Simon Miller, aetna international: mental health challenges, technology & building resillence

Q. Firstly Simon, can you tell us a little bit about you and your role at Aetna International?

Sure. A marketer by profession, I’ve been in product, proposition and innovation roles in health insurance for the past 15 years – the last two with Aetna International having come from a UK domestic PMI provider. It’s been a fascinating journey as product development has moved way beyond just treatment benefit limits to finding ways that actively manage everyday health care needs – mental, emotional and physical.

Q. What’s driven that change in health insurance?

There’s been a conscious shift in mindset to a proactive, preventative and personalised approach rather than just stepping in when someone is already sick. It’s a move we’ve been championing at Aetna International and it’s particularly important when it comes to mental health, where there can be hidden costs to both employers and insurers that a reactive approach may never fully account for. If we don’t engage early enough with a member, for example, then we might not associate an underlying mental health issue with a claim for co-morbidities. The knockon impact for an employer could be a potentially delayed return to work. Equally, if we don’t take a holistic view of a member’s health at point of claim, then we may miss the opportunity to support someone with the emotional impact that diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation can often have. So, engaging early and supporting holistically means a much better outcome for patient, employer and insurer.

Q. What do you see as the biggest challenges to earlier mental health intervention?

I think a lot of employers and providers are either over reliant on a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to mental wellbeing support or, at the other end of the spectrum, are providing a suite of solutions that leaves an employee potentially confused and disengaged.

Our research tells us that members want four things: a clear understanding of their mental health and well-

being cover, an understanding of how that might be to speak to a stranger or commit to a structured relevant to them in their situation, ease of access and counselling programme – particularly younger digitally continuous support. This might not sound like especially native workforces. Wysa is secure, confidential and Sure. A marketer by profession, I’ve been in product, shrewd insight but when you take a step back and put provides a very accessible front door to support proposition and innovation roles in health insurance for yourself in the customer’s shoes, it quickly becomes a wider population with everyday mental health the past 15 years – the last two with Aetna International apparent that there is still a lot of opportunity to support. We see it as a key tool to drive wider early improve. It’s one of the reasons we’ve recently engagement in emotional and mental well-being. been a fascinating journey as product development refreshed our Aetna Well-being proposition, which has moved way beyond just treatment benefit limits to includes a wide range of support services – from self- Q. What about the dichotomy of providing digital care to remote and physical care from a professional. solutions to overcome what are often digitally induced By splitting our apps and offers into straightforward anxieties? categories, including body, mind and living and feelings in a safe place, via text, on their terms, at any working abroad, the relevant resources and tools are You’re right. There is no doubt that screen-time can much easier to navigate, understand and use. be unhealthy – both physically and mentally – and our recent report The Digital Health Dilemma highlighted proactive, preventative and personalised approach rather than just stepping in when someone is already sick. It’s a move we’ve been championing at Aetna “Wouldn’t it be great if we could look to the future and start to see some of these challenges. For example, tech can contribute to an unhealthy ‘always-on’ mindset. 70% of respondents admitted to checking their phones first comes to mental health, where there can be hidden the positive mental well-being of a workforce featuring in annual thing in the morning for work-related messages, whilst nearly two-thirds do the same thing right before going to bed. reports and influencing company KPIs?” On the flip-side, there is significant evidence to show that digital tools can drive social connectivity as well health issue with a claim for co-morbidities. The knock- as help deliver well-being support for those that might Q. Where does your recent launch of the Wysa app fit not otherwise engage in traditional channels. And into this? amidst Covid-19 physical restrictions, an essential then we may miss the opportunity to support someone Wysa is a simple, scalable digital solution that’s like companies provide a range of solutions to meet with the emotional impact that diagnosis, treatment having a mental well-being buddy in your pocket. It’s the needs and preferences of employees, with an app that uses conversational language to enable appropriate triage, guidance and navigation to the early and supporting holistically means a much better people to openly but anonymously share thoughts and right solution at the right time. aspect of providing remote care. So it’s vital that time of the day. “It’s also about supporting people The AI-driven chat function is really clever, having to take everyday steps to develop I think a lot of employers and providers are either over reliant on a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to mental wellbeen programmed by therapists. It learns from you, then guides you onward towards self-help resources to build mental positivity and resilience. If needed, it also positive mental fitness in the same way you might approach physical being support or, at the other end of the spectrum, are providing a suite of solutions that leaves an employee provides access to qualified human coaches who can have a 1:1 conversation to help address specific issues and goals through text, chat and online journaling. fitness – prioritising well-being because it helps you achieve Our research tells us that members want four things: a One of the things I really like is, Wysa understands, as valuable as Employee Assistance Programmes and a well-balanced lifestyle and positive mindset, not just because other therapeutics are, that not everybody is ready you’re ill or at risk”

Q. In your opinion, what’s involved in Q. How is Aetna International own staff, with both digital and nonachieving a ‘thriving’ dynamic in the approaching mental health digital solutions. For example, as well workplace? challenges for their members? as Wysa, we broadened access to our virtual primary care service, vHealth, to First and foremost, it has to be about Our focus is about empowering make sure employees’ physical health culture. It’s incumbent on executive members and supporting them was taken care of. teams to lead the way, encouraging wherever they are with their mental employees to help foster change by health journey. It’s also about We’ve also undertaken a very openly contributing to a workplace supporting people to take everyday successful webinar initiative called that prioritises wellness. I think it’s also steps to develop positive mental fitness ‘Let’s Get Talking’ across our regions, about changing the rhetoric. Too in the same way you might approach using an interactive online platform. much focus has been on driving the physical fitness – prioritising well- This has allowed people to virtually agenda through looking at the cost being because it helps you achieve gather on tables of six, listen to of poor well-being indicators such as a well-balanced lifestyle and positive presenters, and then easily hop lost productivity, absenteeism and mindset, not just because you’re ill or around to speak to colleagues on presenteeism. These are important at risk. other tables. It has been a good measures, but they tend to focus on opportunity to pause, reflect, connect the negative and the few in Of course, individuals have very and share. And we recognised the that space that are struggling or at different well-being needs and need to provide mental health training crisis point. preferences, so we need to take into for managers to equip them with the account personalisation, accessibility skills and confidence to have insightful Personally, I’d like to see a shift in focus and convenience. We also want to conversations with their teams, spot to measuring the positive impacts of ensure frictionless customer journeys the early signals of distress and if a well-executed well-being strategy with escalation to appropriate onward appropriate, navigate their staff to the across a workforce. One where we support, if necessary. Wysa is a great right resources and support hold ourselves to account on more example of this in motion. It helps with available to them. holistic measures like sense of purpose, the everyday anxieties associated energy, connectedness, happiness with change and uncertainty as well In truth, nothing could have prepared and gratitude. As well as absenteeism as any personal challenges. But it also us for the impact of COVID-19 or the and the like, businesses could then solves the practical issue of having resulting mass migration to working validate the impact of the initiative private conversations when private from home. But we’ve viewed it as back to harder measures such as space may be hard to come by, builds an opportunity to take a fresh look employee engagement results and positive coping mechanisms, and at how best to support our workforce even, dare I say, health insurance effectively bridges a spectrum of need and ensure they have access to the claims and outcomes. Wouldn’t it be by directing into our onward clinical support they need, when they need it. great if we could look to the future support if needed. and start to see the positive mental You can find out more about well-being of a workforce featuring Q. Does Aetna International take this Aetna International and how they in annual reports and influencing approach with their own staff? support clients by speaking to your company KPIs? advo account manager or by Yes, I’m pleased to say we’ve made visiting their website https://www. sure we are walking the talk with our aetnainternational.com/en/index.html