In Australia, more people are beating cancer these days than ever before, with the latest government statistics indicating that 69% of all those diagnosed with the disease will survive it[1]. And yet, while there have been huge improvements in the realms of patient engagement and management, there’s still no denying that discovering you have cancer can make for an incredibly scary and isolating.
 

In October 2018, AIA Australia (AIAA) became the first life insurer to partner with CancerAid, the most-used cancer support and management app in the country. Developed using the the latest evidence advanced by integrative oncology, the app marks a significant step forward in the long-pursued industry goal of providing personalised and patient-centric support, empowering those who’ve been diagnosed with the disease to more easily and efficiently understand their diagnosis, arrange their treatments, and communicate with their clinicians.
 

With results from our pilot program indicating a 39% improvement in the number of patients actively managing their health, we recently decided to roll out the CancerAid Coach Program across all of group claims with the view to incrementally rolling it out to our retail customers as well. Close to 150 of our customers have been referred to the program, with 28% progressing through to an occupational rehabilitation program. Incredibly, 5% have already returned to work – a number that we’re projecting will soon reach 25%.

This collaborative and integrative approach to cancer care was recently recognised at the ANZIIF awards – a celebration of excellence, professionalism and community in the insurance sector – where the CancerAid Health Coach program was named ‘Insurtech Program of the Year’. The award rewards innovative technology that enhances, extends or replaces a traditional approach – and frankly, we couldn’t be prouder! We’d like to extend a massive thank you and congratulations to our award partners – the CancerAid team – and to all our assessors who have been making a difference to our customers’ lives by referring them to this program.

The CancerAid Coach Program represents a combined digital and personalised approach to helping patients navigate their care and achieve improved health outcomes. Participants are actively engaged in their own care, with a real and geuine emphasis on explaining to them the significance of the activities. The program includes:

 

CancerAid is a signatory to both the Australasian Faculty of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (AFOEM) and the Health Benefits of Good Work Charter by the Royal Australian College of Physicians (RACP). This charter aims to promote the benefits of good work on people’s health and wellbeing. The joint CancerAid and AIAA program brings together technology, behavioural psychology, and evidence-based practices in the aim of improving clinical outcomes for patients following a cancer diagnosis.