Best Doctors is a company that connects eligible1 MLC MasterKey Business Super members and their families2 with leading specialists to provide medical information regarding an illness without 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 eligible MLC MasterKey Business Super members with comfort and reassurance when:
The use of Best Doctors is entirely your choice and is optional.
1. An MLC MasterKey Business Super member with Income Protection benefit period to age 65.
2. Family means you (as the insured), your spouse and your 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 20 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 eligible1 members through MLC MasterKey Business Super. It is also available to their spouse and any dependent children.
1. An MLC MasterKey Business Super member with Income Protection benefit period to age 65.
Eligible MLC MasterKey Business Super members 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 information about critical illness, chronic or degenerative conditions, regardless of whether it's a listed condition under your MLC MasterKey Business Super insurance arrangement your employer has with MLC.
If you would like to discuss whether advice is available for your particular situation, call Best Doctors at 1800 388 097.
Please note: consultations regarding acute care (emergency room) cases, pregnancy and mental health conditions are not available through Best Doctors.
If you or your immediate 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 your dedicated point of contact and support you throughout the entire process called 'InterConsultation™'.
They'll note your medical history and document any questions you may have.
This entire InterConsultation process is completed without you 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 your 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 your case.
The leading specialist receives your medical information and conducts a thorough analysis of your case. The specialist then writes a report based on your key issues and concerns.
Prior to sending this report to you, a medical professional from Best Doctors in Australia will call and review the key findings of your report with you.
You will then receive your report that you may want to share with your doctor.
On average, you should receive your 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 information service for eligible1 MLC MasterKey Business Super members.
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, you may have to pay for faxing or mailing any completed information and consent forms to Best Doctors.
1. An MLC MasterKey Business Super member with Income Protection benefit period to age 65.
Best Doctors was recently introduced in Australia, so local doctors may or may not be familiar with the service. Best Doctors has formed 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 you or a family member has been treated.
If Best Doctors needs to approach your doctor to request your medical records, they will fully explain the service.
Best Doctors will also have to show that they have your 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 Best Doctors InterConsultation report with your 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.
Rest assured your privacy is fully protected.
However, your local treating specialist (with your permission) may use information from the InterConsultation report when submitting medical information to MLC.
Best Doctors will not share their findings with MLC and your 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, your treating specialist may, with your consent, share information from the Best Doctors InterConsultation report with MLC. Your privacy will be protected throughout the process.
The Best Doctors medical information service is only available to eligible1 members through MLC MasterKey Business Super. It is also available to their spouse and any dependent children.
1. An MLC MasterKey Business Super member with Income Protection benefit period to age 65.
Eligible1 members can voluntarily access this service regardless of whether they’ve submitted a claim or the status of that claim.
1. An MLC MasterKey Business Super member with Income Protection benefit period to age 65.
Best Doctors will not share their findings with MLC, and members use of the service won't affect the assessment of a claim.
The Best Doctors InterConsultation report can't be used to support a claim with MLC; nor will MLC request a Best Doctors' report in connection with a claim. However, the member's treating specialist may, with their consent, share information from the Best Doctors InterConsultation report with MLC. Member’s privacy will be protected throughout the process.
Best Doctors will arrange leading specialist medical information about serious medical conditions such as cancer, stroke and any other conditions causing the member major discomfort or disruption to a healthy and productive life.
The illness doesn't need to be a claimable condition under the member's MLC MasterKey Business Super Income Protection, benefit period, to age 65 insurance. Please note: consultations regarding acute care (emergency room) cases, pregnancy and mental health conditions are not available through Best Doctors.
MLC has arranged for access to this specialist medical information service for eligible1 members.
Best Doctors doesn't employ doctors, but calls on the appropriate specialist in their network to review cases in their area of expertise.
When one of these specialists participates in an InterConsultation process, he/she is paid a consulting fee by Best Doctors– there is no charge to you or the members for this process. However, when accessing the service, members may have to pay for faxing or mailing any completed information and consent forms to Best Doctors.
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.
1. An MLC MasterKey Business Super member with Income Protection benefit period to age 65.
MLC has recently introduced Best Doctors in Australia. As such, your local doctors may or may not be familiar with Best Doctors.
It has formed 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 the member (or a family member) has been treated.
If Best Doctors need to approach the member's doctor to request medical records, they will fully explain the service.
Best Doctors will also have to show that they have obtained the member’s 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 Best Doctors' InterConsultation report with local treating doctor/s (with the member's permission), 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.
Rest assured, the member's privacy is fully protected.