Philips Future Health Index 2025: South Africa’s Healthcare Sector Ready for AI Leap – But Time Is of the Essence

Drawing on perspectives of healthcare professionals and patients from across the country, the research shows 91% of South African healthcare professionals demonstrate confidence that AI and predictive analytics will reduce hospital admissions, compared to 75% globally. This positions South Africa as a leader in the strategic adoption of AI across diverse healthcare settings and communities.

Beyond preventive care leadership, South African healthcare professionals demonstrate strong confidence in AI's operational benefits. The research reveals significant efficiency opportunities, as 78% of healthcare professionals currently experience delays due to incomplete or inaccessible patient data. Notably, 32% of these lose over 45 minutes per shift – equivalent to 23 working days per year[1].

"This presents a significant opportunity to streamline workflows and redirect valuable clinical time to patient care," says Pillay.

Healthcare professionals envision clear AI benefits:

Recognising the urgency of addressing delays and inefficiencies in care delivery, clinicians also warn that slow adoption of digital health technologies could undermine progress. They worry that slower AI implementation could lead to missed opportunities for early intervention, an inability to provide cutting-edge care, and a growing backlog of patients.

At the same time, clinicians recognise that for these new care models to work, patients need to be on board with AI and digital technologies, which is where the real challenge may lie.

The inclusion of patient perspectives adds a powerful dimension to this year's Index, revealing encouraging foundations for AI adoption. The report reveals a 17 percentage-point trust gap between the optimism of healthcare professionals (83%) and patients (66%) around AI in healthcare.

While half (49%) are concerned it could reduce face-to-face time with their doctors, most patients support increased technology use if it improves access to care and benefits patients like them.

Patient acceptance shows strong potential across applications:

Significantly, 92% of patients would feel more comfortable with AI if they received information about it from their doctors, positioning healthcare professionals as key champions for successful patient AI implementation, creating valuable opportunities for professional-led patient education and engagement.

The FHI 2025 report for South Africa reveals that care delays are impacting patient health, with a third (33%) of patients reporting worsening health due to not seeing a doctor sooner, and around 1 in 5 (22%) having been admitted to a hospital due to long wait times.

The Future Health Index 2025 offers a clear direction for turning these system limitations into a catalyst for future health. The report calls for collaboration between policymakers, industry leaders, and patient advocacy groups to create a framework for responsible, human-centric AI adoption that reinforces, not replaces, the human connection at the heart of care.

“By working together across the sector, we can turn these insights into action. We invite healthcare leaders across South Africa to join us in shaping a future where technology and trust work together to build a more resilient, equitable, and human healthcare system,” concludes Pillay.