In a move that reflects growing community expectations, OnePath has announced 200 of its claims team and other staff have been the recipients of specialised mental health and wellness training.
The insurer has advised 200 claims team members, underwriting managers and customer-service team members have completed 20 different mental health and wellness training sessions.
The insurer has noted in a statement that national mental health organisation, SuperFriend, is providing evidence-based practical training to improve participants’ understanding and awareness of mental illness and health.
OnePath’s head of mental health and wellness, Maria Falas, said the training aligns OnePath’s goal of becoming the leading insurer for mental health and wellness solutions.
The insurer’s mental health and general wellness programs include:
- General health coaching – OneCare customers with a high body-mass index or cholesterol/blood-pressure problem may reduce their loading with the help of a health coach
- CaseWorks early engagement program – mental health claimants can get help from a nurse to fill in their claim application, providing them with a more personal service in the comfort of their own homes
- Doctor-to-doctor interactions – OnePath facilitates doctor-to-doctor case management, providing a centralised service with a customer’s treating doctor to help the customer regain their health sooner
- Mental-health coaching – Customers lodging income-protection claims relating to depression or anxiety are offered a Remedy Healthcare MindStep™ program, which is a complimentary phone-based support program tailored to the individual
Falas noted OnePath’s specialised mental health claims team was critical to delivering on the insurer’s commitment to meet customers’ needs and expectations: “Mental health claims come with added sensitivities. We want to give our customers full confidence that OnePath staff understand this and have the capabilities to deliver exceptional service,” she said.
