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By Tracey Ward, Head of Business Development & Marketing at Generali UK Employee Benefits

The importance of so-called ‘added value services’ as part of group insurance products has been steadily increasing over the years, to a point where they may now be considered central to the proposition. This is never more so than where second medical opinion and virtual GP services are concerned, considering the ever-increasing pressure on NHS primary care and diagnostics in the UK. Fewer doctors and practices are looking after greater numbers of patients.[1] In addition, the UK has a much lower diagnostic capacity in its hospitals than other countries, with waiting lists steadily increasing even prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.[2] Not only that, but with the increase in remote working now, there is a very real risk that important early signs of health struggles might be missed without regular in person one-to-ones with line managers and/or informal catch-ups with colleagues.

Second medical opinions have been included in Generali UK’s Group Income Protection (GIP) proposition for a number of years. The service connects people to the best minds in medicine – for anything and everything from migraine to heart disease – to help ensure they get the information needed about a physical or mental health condition, diagnosis or treatment plan, helping individuals make informed decisions.

Virtual GP services, which will be accessible through our GIP proposition, following discussion regarding eligibility with our team, provides access online or via an app to UK-based doctors, allowing for: appointments at times and places to suit the individual; up to 30-minutes for each consultation; referrals and prescriptions.

Teladoc Health is a provider of second medical opinion and virtual GP services. It partners with Generali UK to provide complimentary access for employees (and potentially their families) of GIP client organisations. Latest data provided by Teladoc shows that second medical opinions over the last year have resulted in a change in diagnosis in 12% - 14% of cases. In addition, a change in treatment is seen in around 28% to 30% of cases each year. The provider points out that this data doesn’t necessarily suggest that any medical professionals are doing a bad job, but rather that the human body is complex and presenting conditions can, and do, change rapidly.

To help communicate the essential value of second medical opinion and virtual GP services to employees, we recently spoke with Dave Marcus, Director of European Client Management at Teladoc Health, as part of our regular webinar series for HR and Line Managers.Dave used Teladoc’s services upon the diagnosis of lung cancer and for him they were “life-saving”. To hear Dave’s story, please request a free recording of that webinar.*

For now, here are the key points:

  • Dave’s diagnosis was picked up by a Teladoc GP using the virtual service. The virtual GP had a 25-minute consultation with Dave to understand the symptoms, background and current state of Dave’s condition. The lingering cough, which was being treated with antibiotics further to several 111 consultations, raised concerns with the virtual GP. This resulted in recommendations that quickly led to the diagnosis of lung cancer.
  • Being a lifelong non-smoker and given the severity of the diagnosis, Dave had urgent questions and so used the second medical opinion service to help with various questions about both the diagnosis and recommended treatment plan.
  • The second medical opinion service case manager helped Dave gather together the results of all of his blood tests, scans and biopsies, sending everything to two world leading experts in non-small cell lung cancer.
  • They confirmed the diagnosis was correct; the plan to have surgery first then chemotherapy was also considered the best course of treatment for Dave. The report, however, also noted that the proposed follow-up treatment with immunotherapy was, in Dave’s particular case, not the right option for him. When Dave shared the expert’s report with his treating physician, the oncologist was pleased to read the report of such renowned experts concurring with the diagnosis and initial treatment options. Further to the experts’ opinion, they agreed it was the right decision not to move forward with the immunotherapy as a later course of treatment.
  • A year on from major surgery, the removal of the 8cm tumour with half of his left lung, and subsequent chemotherapy, Dave is cancer free. Dave is very forthright: “The virtual GP call saved my life, while the second medical opinion gave me the confidence and positivity to move forward with a smile and to meet this challenge.”

*To access a recording of the full 30-min webinar, entitled ‘Cancer treatment & the advantages of second medical opinions’, please email eb.enquiries@generali.co.uk. Teladoc Health and Generali UK provide support to employers in communicating these services, including employee-facing webinars hosted by Teladoc. In addition posters, email templates, talking points etc can be provided.

Sources

1BMA, Pressures in general practice data analysis, Jan 2023 https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/pressures/pressures-in-general-practice-data-analysis

2BMA, NHS diagnostics data analysis [Accessed Jan 2023] https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/pressures/nhs-diagnostics-data-analysis

Disclaimer:

All information contained herein represents the views and opinions of the author as at the date of writing and is provided for general information only. Nothing herein constitutes or is intended to constitute financial or other form of advice and no individual should rely upon the information provided in making a specific investment decision without first seeking independent professional advice.

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