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Navigating 85% of members to non-urgent care
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5,000+
finished symptom checks in first 3 months
85%
of app users directed to self-care or consultation
42%
of recommended GP visits to be done via telemedicine
About nib
nib is an ASX100-listed company that provides health insurance to 1.6 million Australian and New Zealand residents. It is Australia’s third largest travel insurer, providing health insurance to around 200,000 international students and workers and services to almost 40,000 participants in Australia’s disability sector.
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The challenge: navigating international members in a complex health system
“Australia has a unique health system and people who are new to the country, particularly those familiar with vastly different health systems, may find our system difficult to navigate or not know the most appropriate place to access care,” says nib’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Rob McGrath. Because of this, nib decided to look for new ways to better support their incoming international members in navigating Australia's healthcare system. nib's goal was to help members access the right care at the right time and refer each member to targeted health services based on the member’s needs, while also optimizing cost and improving the overall availability of care.
Key challenges
- high complexity of the health system
- large number of new, international members
- international members getting lost in the system
- inefficient use of healthcare resources
Schedule a meeting to see a demo of this symptom checker
The solution: symptom checker that caters to a diverse member base
nib has a well-developed digital environment that supports every member. The insurer sought to expand this environment with an evidence-based solution that would navigate members to the relevant care services in real time, based on the unique needs of each member. They decided to use Infermedica Triage, a module dedicated to symptom assessment, virtual triage, and care navigation.
The new tool – in the form of a symptom checker – was added to nib’s member app. Infermedica was on hand to guide nib through the implementation and launch process and, thanks to Triage’s many available configurations, nib was able to adjust the module to meet the specific needs of its members. The module is also available in multiple languages, as an additional means of ensuring that as many members are supported as possible.
The role of the new symptom checker is to triage members to the appropriate treatment setting, as determined by their symptoms, and then connect them with the relevant healthcare providers within nib’s network.
With the symptom checker, members are triaged rapidly via the app, using the latest available medical evidence, so they can understand how urgent their medical issue may be, and the best place to get care. Where a member is given advice to self-care at home, rather than seeking medical treatment immediately, they are advised to monitor their symptoms and seek medical advice should things change.
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Dr Rob McGrath
nib Chief Medical Officer
Step 1
Symptom checker takes into account location and recent user travel
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Step 2
It verifies if the user is native to the location and adapts the interview to the user
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Step 3
Consult a doctor is one of five triage levels. The symptom checker also distinguishes between virtual and in-person consultation
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Step 4
User has access to the summary of the interview, with lists of present and absent symptoms. This can prove helpful during a doctor’s visit
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The results: providing members with case-adjusted care services
nib’s symptom checker became available to all Australian-based members in 2024. In the first 3 months alone, the symptom checker was accessed more than 5,000 times through the nib member app. Of those who completed an assessment, 64% were referred to a general practitioner (42% of those were directed to telemedicine). A further 15% were directed to a hospital emergency department and 21% were advised to monitor their symptoms carefully from home.
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42% of recommended GP visits to be done via telemedicine
The symptom checker supports students and workers as they navigate their way through the Australian healthcare system, helping them make the right choices about the level of care they may need. It can help direct members to the right care pathway and, if needed, book a GP telehealth appointment seamlessly through the nib member app with nib’s GP virtual health service.
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James Barr
Chief Executive - International Visitors, nib
0K+
finished symptom checks in first 3 months
0%
of members directed to self-care
0%
of members directed to GP
0%
of members directed to ED
With this new tool, nib is able to precisely navigate its members while simultaneously generating powerful insights about their needs. Using Infermedica’s dashboards, they can observe trends such as what the most popular symptoms and conditions are and use them to predict potential future health risks, as well as measuring the impact of their symptom checker and their ability to deliver value-based care.
This tool is one of a suite of measures used by nib, supported by technology, to ensure members have a smooth pathway to proper medical care. AI-powered health tools, such as symptom checkers, can help keep non-urgent medical cases out of emergency departments, ensure people get the right level of medical attention, and relieve pressure on hospitals.
James Barr
Chief Executive - International Visitors, nib
Implemented solutions
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