Vitality Health is enhancing its PMI product with a digital portal that will allow members to authorise treatment, find a consultant and book appointments.
The existing online platform Care Hub will now offer this greater functionality, while a new ‘consultant finder tool’ will also help members research the most appropriate clinician for their needs.
This will include links to Vitality new ‘premier consultant panel’. This contains thousands of consultants, who can be searched by speciality and region. The consultants have been invited to join based on an evaluation of more than 200 data points including treatment outcomes, clinical practice and efficiency measures from both private and NHS practice.
Vitality says that patients treated by these consultants are shown, on average, to spend less time in hospital and suffer fewer complications that require them to be re-admitted.
The insurer says those using one of these consultants will also be able to claim cashback on their policy, under its ‘shared-value’ insurance benefit.
Vitality is also including a new optical, dental and hearing cover option on its insurance plans and has updated its worldwide travel and emergency overseas medical expenses cover.
VitalityHealth group COO and managing director Dr Keith Klintworth says: “The healthcare landscape is evolving faster than ever before. The pandemic has been a catalyst for the adoption of digital healthcare services.
“We are making a series of enhancements over the coming months to meet these changing needs and giving members the tools to navigate their care online, from GP referral to consultant appointment.
“Our Premier Consultant Panel will provide members with the option to choose consultants that have been rigorously evaluated on more than 200 data points and are shown to deliver key outcomes which are indicative of quality and efficiency.
“This is good for our members and good for us as an insurer. And as an organisation that is rooted in the idea of shared-value, we’re committing to returning some of the value generated through more efficient care to members in the form of cashback.”