Evidence for nurses
Nurses give excellent care when they are supported
Decades of research, much of it from South African clinics, show that supported nurses match doctors on the outcomes that matter. PRIME is that support.
PRIME’s own results
- 9/10times, the reviewing doctor agrees with the diagnosis the nurse made with PRIME
- 1,900+doctor-reviewed consultations so far
The research
What the studies show
- Market · 2026
Telehealth is growing fast
South Africa's telemedicine market is projected to grow about 20% a year from 2026 to 2034, to more than five times its 2025 size. PRIME is how you take part safely: guideline-driven, checked for emergencies, and reviewed by a doctor.
IMARC Group, 2026 - Primary care · 2018
Nurses as substitutes for doctors in primary care
A Cochrane review of 18 trials: care from nurses probably gives similar or better health outcomes than care from doctors, and patients are probably slightly more satisfied.
Laurant et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2018 - South Africa · 2012
Nurse-started HIV treatment in 31 clinics
Across 31 South African primary care clinics and more than 15,000 patients, trained and supported nurses started HIV treatment with survival and viral suppression no worse than when doctors did.
Fairall et al., The Lancet, 2012 - Blood pressure · 2010
Nurse-led hypertension care works best with an algorithm
When nurses followed a stepped treatment algorithm, systolic blood pressure fell 8.2 mmHg more than with usual care. The authors conclude nurse-led care needs an algorithm to structure it. PRIME is that structure.
Clark et al., BMJ, 2010 - Decision support · 2020
Clinical decision support improves care
Across 122 trials and more than 1.2 million patients, computer decision support increased the share of patients getting the recommended care, with small to moderate gains.
Kwan et al., BMJ, 2020 - South Africa · 2005
Training nurses finds more tuberculosis
In Free State clinics, short educational outreach to nurses using a guideline-based approach found more cases of tuberculosis, without extra staff.
Fairall et al., BMJ, 2005 - Diagnosis · 2014
1 in 20 adults
Even in well-resourced health systems, about 1 in 20 adults experiences a diagnostic error in outpatient care each year. A structured history and a ranked differential are how PRIME guards against it.
Singh et al., BMJ Quality & Safety, 2014
Regulation
Built to South African standards
PRIME was developed according to the guidance South Africa's health regulators have issued on artificial intelligence in medicine. These are the documents we work to:
- HPCSABooklet 20: Ethical guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence (2025)
How registered practitioners may use AI ethically: the practitioner stays responsible for every decision, the patient's privacy and consent come first, and AI supports clinical judgement but never replaces it.
- HPCSABooklet 10: General ethical guidelines for good practice in telehealth
How a doctor may review and treat a patient at a distance, as PRIME's reviewing doctors do, to the same standard as an in-person visit.
- SAHPRACommunication to Industry MD08 (2025/2026): AI and machine learning-enabled medical devices
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority's guiding principles for AI in medical software: local validation, safety, transparency and ongoing monitoring.
Start today
See your first patient with PRIME today
Register at primeclinic.app. There is nothing to install.
Ready in about 5 minutes
- Create your accountTap Sign up below. In the app, choose “Sign Up”, then “Healthcare”.
- Add your detailsYour name, email, role and clinic. Nothing to install.
- See your first patientPRIME guides the consultation, and a doctor reviews every case.
R550 a month · 30-day money-back guarantee · Questions? Talk to us