Thanks to Personal Health Pathways Kgomoamotsatsi is checking on her health status more often

For Kgomoamotsatsi (Kgomo for short), June 2025 was a period of new beginnings. She started a new job, got acquainted with her new workplace environment and colleagues, and began to learn all about her new medical aid membership and the variety of benefits available to her.

That's when she discovered that she had access to Personal Health Pathways, and realised this would be a game-changer in helping her to begin improving her overall health and wellbeing.

Kgomo discovered that activating her Personal Health Pathway was simple enough to do

Kgomo accessed information about Personal Health Pathways from Discovery's website. She then downloaded the Discovery Health app. "From there, it was easy to activate and set up to start engaging," she explains.

"Once activated, I started to receive notifications from the app to start completing my recommended health actions and when to get them done by. The health ring started to show my progress, closing to a certain extent with each action completed. The app also constantly reminded me about when scheduled appointments were due to take place."

Kgomo's health actions included a dental check-up, pap smear and getting a flu vaccine

"So far, I've been prompted to complete a Health Check, a dental check-up, pap smear and get a flu vaccine," she says. "Completing my health actions has taught me it's so important to schedule regular health check-ups to stay on top of my health needs."

"So far, I've had feedback from my general practitioner that I need to better manage my blood pressure levels and weight using appropriate meal plans and by exercising more regularly. During my Health Check, I also got to know what my blood sugar levels are and my HIV status, which is useful information to know and keep track of."

"The results of my pap smear picked up that I had an infection, which could be easily treated," she explains further. "I also needed to give my teeth a good cleaning during my dental check-up."

Kgomo found the structured design and rewarding features most attractive as she got started

Kgomo felt immediately comfortable with the simple design of Personal Health Pathways and the structure of its features. "It's simply laid out making it easy for me to keep track of my health needs. The notifications and reminders prompt me to seek out healthcare attention, and where necessary, get follow-up care."

"I also found it quite convenient to be able to select a healthcare practitioner of my own choice in the area where I live. To be able to do this directly on the Discovery Health app was great. I can contact the practitioner directly from the app and book appointments and consultations," she adds.

The instant rewards were certainly a strong drawcard for Kgomo too. She quickly made the connection between completing her recommended health actions and earning instant rewards and Ðiscovery Miles too, which she can use to buy from Dischem, Pick n' Pay and from other reward partners.

"I feel good about attending to my health needs and achieving my weekly exercise goals and being able to enjoy the instant rewards I get for engaging." Kgomo completes between 1,000 and 2,500 steps per day (minimum), as well as several full body exercise routines using her dumbbells. These efforts close her exercise goal ring every week.

What is Kgomo's hope for the future as she continues to use Personal Health Pathways?

"I hope this tool will keep me motivated to be a healthier person and better understand my health needs," Kgomo also hopes that she'll continue to receive reminders to get a flu vaccine every year ahead of the winter season so that she can avoid getting sick.

Kgomo is also spreading the word about Personal Health Pathways and all the benefits she's experienced, to fellow Discovery Health Medical Scheme members. "I tell my colleagues about it and how important it is to stay on top of your health checks and really understand your health status - and how easy it is do this through Personal Health Pathways. Of course, I also tell them about the rewards that come with achieving your recommended health actions and exercise goals."

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.

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.