What’s next for virtual health services? – Axa Global Healthcare

ADVERTORIAL

Over the past two years, the use of digital healthcare services – including telemedicine – has significantly increased. At AXA Global Healthcare, our Virtual Doctor service, which is provided by Teladoc Health, went from being used in 76 countries pre-pandemic to 141 by the end of 2021. It’s also gone from being utilised by 26% of registered users to an incredible 64%*.

It’s easy to see why. With lockdown leaving many patients feeling wary of visiting doctor’s surgeries in person, digital alternatives have become a staple of most health and protection insurance offerings. However, with restrictions eased in most countries, we need to consider how telehealth fits into the healthcare journey in the long run.

What challenges does virtual healthcare face?

It was entirely possible pre-COVID-19, to organise a teleconsultation, but you would tend to find that few patients considered it, and even fewer went on to use it. Those that did, typically turned to telehealth when they couldn’t get an appointment to see a trusted doctor when they wanted to.

During the pandemic, that had to change. Patients started using digital and currently are continuing.  As encouraging as this is, the big question is that of what happens next.

Patients will still need an in-person appointment when a physical inspection is required. However, if their appointment is to discuss a prescription, their diet, their mental health or any medical concerns that can be conveyed via video, a virtual appointment can actually be more beneficial. There’s no need to sit in a waiting room. The appointment can be more in-depth and will typically be longer than a face-to-face alternative, with valuable materials such as x-rays and blood test results often made digitally accessible. If they’re abroad, patients can even speak with a specialist in their own language.

Going forward, a key challenge for healthcare providers will be demonstrating that a teleconsultation is a valuable step in the wider process. Encouraging this mindset will be incredibly important to maintaining the newfound popularity of virtual healthcare. While there are some drawbacks, there are plenty of ways in which digital can be preferable.

How will these services evolve?

Imagine a patient who has recently had surgery for a knee injury. Their healthcare provider has paid their claim, but when the patient calls for a follow-up consultation, the doctor they speak with doesn’t know in advance that they’ve had surgery.

A digital native, someone who’s grown up with technology, is used to advanced levels of personalisation. When they need to buy groceries or call a taxi, the outlets they’ve used before will often remember who they are and what they’ve previously ordered. So, when they come to healthcare, it’s off-putting to find that a provider they’ve been with 10 years doesn’t know half as much about them.

From the smartwatch on a patient’s wrist and the wellbeing app on their phone, to the video consultation they’ll have with their doctor and the appointment they’ll ultimately attend with a specialist, the next step in the evolution digital healthcare will be to bring this information together and offer a more connected experience.

This will be a large task, but it’s entirely possible. More than that, we’re already moving in the right direction. At AXA, our Mind Health service is fully integrated with our Virtual Doctor service, making it easier to diagnose physical manifestations of stress, anxiety or depression. For example, members who use these services can, of course, rest assured that they’re confidential, as they’re provided by a third party, Teladoc Health. This means they don’t affect members’ policies or overall benefit limits.

So, what’s next?

The potential of telehealth is huge. There’s good work being done, but for patients to accept digital as a viable way to take care of their health, healthcare providers need to encourage the idea that it’s a part of the process. As telehealth continues to evolve – which it most certainly will – we need to align the different offerings to form a smooth, integrated user journey, whilst being mindful of confidentiality and privacy.

To get our members started on this journey, we’re using our people-centred health and wellbeing offering to make sure they have the most appropriate support, first time. This support might come in the form of our Virtual Doctor, Mind Health or Second Medical Opinion service, although we have plenty of other digital tools and guidance, with more coming soon.

It’s a comprehensive offering and one that we’re very proud to see is receiving industry recognition. In Health & Protection’s own independent research, AXA has recently received a 5-star overall service rating. Almost 200 intermediaries and consultants across the IPMI industry rated us, alongside 21 other insurance providers, on criteria from end-user technology to speed of response to queries. The result? We’ve ranked in the top five providers across every category.

In short, we have all the parts. The industry knows what needs to be done, and we have a unique opportunity, as we come out of the pandemic, to continue the significant uptake that we’ve seen so far. The question, now, is will we?