Discovery Vitality is a wellness programme that encourages individuals to lead healthier lives by leveraging behaviour change principles and data analytics. Members are motivated to engage in healthier behaviours through a system of rewards and incentives. By tracking and understanding their health metrics, individuals can make informed decisions about their lifestyle, improving their overall well-being while enjoying various benefits.
Vitality’s structure is designed to reward healthy living. It supports efforts to maintain regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and routine health checks. By participating in the programme, employers can also inspire their employees to adopt healthier habits, potentially leading to a more productive workforce. Members can earn points for taking positive steps towards their health, which contribute to their Vitality status and unlock a range of rewards.
The programme also incorporates a layer of personalisation through Vitality Active Rewards, which tailors incentives to individual goals. Users can accumulate Discovery Miles, a form of currency within the programme, by meeting weekly targets related to exercise, driving habits, and spending behaviours. This gamified approach to health promotion not only serves to motivate but also to make the journey towards a healthier lifestyle enjoyable and sustainable.
Find out how to cancel your Discovery Medical Aid here.
Understanding Discovery Vitality
Discovery Vitality is designed to engage and reward its members for healthier living. It provides tools for tracking and improving health, incentivising positive lifestyle changes.
The Vitality Programme
The programme centres on a science-based behaviour change model that guides individuals. Members participate in various activities aimed at improving health, after which they are rewarded. These activities include fitness-related tasks, heart rate monitoring during exercise, healthy eating options, and preventative screenings.
Vitality Points and Status
Members accumulate Vitality Points in direct correlation with the healthiness of their chosen activities. For example:
- Achieving certain heart rate thresholds during workouts
- Participating in health checks
These points contribute to a Vitality Status, which reflects the member’s journey towards better health. Status levels range from Blue, through Bronze, Silver, Gold, and ultimately, Platinum.
Vitality Age
A key health metric used is the Vitality Age, an indicator of the member’s overall wellness relative to their actual age. It is assessed by considering multiple factors such as:
- Lifestyle choices
- Current health measurements
A lower Vitality Age compared to actual age suggests healthier life choices.
Achieving Health Goals
The section explores the tiers of health goals within the framework of Discovery Vitality, emphasising the significance of consistent exercise, regular health assessments and screenings, and a stable regimen of healthy eating.
Exercise and Fitness
Within the Discovery Vitality programme, exercise goals are established weekly to encourage members to maintain a consistent level of physical activity. These goals are calibrated to the individual’s health status and fitness levels, providing a bespoke set of objectives that align with the broader aim of fostering a healthier lifestyle. Successful completion of these exercise targets contributes to a cumulative benefit, reinforcing the pursuit of fitness as a reward-driven activity.
Health Assessments and Screenings
Discovery Vitality emphasises the importance of health assessments and screenings by including them as a part of its rewards system. The Vitality Health Check is a foundational element of this process, providing metrics on an individual’s health that can act as a starting point for behavioural changes. Through these evaluations, members can track improvements in their health status and are incentivised to engage with preventative healthcare practices.
Healthy Eating
A balanced and nutritious diet is integral to achieving health goals. Discovery Vitality recognises this by integrating healthy eating into its behaviour change programme, incentivising members to make better food choices. The scheme promotes not only the consumption of wholesome foods but also smarter spending on groceries that support a healthier you. Rewards are arrayed as a form of encouragement for adhering to dietary guidelines that contribute to overall wellness.
Vitality Active Rewards
Vitality Active Rewards incentivises members to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle by offering a range of benefits tailored to their fitness and entertainment preferences. These benefits are structured into various categories, encouraging members to engage with their health in multiple aspects of their lives.
Gym Benefits
Vitality Active Rewards provides extensive gym benefits that encourage regular exercise. Members can access a variety of gyms, including Virgin Active and Planet Fitness. They have options such as Vitality’s Pay As You Gym which allows flexible gym usage, and substantial discounts on gym memberships, making fitness more accessible.
Active Gear
To motivate members to stay active, Vitality Active Rewards partners with top sports brands such as Nike for performance gear. Through the Vitality Mall, members can redeem points for discounts on a range of sports gear and equipment. This helps them get the right gear for activities like running, which enhances the exercise experience and aids in achieving fitness goals.
Entertainment Rewards
Vitality Active Rewards acknowledges the importance of leisure and provides entertainment rewards. Members can enjoy discounts on movie tickets at Ster-Kinekor cinemas. By achieving weekly vitality active rewards goals, they can unlock rewards to use towards movie tickets, bringing a balanced approach to entertainment and an active lifestyle.
Healthy Living Benefits
Discovery Vitality encourages a healthy lifestyle through a range of benefits centred around nutrition, personal care, and travel. Members can enjoy savings on healthy food options, healthcare items, and travel experiences, reinforcing the programme’s commitment to overall well-being.
HealthyFood Discounts
Members of Discovery Vitality have the opportunity to save on nutritious food choices. They receive up to 70% back on a wide range of healthy food items when shopping at Pick n Pay or Woolworths. This includes discounts on fresh vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and whole grains, encouraging healthier eating habits.
- Participating Stores: Pick n Pay, Woolworths
- Categories for Discounts:
- Vegetables and fruit
- Starchy foods
- Lean protein
- Fat-free dairy products
- Legumes
- Healthy fats and oils
HealthyCare Benefits
Vitality’s HealthyCare programme offers significant savings on healthcare products. Members can earn up to 75% back in discounts when purchasing health care items from Clicks or Dis-Chem. This supports affordability in maintaining good health through personal care items and over-the-counter medication.
- Partnerships:
- Clicks
- Dis-Chem
Vitality Travel Perks
Travelling is more rewarding for Vitality members through the Vitality Travel platform. There, they have access to exclusive travel rewards, offering discounts on local and international flights, holiday accommodation, and car hire. These travel benefits not only provide savings but also encourage members to explore new environments and relax.
- Vitality Travel Benefits:
- Up to 35% off on local and international flights
- Savings on holiday accommodation
- Discounts on car hire
Please note that the actual percentage of savings and the range of benefits are dependent on the member’s Vitality status and can vary accordingly.
Membership Advantages
Discovery Vitality members enjoy a range of benefits geared towards enhancing their health and well-being. These advantages are designed to incentivise a healthy lifestyle through a comprehensive rewards programme, exclusive discounts and savings, and strategic partnerships and collaborations.
Rewards Programme
Vitality’s rewards programme is structured to encourage members to lead healthier lives. Members earn Vitality points for participating in health-promoting activities. The accumulation of points can lead to increased Vitality status levels, which unlock a greater variety of rewards. This engagement with personal health ultimately grants members access to a spectrum of benefits tailored to support their wellness journey.
Discounts and Savings
Being a part of Vitality translates to tangible savings across numerous services and products. Members can enjoy:
- Up to 50% off on personal care items,
- Significant savings when booking movies at Ster-Kinekor,
- Discounted gym memberships with pay as you gym options,
- In some cases, the possibility to increase hotel booking savings up to 50% depending on the Vitality status.
These discounts are designed to make maintaining a healthy lifestyle more accessible and affordable.
Partnerships and Collaborations
Vitality has established partnerships with various entities to amplify the value members receive. Notable collaborations include:
- Apple, offering incentives for using Apple Watch to track fitness activity,
- Discounts on subscriptions at leading gym networks to promote physical fitness,
- Benefits with Discovery Bank, which can potentially boost gym savings up to 100%.
By working in tandem with familiar brands and services, Vitality ensures its members have myriad opportunities to reap rewards while engaging in health and fitness activities.
Using the Vitality Platform
The Vitality Platform offers users a comprehensive suite of tools for monitoring health progress and managing their wellness activities. Accessible through various interfaces, each designed to provide a convenient and efficient user experience, whether they’re on the go or planning their health strategies in advance.
Vitality App
The Vitality App serves as a central hub for members looking to manage their health and wellness journey on mobile devices. Users can sync their fitness device to track activities and earn points. The app’s latest updates incorporate enhanced features for a seamless user experience. Within the app, members can easily view their privacy statement and manage their subscription details. An activation fee may apply upon linking certain fitness devices to the account, as outlined in the terms and conditions of their vitality plan.
Vitality Member Site
Members can access the Vitality Member Site for a broader view of the services offered. This platform allows individuals to track their health activities, view their accumulated points, and take advantage of the benefits. The site provides detailed explanations of how to maximise their Vitality rewards, complete with the necessary information about the varying levels of the Vitality plan. Users should review the privacy statement and terms and conditions provided to understand how their personal data is protected and used.
Customer Support
For additional guidance or troubleshooting, Customer Support is available to assist members with any inquiries or concerns they may have regarding the app, connected fitness devices, or their Vitality plan. Support channels include a helpline, email, and in-app messaging, ensuring that members can seek help in a manner that suits them best. Assistance with technical issues, information about subscription fees, or clarifications on the terms and conditions are readily provided to maintain the satisfaction and clarity of their service experience.
Beyond the Basics
In advancing the efficacy of the Discovery Vitality programme, members are encouraged to engage actively with various components that go beyond basic fitness tracking, intertwining lifestyle enhancement with financial benefits.
Vitality and Lifestyle
The Discovery Vitality programme is designed as a behaviour change programme that actively rewards members for making healthier lifestyle choices. Engagement with the programme is measured through Vitality points which members earn by completing health assessments, participating in fitness activities, and purchasing healthy food options. As members accumulate points, they progress through different status levels which offer increased incentives such as discounts on travel, gym memberships, and movie tickets.
- Behavioural Engagement
- Earn points through:
- Completing online health assessments
- Fitness activities
- Healthy eating choices
- Earn points through:
- Lifestyle Incentives
- Rewards include:
- Discounts on travel and leisure
- Reduced rates on gym memberships
- Savings on healthy food options at partner stores
- Rewards include:
Financial Products and Services
Discovery Vitality extends its influence into financial products by integrating with Discovery Bank and Discovery Pay. Members can expect a premium range of financial services that promote health and wellness as part of their fiscal habits. Using a science-based approach, the programme offers dynamic tools to manage expenses related to a health-focused lifestyle, such as gym gear or healthy food, through the integration of the Vitality programme with the Discovery credit card.
- Discovery Bank Integration
- Benefits include:
- Discovery Pay: Facilitates easy payments for health-related services
- Rewards linked to spending on the Discovery credit card
- Benefits include:
Adjusting to Life’s Changes
Discovery Vitality demonstrates flexibility in adapting to life’s inevitable changes, including global health challenges like COVID-19. The programme offers the ability to adjust one’s health goals and the corresponding Vitality Age—a measure that reflects overall wellness—by incorporating elements such as mental health and remote workouts into their assessments. This allows members to maintain their Vitality status and continue earning rewards even when conventional ways of engaging with health and fitness have limitations.
- Adaptability in Changing Times
- Updated assessments considering:
- Mental well-being
- Remote fitness activities during events like the COVID-19 pandemic
- Updated assessments considering:
- Vitality Age
- Insight into one’s health status which may influence engagement and lifestyle choices
Frequently Asked Questions
In this section, readers will find pertinent information regarding the Discovery Vitality programme, covering a variety of common inquiries centred on membership details, benefits, and processes.
How can one join the Vitality membership programme?
Individuals looking to join Discovery Vitality can obtain a medical aid quote online, call the customer service line, or consult with a financial adviser for a detailed guide through the sign-up process.
What are the primary benefits of being a Vitality member?
Vitality members enjoy a variety of health and lifestyle rewards, including earning Vitality points for engaging in healthy activities, discounts on travel and retail partners, and personalised health goals to improve their well-being.
How does Discovery Vitality’s flight booking service operate?
Discovery Vitality offers a flight booking service enabling members to utilise their accumulated Discovery Miles towards air travel expenses, significantly reducing the cost of tickets with partnered airlines.
What are the costs associated with a monthly Vitality membership?
The monthly fees for a Vitality membership depend on the chosen plan and the number of members. These fees are subject to change, and prospective members should check the latest pricing or contact customer service for up-to-date information.
Can you explain how Vitality Pay works?
Vitality Pay is a payment mechanism that allows Vitality members to pay using their Discovery Miles at partnered stores and online platforms, thereby conveniently applying their rewards towards purchases.
How do I cancel my membership with Discovery Vitality?
To cancel a Discovery Vitality membership, members need to contact customer service directly, either through a phone call or by sending an email, to initiate the cancellation process.