The word ‘cancer’ no doubt brings a wave of emotions and questions. It remains a scary thought for some and a sad reality for others. Medibank’s Health Concierge program is a phone-based service providing personalised and preventative health assistance to Medibank customers, helping them prepare for a hospital stay or recover from treatment.
Health Concierge Specialist, Celia Chappell, is part of a team who work with customers with breast or prostate cancer.
“It’s our way of offering the extra support and care that our customers need, when they need it most, and helping them achieve the best possible outcome.”
Celia understands this more than most. She’s an oncology nurse, allowing her to continue using her experience and skills to make a difference over the phone.
“I have been an oncology nurse for many years now. Feeling that I can make a difference in someone’s cancer journey and their life is very special,” she says.
“A cancer diagnosis is an emotional time, with lives turned upside down for those affected, as well as their families. Health Concierge Specialists offer a sympathetic ear to the customer and tailor resources and information according to their needs.”
Health Concierge employees provide customers with additional help and reassurance they may need.
“It adds an extra dimension to what Medibank is about. Each call is personalised, with feedback from customers thanking us for treating them as more than just a number in the queue.”
Many customers have no idea what to expect when they’re diagnosed with cancer. As part of Health Concierge, Celia and the rest of the team are able to provide people with information they need to help their journey even that little bit easier.
“Information is key to understanding and improving individual health outcomes. The more they understand, the more empowered they feel when making choices.”
The Health Concierge phone-service not only provides support to customers before and after their hospital stay but also encourages people to look after themselves through education.
“It’s an incredible program and I’ve had some really positive conversations with customers. To be able to offer advice about support services and other resources they may not have otherwise known about is great,” Celia says.
“It feels good to know that we can have a positive impact in their lives, even the slightest bit.”