ITIC Global 2024 | Insurance product design, the latest innovations and updates

Dr Cai Glushak, Medical Director and Chief Medical Officer atAXA Partners / EURAMI

Dr Cai Glushak’s presentation focused on the mental health support and assistance offered by insurance policies, whether health or travel. He opened his presentation by highlighting that 11.3% of travellers experience symptoms of mental illness while travelling, while 0.3% actually experience an acute psychotic episode. He said that common mental health issues include depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.

The following groups, he said were most at risk of having a mental health issue while they are abroad:

• Those with undiagnosed underlying conditions
• Those with known decompensated disorders
• Alcoholics and those with substance abuse issues
• Student travellers, who often suffer from mental health issues and culture shock especially when participating in programmes abroad
• The elderly with borderline cognitive function.

There are several travel-related triggers and stressors that affect mental wellbeing, he said, and posed the question, how can we as insurers help to mitigate them? Isolation, culture shock, medication interruption and alcohol intake were all issues he noted as being of particular concern, which can also be mitigated.

He suggested that if insurers were informed of acute mental health issues before travel, they could potentially advise the customer against travelling for their own safety. However, when mental health issues arise during travel, it becomes the insurer’s responsibility to determine how best to support the customer. Additionally, after travel, insurers must assess the conditions and support necessary at home to ensure the patient can be repatriated safely.

During the pre-travel phase, the process for the insurer involves identifying individuals at risk and prompting them for pre-travel counselling to discuss stressors and preparation. Automated advice encourages travellers to speak with their providers about travel readiness. An anonymous online wellbeing assessment can identify unknown issues, with referrals to pre-travel telepsychology providers when needed. Access to mental health providers at the destination can then be facilitated through an online network.

During travel, interventions could include qualified provider referrals, telemedicine, legal support, family or travel companions offering support, and pre-repatriation screening. He also outlined the essential team needed to accompany a patient during repatriation: a medical doctor with psych medications, a registered nurse, (at least one must be the same gender) and, if helpful, a family member who can provide support in the situation.

After travel, he added, the insurer still needs to assist the customer – the product should include support for mental health upon returning home, as difficulty in being admitted to a hospital could complicate the repatriation process.

In conclusion, he emphasised that AI could assist during pre-travel guidance, access to providers and online psychological support, and in managing the patient’s family. However, he noted that this technology is still under development.