Diabetes and heart disease

Here's potentially life-saving actions: regular health checks and innovative predictive analysis creates a good chance of identifying and then treating serious diseases early.

This approach ensures investment into one's lifespan and health span. How is this being applied to tackling common diseases like diabetes and heart disease?

Predictive modelling changes the game

Through analysing patterns in a specific way, future health outcomes can be predicted. The Disease Prevention Programme uses advanced predictive modelling to identify members who are at high risk of type 2 diabetes or heart disease. These two diseases have a significant impact on lifespan and how many of those years will be spent in good health.

According to the International Diabetes Federation, around 1 in 10 South Africans have diabetes, but about half of them don't know they have the disease. Diabetes is a leading cause of death among South African women, and the disease has tripled in prevalence since 2010.

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, 225 South Africans are killed by heart diseases every day. Yet 80% of heart disease and strokes can be prevented.

These diseases are usually only picked up in the late stages, by which time more intensive treatment is required with significant impact on life expectancy. Early intervention, and the right short-term and long-term support are very important. The earlier the onset of illness is detected, and steps put in place to reverse or stop disease progression, the better the health outcomes.

What happens once predictive modelling identifies someone at risk of diabetes or heart disease?

It's really quick and simple to pick up the early warning signs of these illnesses through a standard health check for random or fasting blood glucose levels, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and a weight assessment, done at a general practitioner (GP), clinic or pharmacy. Through the results of these tests, advanced predictive modelling identifies at risk members who are eligible for registration on the Disease Prevention Programme.

Once you have been identified as eligible to register on the Programme, a Health Coach will contact you and ask you to visit your Premier Plus GP. Your doctor will confirm your disease risk and ask you for consent to enrol you onto the Disease Prevention Programme.

The Programme is aimed at reducing the risk of developing full-blown disease and provides cover for a set of blood tests, medicine if necessary, and access to a Health Coach for 12 months, to support you in tracking and improving your health.

During, or at the end of the Programme, your Premier Plus GP will guide on the next steps to take. This may include continuing with the changes made to your diet and exercise or continuing with the medicine prescribed.

Through early disease detection, and taking charge, we can live for as many years as possible in better health and enjoy a better quality of life, so that we are not limited by poor health. An annual health check gives one an important baseline - a way to track how one is doing year-on-year, in doing the right thing and staying healthy.

Engen Medical Benefit Fund covers the cost of annual health checks and provides the benefits of the Disease Prevention Programme to keep you healthy and have a better, longer life. All you must do is to get tested!