Guardian launches medical referral program for advisers

The service will be provided through mobile medical service Health Predictions and will allow an adviser to keep in control of the insurance process, if they have to refer a client to undergo medical exams.

“What the problem was in the past was a soon as that adviser handed over the client to the pathology provider, the adviser lost visibility,” Guardian Advice national distribution manager Patrick Casey told ifa.

“From when that client was going to be seen, to how that process was tracking, they really had no control.

“How this process works is that once an adviser identifies the need for a pathology test, they’re able to log onto a dedicated, standalone website, they’re able to input and submit the client’s details and preferred contact times and they’re able to track that client referral online or over the phone in real time.”

The service will also allow Guardian advisers to profit share in every client referral completed, with 45 per cent of the profits generated off any referral passed back from Health Predictions to Guardian, who will pass the entire profit back to the advisers.

Advisers then have the option to donate that profit to Guardian’s charity partner, the Leukaemia foundation.

Mr Casey said the program was designed to further the value proposition of Guardian advisers as well as reduce client drop off rates during the insurance process.

“I think anything where an adviser can hold the hand of the client through the process will maximise the chances that the client will go through right to the end because usually, when it gets identified that the client needs a whole bunch of medical tests, they are never really keen on it,” Mr Casey said.

“Whenever it gets to that stage, it all gets too hard for the client in many situations but now that we’re giving the adviser more visibility and control over the process, hopefully it will go a small way to helping the underinsurance problem in the country.”