Anita feels more empowered to better manage her diagnosed health conditions using Personal Health Pathways

Anita (aged 55) has been a Discovery Health Medical Scheme member for nearly as long as the Scheme has been in existence - approximately three decades. She has seen the Scheme evolve over the years and experienced all the benefits and enhancements made available to members. In 2025, this has included Personal Health Pathways.

Anita discovered Personal Health Pathways while scrolling through her medical scheme benefits

Anita is aware that her medical aid plan covers a range of important preventive health and screening checks that are key to get done regularly. While scrolling through her plan benefits to remind herself of what she was due for, she came across Personal Health Pathways.

"It was easy to activate on my Discovery Health app, and I immediately had access to my first personalised recommended health actions," she says. "The instructions were easy to follow, and I was excited about the prospect of being rewarded for taking care of my health."

Personal Health Pathways has been most helpful for Anita's diabetes management

One of Anita's first recommended health actions was to consult with an ENT for a check-up. "I'd had issues with my ears, so this made sense," she says.

After that her health actions included getting health checks done related to her diabetes and more. "When you live with diabetes it's crucial to schedule healthcare appointments with your treating physician every six months. You don't realise the importance of all these kinds of tests unless you keep up with them as they can really make all the difference in how you manage the condition and whether it progresses or not," she says.

Anita didn't realise the importance of dental check-ups in relation to her diabetes too. Many people with diabetes are at an increased risk of gum disease, dry mouth and ulcers, among other oral problems before. "At my dental check-up I was educated on how to better take care of my teeth and oral health," she adds.

Anita has also been able to schedule appointments with an optometrist for an eye examination, a podiatrist to assess the condition of her feet and see a dietician to help her manage her eating habits.

The biggest eye-opener for Anita was going for an HbA1c test as part of her diabetes management - another recommendation that came through her Personal Health Pathways.

This blood test measures average blood glucose levels over a two- to three-month period. Measured as a percentage, higher than average blood sugar levels flag an increased risk of diabetes and associated health complications. Anita's HbA1c results led to further testing to check the function of, among various things, her kidneys.

Further testing highlighted an anti-inflammatory medicine she'd been using to alleviate symptoms of another chronic condition she lives with - polyosteoarthritis (a primarily degenerative joint disease that's not a distinct diagnosis in itself, but rather a descriptive term for osteoarthritis which affects multiple joints simultaneously and is characterised by a gradual wear and tear of joint cartilage in the body).

"I was using the medicine to help with my pain, but was not aware of how it was affecting my kidney function. If I had not been prompted to go for the HbA1c test, I could have possibly suffered irreversible damage to my kidneys."

Anita stopped using the anti-inflammatory medicine straight away and instead asked her doctor to recommend another solution to manage her polyosteoarthritis symptoms.

Anita's personalised health actions keep her motivated

"It's been very important to me to complete each of my recommended health actions," says Anita. "These recommendations help me to be more aware of my state of health and what actions I need to take to stay in better control of my health."

By completing her health actions, Anita has started accumulating funds in her Personal Health Fund which she uses to fund day-to-day healthcare expenses: "So far, the funds in my Personal Health Fund have been very handy in paying for GP consultations."

By achieving her personalised health actions and engaging in as much physical activity as her physical condition allows, she lives a fuller, healthier lifestyle. "Every day, I make an effort to do low-impact exercise for at least 20 minutes at a time. I experience some strain on my knees because of my polyosteoarthritis, so I am cautious when I exercise," she shares.

"Living with chronic conditions is not easy but knowing that I can work hand-in-hand with my medical specialists, along with using Personal Health Pathways, helps to make things easier." Personal Health Pathways also provides Anita with information about her health conditions and what to consider to avoid unnecessary complications or problems. "I'm more aware of the positive possibilities for me too, especially if I do what is needed to live healthier," she adds.

Anta adds, "I like that my Personal Health Pathway keeps track of all the health checks I've done and the health check-ups I still need to do. This motivates me to be proactive about my health needs."

"Don't rest on your laurels when promoted to activate Personal Health Pathways"

"If you're a Discovery Health Medical Scheme member, don't rest on your laurels when promoted to activate Personal Health Pathways and complete your first round of recommended health actions. Engaging in this incredible platform is so helpful and beneficial," she advises.

"When it comes to our health, self-awareness is very important. You won't regret engaging in Personal Health Pathways," she adds.

"Thank you to Discovery Health Medical Scheme for giving me and other Scheme members access to this really brilliant platform."

-Member, Anita, requested that we only use her first name, to maintain her privacy.

What is Personal Health Pathways

Personal Health Pathways is a free tool available to adult DHMS members via the Discovery Health app. It provides personalised, real-time health recommendations based on each member's unique profile. As a member's health journey evolves, so does their pathway, continuously updating based on their specific health status, risk profile and engagement patterns and dynamically adjusting as new health data become available.

Personal Health Pathways combines artificial intelligence, predictive analytics and behavioural science. The platform uses more than 50 million life years of health claims and clinical data, along with nearly 30 million life years of exercise and lifestyle data gathered through Vitality in South Africa, to recommend actions that have the greatest potential to improve health outcomes.

Members earn rewards for engaging, including shopping vouchers, Ðiscovery Miles and instant rewards. Those Scheme members who are also Vitality members earn personalised rewards through Personal Health Pathways in addition to their Vitality rewards.

Then, each Personal Health Pathways cycle provides up to two clinical actions and one weekly exercise goal, which must be completed by a set date. Members can earn up to R500 into a new Personal Health Fund for each completed action, up to a maximum of R10,000. The money that is accumulated in the Personal Health Fund can be used for day-to-day medical expenses, including GP and specialist consultations, medicine, radiology and pathology.