Best Doctors is a company that connects eligible MLC Critical Illness insurance clients and their families1 with leading specialists to provide a valuable medical information service without them having to leave home.
Using its global network of over 50,000 leading medical specialists (who have been nominated by their peers), Best Doctors provides MLC Critical Illness insurance clients with comfort and reassurance when:
The use of Best Doctors is entirely your client's choice and is optional.
1. Family means your client (being the life insured under the policy), their spouse and any dependent children.
Established by Harvard University medical specialists in1989, Best Doctors is a privately-held company. It now operates in 30 countries, covering more than 15 million members, and has access to over 50,000 medical specialists.
Best Doctors believes that doctors and specialists are the best qualified to evaluate the experience and skill sets of other specialists and to identify those who are at the peak of their field. Only current medical specialists within the Best Doctors network nominate and vote for peers to join.
As part of the process, the specialists are asked the same question:
If you, or a family member, need a doctor in your speciality, who would you refer them to?
The result is the ultimate vote as to who is the doctors' choice.
The Best Doctors medical information service is only available to current MLC Critical Illness insurance clients, their spouses and any dependent children.
Eligible MLC clients can voluntarily access this service regardless of whether they have submitted a claim or the status of that claim.
Best Doctors will arrange leading specialist medical advice about critical illness, chronic or degenerative conditions, regardless of whether it's a listed condition under your client's MLC Critical Illness insurance.
If they would like to discuss whether advice is available for their particular situation, call Best Doctors at 1800 186 088.
Please note: consultations regarding acute care (emergency room) cases, pregnancy and mental health conditions are not available through Best Doctors.
If your client or their close family member is eligible for the service, one call to Best Doctors is all it takes to set the process in motion.
A medical professional from Best Doctors in Australia will become their dedicated point of contact and support them throughout the entire process called 'InterConsultation™'.
They'll note their medical history and document any questions they may have.
This entire InterConsultation process is completed without your client ever having to leave home.
At the request of the Best Doctors in Australia, a team of medical experts in Boston (including Harvard-trained specialists) review their case in rigorous detail by:
Best Doctors then searches its global network of 50,000 leading peer-nominated medical specialists, to identify who is best suited to review their case.
The leading specialist receives their medical information and conducts a thorough analysis of their case. The specialist then writes a report based on their key issues and concerns.
Prior to sending this report to your client, a medical professional from Best Doctors in Australia will call and review the key findings of their report with them.
They will then receive their report that they may want to share with their doctor.
On average, your client should receive their InterConsultation report within 15-20 business days after all the relevant medical information and reports are received by Best Doctors. That's if pathology doesn’t need to be reviewed.
Doctors aren't paid to be listed in the Best Doctors network, nor does Best Doctors accept payments from doctors to include them in the network. In fact, MLC has paid for access to this medical advice service for our clients with MLC Critical Illness insurance.
Best Doctors doesn't employ doctors, but calls on the appropriate specialist in their network to review on cases in their area of expertise.
When one of these specialists participates in an InterConsultation process, he/she is paid a consulting fee – there is no charge to you or your family for this process.
However, when accessing the service, your client may have to pay for faxing or mailing any completed information and consent forms to Best Doctors.
MLC has recently introduced the Best Doctors medical advice service to Australia. As such, their local doctors may or may not be familiar with Best Doctors.
Best Doctors is forming an Australian-based Medical Advisory Board. One role of this Board is to help educate doctors, at a local level, about Best Doctors.
From an operational perspective, Best Doctors collects medical records, diagnostic tests and pathology through departments of the hospital where your client or a family member has been treated.
If Best Doctors needs to approach their doctor to request their medical records, they will fully explain the service.
Best Doctors will also have to show that they have their permission to collect medical records, and the reason/s for doing so.
Over the past 20 years, Best Doctors has established itself in 30 countries worldwide and has experienced acceptance with treating physicians in about 98% of their cases.
These days, it's virtually impossible for any doctor to stay informed of the evolving techniques, medications and treatments for every medical condition.
As a result of sharing your client's Best Doctors InterConsultation report with their treating doctor/s, leading medical specialists may provide them with valuable insights. These may be regarding complicated medical conditions, and additional information on innovative diagnostic and treatment protocols that might not be readily available.
MLC has arranged for Best Doctors to provide your clients with this unique medical advice service.
Rest assured their privacy is fully protected.
However, their local treating specialist (with their permission) may use information from the InterConsultation report when submitting medical information to MLC.
Best Doctors will not share their findings with MLC and their use of the service won't affect our assessment of a claim. The Best Doctors InterConsultation report cannot be used to support a claim with MLC; nor will MLC request a Best Doctors report in connection with a claim.
However, their treating specialist may, with their consent, share information from the Best Doctors InterConsultation report with MLC. Their privacy will be protected throughout the process.
To access the Best Doctors online services, your client simply needs to visit mlc.com.au/bestdoctorsinfo where they'll be able to access:
If your client, as a policy holder of MLC Critical Illness insurance, has any further questions please call Best Doctors on 1800 186 088.