More than 650,000 members of South Africa’s largest open medical scheme have signed up for an artificial intelligence driven program that is dramatically boosting preventive care. Preliminary data shows participants are three times more likely to undergo general health checks and twice as likely to get cancer screenings compared to non participants, signaling a major shift in how technology can nudge people toward earlier detection.
The program, called personal health pathways, was launched in January 2025 by Discovery Health Medical Scheme, which covers 2.7 million beneficiaries. It delivers tailored prompts to adult members, guiding them toward what the scheme calls “the next best thing” for their health, from scheduling exercise to booking a colonoscopy. Nearly a quarter of the health checks for conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol flagged results that were out of range, allowing early intervention before these problems worsened.
“We have long understood the importance of prevention,” said Discovery Health CEO Ron Whelan. “What has changed is our ability to deliver it with precision and personalisation. Advances in data and technology enable us to guide each member towards the right actions at the right time, and that is materially improving outcomes.” By the end of May, 67 percent of enrolled members were living with a chronic condition, and 66 percent of all recommended actions were completed by those with chronic illnesses. Notably, 38 percent of enrollees had poor health seeking behavior before signing up, meaning they skipped regular dental checkups or annual flu shots. Many of these members improved their adherence to clinical protocols, including regular GP visits and blood tests.
The findings align with results from Discovery Life, a subsidiary of the JSE listed Discovery group, which reported earlier this year that individually tailored recommendations enabled earlier diagnosis of disease. In 2025, Discovery Life beneficiaries were prompted to undergo 18,000 health screenings, more than 9,500 of which were for cancer. Overall, mortality among Discovery Health Medical Scheme members has declined by 5.6 percent over the past decade, driven by behavior change, earlier detection, and better treatments for life threatening illnesses.
Survival for people diagnosed with cancer has improved by 48 percent, with members living 7.1 years longer after diagnosis than they did 10 years ago. Innovative treatments such as biologics and immunotherapy are extending lives, though more members are now living with multiple chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and mental health conditions. Mental health prevalence has soared by 80 percent among young people, partly due to greater awareness. As the program expands, the hope is that AI driven precision will continue to shift the focus from treatment to prevention, helping more people catch health risks early and live longer, healthier lives.