The latest Chief Medical Officer (CMO) report*, reveals wide-ranging views on the value of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the Group Protection industry and its health and wellbeing partners.

Through bite-size interviews with the provider’s prevention, early intervention and vocational rehabilitation partners – plus an in-depth interview with key industry figures from reinsurer Swiss Re – the report discusses valuable insights into current AI research and development. L&G says these interviews reveal that the industry is adopting a thoughtful approach; a careful and considered balance between using AI to enhance accessibility and outcomes in ways which can help enhance, rather than diminish, the human element.

Some highlights include:

•     Employee Assistance Programmes: Using AI-powered technology to help match the needs of employees using the service with relevant clinicians.

•     Virtual GP and Online Physiotherapy: Using AI to predict the likelihood of conditions and outcomes. Also to improve aspects of the experience, such as Physio-AI support; utilising the employee’s phone camera to assess how effectively they’re following their treatment plan and providing real-time feedback to improve the quality of exercises.

 •     Virtual Cancer Support: Using AI to analyse large datasets from employees utilising the service to identify patterns, predict clinical outcomes and suggest tailored interventions; crucial to help prevent cancer, chronic condition management and supporting return-to-work programmes.

“We’ve got to make sure that trust is maintained as technology changes” – Swiss Re.

This instalment of the CMO report also includes an in-depth interview with reinsurer Swiss Re’s Doug Rix, Head of Global Underwriting Research & Development, and Keith Williams, Head of Group Risk UK & Ireland. It centres on AI adoption in the Group Protection industry: what’s been implemented so far; what we can expect to see in the foreseeable future; and why the insurance industry needs to maintain its “trust bonus” as technology changes. The interview also zooms in on the claims process, employee engagement with wellbeing services and regulation.

It’s time we talked about…Chronic condition management

 The third edition of L&G’s Chief Medical Officer report has, through various instalments over recent months, considered the transformative role technology can play in key aspects of the Group Income Protection (GIP) proposition, from prevention, to early intervention and vocational rehabilitation. Chronic condition management spans all these areas, says L&G. Consequently, today’s launch of the final instalment from the third edition of L&G’s CMO report also considers GIP’s role here.

Utilising data and insight from L&G’s partner in this area – chronic condition management support app CONNECTPlus, from HCI – the provider explores the benefits of such support to employees, business, society and the economy. It also investigates the role of AI; from real-time interactions to interrogation of anonymised user-data to identify population health management solutions.

Dr Tarun Gupta, Chief Medical Officer, UK Protection, L&G: “Chronic condition management represents an area of GIP that is not well discussed. But it should be, because it’s about helping more employees self-manage their conditions, take control of their lives, stay in good work and thrive. In other words, it’s entirely aligned with the philosophy that underpins L&G’s GIP proposition.

“It’s also here that I personally, as an Occupational Health Physician, see some of the most exciting current developments and future possibilities, in terms of AI. With an ageing population and more individuals living with chronic conditions, there’s a growing consensus that workplace health and wellbeing strategies should adopt digital tools to deliver personalised support and proactive interventions. For example, enabling better self-management of conditions like hypertension or diabetes could reduce cardiovascular complications and preserve function.

“This fourth and final instalment of our digital-health inspired CMO report investigates this and much more. So, whether you’re worried, excited or simply confused about the current and future possibilities of AI for the Group Protection industry, it should prove a fascinating read.”

*L&G’s CMO report, click here.