Mediclinic offers a doctor appointment process online, and the Mediclinic app description highlights appointment booking and access to digital healthcare tools.

If your care runs through Mediclinic, having the app can help keep appointments and admin tasks in one place.

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Medical aid member apps that help with admin and planning

Even if you do not book appointments directly through your scheme, medical aid apps can still help because they keep your key information close.

Bonitas Member App

Bonitas describes its member app as a way to access medical aid information and manage claims and documents. Bonitas also offers self-service options through WhatsApp for certain tasks, like claims.

Momentum App

Momentum highlights app features linked to medical aid, such as viewing benefits and making certain requests like pre-authorisation through the app.

Discovery Health app and HealthID ecosystem

Discovery’s app listing describes features like viewing plan benefits and health records, and searching for healthcare professionals. Discovery also describes HealthID as part of its digital healthcare technology offering.

Practical tip: even if you love your calendar, keep your scheme’s app for membership details, digital cards, and quick reference when you are at reception.

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WhatsApp and SMS reminders: underrated, and very South African

Not everyone wants another app. Sometimes WhatsApp and SMS are enough.

A standout public-sector example is MomConnect, a National Department of Health program that provides maternal health messaging via SMS or WhatsApp and includes appointment reminders as part of its messaging support.

Even outside MomConnect, many clinics and practices use WhatsApp confirmations or SMS reminders. The best move is to treat those messages like “receipts”:

• Screenshot the appointment details
• Save the contact name clearly (e.g., “Dr. Smith Rooms” or “Clinic Booking”)
• Immediately add it to your calendar with two reminders

Quick setup checklist: a simple system that actually sticks

Here is a practical way to set this up in 10 minutes.

1. Choose your “home base”
   Use Google Calendar or Apple Calendar as your main diary.
2. Create three repeating reminders

• monthly chronic meds pickup
• a “check-up” reminder every 3 or 6 months (whatever you usually do)
• an annual reminder for a health check or screening you value

3. Add a health notes list on your phone
   Keep a note called “Health questions” with bullet points you want to ask at the next visit.
4. Store key documents as photos
   Take clear photos of referral letters, scripts, and clinic cards. Save them in a “Health” folder.
5. Use SA booking apps only when you need them
   If you book through Clicks, Dis-Chem, Netcare, or Mediclinic, keep the confirmation and add it to your calendar.

That is it. Simple, repeatable, and it looks professional.

What to do next

If you are reading this because you are supporting a parent, a child, or someone with ongoing care, start small:

• Set up one shared calendar event for the next appointment
• Set two reminders
• Write one note: “Bring meds list and ID”
• Save one photo: last script or referral letter

Small steps. Big impact over time.