Modern diagnostic tests now play a pivotal role in preventative care. However, regular health check-ups are essential to ensure early diagnosis and treatment. Not only is our modern lifestyle responsible for many of the illnesses we experience, but work and family commitments often leave us too busy to pay attention to our health until it becomes unavoidable or, sadly, sometimes too late.
Some medical conditions are often labelled silent killers. They can display no overt symptoms for years yet still result in premature death. Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a typical example. If untreated, it can lead to heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, aortic aneurysms, and vascular dementia.
Other conditions for which early detection tests are available include diabetes, high blood cholesterol levels that could cause cardiovascular disease and some types of malignancy, such as colon cancer. Prevention is always preferable to cure, so why would you risk waiting until you are too ill to work or care for your loved ones before seeking help? Health check-ups usually don’t take long and could be a lifesaver.
Other Reasons to Consider Routine Health Check-ups
- Enjoy peace of mind
While many of us now try to adopt a healthier lifestyle, attending a gym or jogging and taking more care with our diet, these precautions carry no guarantee. For example, if a grandparent, parent or sibling has diabetes, this could increase the likelihood that you might develop it, too. Also, you could be at risk if you are significantly overweight for your age and height. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Regular health check-ups are sensible in such cases and will ensure peace of mind.
- Avoid the consequences of stress
One of the more worrying consequences of the 21st-century lifestyle has been a marked increase in the incidence of stress-related illnesses, including asthma and gastrointestinal problems like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The relationship between mental state and intestinal health results from a two-way communion link between the brain and the gut called the gut-brain axis.
Chronic stress has also been identified as a causative factor in accelerated ageing and premature death. So, if your job or family responsibilities are a constant source of stress, you would be well-advised to consider a programme of routine health check-ups.
- Reduced healthcare costs
Rather than being an added expense, in practice, these health check-ups can help to reduce your healthcare expenditure in the long run. Prevention is not only better than cure, but it can also be a lot cheaper. Furthermore, your medical scheme will welcome your decision to adopt a proactive approach to monitoring your health. At KeyHealth Medical, we encourage this practice and offer various related services to assist our members.
Health Check-ups and Preventative Care Benefits from KeyHealth
Keeping our members healthy helps us keep medical aid more affordable. To that end, we offer a valuable addition to most KeyHealth products at no charge. Whether purchasing a hospital plan or a fully comprehensive product, eligible members qualify for our Health Booster programme with access to various options to help them stay healthy and avoid illness and the need for hospitalisation. These benefits are divided into four categories as follows:
- Preventative care: Benefits in this category cover immunisation for babies and vaccinations against flu, COVID-19, human papillomavirus and pneumococcal infection. It also covers oral, anti-malarial medication, injectable and patch contraceptives and baby growth assessments.
- Early detection: These services include annual Pap smears and mammograms for females aged 15 and over and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) for males over 40. A yearly HIV/AIDS test and health assessment covering body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol tests is also included.
- Weight-loss programme: On application, members with an elevated BMI will have access to the services of a dietician and a biokineticist through KeyHealth’s network of designated service providers.
- Maternity programme: Members qualify for antenatal classes, vitamins, GP, gynaecologist or midwife visits, ultrasound scans during pregnancy, and post-natal paediatrician visits.
The benefits of our Health Booster are intended to ensure expectant moms can access the best healthcare, treatment and information throughout their pregnancy.
Entrust Your Health Check-ups and Preventative Care to KeyHealth Medical
We have provided South Africans with high-quality, affordable medical aid for over half a century and constantly strive to do more for our members. Helping people stay healthy is our business. So, please don’t hesitate to contact us to see how we can help protect your and your family’s health.
