Medical risk assessment firm, Healix Group, has expanded into New Zealand with the implementation of its risk screening tool by New Zealand assistance products company, First Assistance.
The partnership enables First Assistance to build the tool into travel insurance sales platforms developed for its own clients, improving the efficiency of its medical screening.
Prior to the introduction of the screening tool, First Assistance relied on its team of doctors and nurses manually undertaking screening for its travel insurance clients. However working with Healix and using First Assistance’s own in-house IT development team, the tool has now been integrated into First Assistance’s own system enabling it to screen for pre-existing medical conditions online.
Mary-Jo McDonald, general manager at First Assistance, said: “Before the introduction of the risk screening tool from Healix, the process for conducting a thorough risk assessment through our medical team was quite time consuming, wholly reliant on having in-house medical expertise, and could be somewhat subjective. Online screening, or a more automated system such as the one we have now implemented in partnership with Healix, avoids the risk of customer dissatisfaction, as it is clear what will and will not be covered.”
Steve Hook, sales and marketing director at Healix, added: ““The process of assessing individuals is quick and efficient and the tool is designed for use by non-medical staff, seamlessly incorporating the questions into existing on-line or call centre sales processes and allows an assessment to be made at the point of purchase.
“However, we do also back up the service with a helpline staffed by doctors and nurses, enabling call centre staff to take advantage of real-time medical advice for individual customers whilst the customer is ‘on hold’.”