ITIC APAC Review: Is traditional medical assistance enough?

John Spears of Global Excel on the extra demands customers are making of their insurance and assistance providers, including high-risk evacuations, security services and legal assistance

ITIJ are reporting on all the discussions taking place at ITIC APAC 2022 in Singapore. Read more of the reviews here

“Traditionally,” began John, “assistance was primarily focused on the call centre – we had to answer calls quickly, minimise dropped calls, and focus on first-call resolution. Metrics were everything – requests for proposals were focused on telephone service factors like call abandonment. The thing that was missing was anything to do with the customer experience.” Medical assistance, in reality, was often limited to ‘go to the nearest emergency room’, and the focus was on statistics instead of member satisfaction, with the ultimate success being measured on a percentage of savings. This approach had to change due to several factors:

Healthcare inflation around the world, particularly in the US
Changing consumer demands (such as telemedicine, mental health and maternity management)
Cost-quality ratios differing significantly.

To counter the effects of the above and rise to the challenge of providing assistance to today’s savvy traveller, medical assistance needs to prevent, mitigate and contain costs. “If we can get out in front of a claim if we can steer a patient to a provider, we’re much better able to prevent costs from occurring,” said John.

True assistance though, lies not just in medical assistance services – there is so much more to do. Services could include offering security assistance, performing high-risk evacuations, assistance in securing local legal representation, and cashless access to treatment. On the topic of cashless access to treatment, John highlighted two products – Fast Track and Express Discharge, both of which allow clients to be discharged within 30 minutes of treatment without putting their hand in their pocket.

“Today,” John concluded, “assistance is all inclusive. It’s proactive and starts before the claim happens; it coordinates seamlessly with medical case and cost management initiatives; and it enhances the member’s journey while reducing net paid claims costs.” Real assistance is not just about the digital-first vs the human touch, he added, or about direction, networks, negotiations and direct contracts. It’s about creating the right solution for you and your members.

John Spears, VP Marketing & Business Development | Global Excel Management

John Spears joined Global Excel in 2003 as VP Marketing. His expertise in the field of U.S. health care, combined with his strong understanding of the needs of Global Excel’s clients, provides the solid foundation upon which many of Global Excel’s new sales and marketing strategies are built. John’s lively and informative presentations are also seen as essential tools for clients and Global Excel employees alike, helping them better understand the realities of both the U.S. health care system and the cost containment industry in general. Throughout his career, John has developed innovative sales and marketing strategies, created and built new brands, developed market research systems, and managed several diverse departments. His international experience and multilingual background make him a strong presence in Global Excel's continued development. John holds a degree in Honors Economics and has a great deal of international experience at the executive level. Before joining Global Excel, he worked in the U.S. as the director of sales and marketing for a leading designer and manufacturer of factory automation technologies. Previous to that, he spent ten years working in Germany, initially as a marketing consultant at a design and advertising agency and, later, as the international marketing manager for a major consumer goods manufacturer.