Setting up international education for success
IN Partnership with
Allianz Partners brings healthcare for international students into the post-pandemic era with a comprehensive and specialised digital ecosystem that plugs the gaps, eases the burden and boosts confidence
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ONE OF the main concerns that international students and their parents have about studying abroad is around what happens in the case of sickness – and New Zealand is no exception.
“International students coming to New Zealand to study often face challenges due to the absence of their usual support network,” says Nick Elst, national sales manager at Allianz Partners.
A lack of support around understanding and navigating health systems can have disproportionate consequences, and the potential for negative outcomes only grows when cultural and language barriers are thrown into the mix.
With the number of international students arriving here now surpassing pre-COVID levels, Allianz Partners is keenly aware that the creaking local health system should not deter prospective international students from choosing New Zealand as an education destination.
To this end, Allianz Partners has moved to comprehensively address the areas where healthcare for international students in New Zealand is lacking.
“Our mission is to fill the gaps in the care journey and empower students to take control of their health by giving them the tools and services they need, from primary care to mental wellbeing, joining the dots to go above and beyond, enhancing their studies and experience in New Zealand,” says Elst.
Based in Auckland, Allianz Partners New Zealand employs more than 100 staff, specialising locally in providing and managing assistance services, travel insurance, student insurance and pet insurance through our New Zealand and international business partners. Our strength lies in combining the solidarity and trust that comes with being part of an established global organisation with the local expertise of our New Zealand team.
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“Our mission is to fill the gaps in the care journey and empower students to take control of their health by giving them the tools and services they need”
Nick Elst,
Allianz Partners
However, he adds, nonprofits have been resilient. “Most of our insureds are not only recovering back to their pre-pandemic state, but are in fact expanding,” he says.
Parvathy Sree, vice president of nonprofit underwriting for AmTrust Financial Services, agrees. She says some nonprofits, such as homeless shelters and schools, adapted particularly well to the challenges.
“Nonprofits with good management and decent financials were able to survive the last year and are seeing the fruits of their hard work and diligence,” Sree says, but she cautions growing organizations to be diligent with loss control and risk mitigation, emphasizing that while claim counts are down and court cases are in limbo, things could change.
Kiwis experienced the benefits of telehealth services during COVID-era lockdowns and were impressed by how much could be achieved in a simple call or video chat. But the reality is that many of those systems were jury-rigged with the resources at hand during an unprecedented crisis.
Allianz Partners has taken the telehealth ball and run with it, creating a super-service tailored to the needs of international students.
“Digital healthcare – aka telehealth – 1.0 is dead. While it served us well during the COVID era, we have now moved beyond it,” says Elst. “Allianz Digital Health Service [ADHS] is the next generation of digital healthcare.”
Elst calls ADHS “telehealth 2.0 on steroids”, marking a significant leap forward in capability. “[It is] a
comprehensive and specialised digital care ecosystem designed to bridge the gaps in our fragmented healthcare system and support students at every stage of their health journey.”
Education providers in New Zealand are required under a code of practice for the pastoral care of tertiary and international learners to look after international students. They need to proactively identify, respond and support learners who may face additional challenges, including responding effectively in a health emergency.
“We provide ADHS as an additional benefit to our Studentsafe Inbound insurance policyholders,” says Elst.
A chat-based telehealth platform that provides remote on-demand medical advice, ADHS uses cutting-edge technology to help international students in their time of need. It has six main features, offering innovative and convenient solutions for everything from initial consultations to extra mental health support.
The power of AI is leveraged strongly in the initial consultation phase through a friendly chatbot called Emma who can converse in 11 languages.
“Infermedica is the AI engine behind Emma, which leverages evidence-based medical knowledge,” says Elst. “The engine is specifically tailored to perform medical assessments mirroring the approach of a skilled professional. As a result, the AI guarantees maximum accuracy in determining the potential underlying cause of any given set of symptoms and suggesting the most appropriate level of care.”
“Digital healthcare – aka telehealth – 1.0 is dead. While it served us well during the COVID era, we have now moved beyond it. Allianz Digital Health Service [ADHS] is the next generation of digital healthcare”
Nick Elst,
Allianz Partners
main features, offering innovative and convenient solutions for everything from initial consultations to extra mental health support.
The power of AI is leveraged strongly in the initial consultation phase through a friendly chatbot called Emma who can converse in 11 languages.
“Infermedica is the AI engine behind Emma, which leverages evidence-based medical knowledge,” says Elst. “The engine is specifically tailored to perform medical assessments mirroring the approach of a skilled professional. As a result, the AI guarantees maximum accuracy in determining the potential underlying cause of any given set of symptoms and suggesting the most appropriate level of care.”
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From telehealth 1.0 to 2.0 and beyond
Dovetailing with specialist human health services
Dovetailing with specialist human health services
Dovetailing with specialist human health services
Published 15 Jul 2024
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The ADHS offering dovetails neatly with the New Zealand health system, picking up the slack in areas where international students are likely to struggle, but handing off to specialists at the appropriate time through its integration with such national services as Healthpoint.
One example is the personal doctor chat feature whereby a student can use a messenger service to chat to a registered New Zealand doctor within 15 minutes, 24/7.
“With this feature you can also send pictures to the doctor to help determine a diagnosis. Our local and global experience has shown that up to 70% of in-person doctor visits are avoided following a chat with a doctor via messenger,” says Elst.
Another example is the mental-health care built into ADHS. Studying abroad can be an isolating experience as students adjust to everything from a different education system to unfamiliar weather.
“Allianz Mental Wellbeing gives students the tools they need to help navigate study, work, and life challenges.”
It tracks how students feel through a wellbeing assessment, and, based on the score a student receives, recommends tailored programmes through an extensive library of evidence-based videos and exercises to help build resilience.
“If they require additional support, they can access four 30-minute coaching sessions with a registered psychologist, psychotherapist or counsellor from Australia or New Zealand. We also have detailed processes in place for high-risk users to ensure they get the care and support they need.”
ADHS also offers the option of a user-pays online video or telephone consultation with a New Zealand-registered doctor (GP) called CareHQ. Doctors can prescribe medication, reducing time delays and the burden of travel for students.
“CareHQ is a quick and easy solution to receive a prescription for medication, a referral letter to a specialist, lab tests referral, or a doctor’s certificate if need be.”
The student can also opt to have their notes shared with their registered GP clinic to ensure continuity of care. With the service available seven days a week, students never need to feel like they can’t reach a medical professional quickly and easily.
“ADHS is like a one-stop shop – you literally have a doctor in your pocket,” says Elst.
There is no doubt that the international education sector in New Zealand has had it much tougher than many other sectors in recent years. Many businesses have been mothballed or closed, and there has been a huge exodus of labour from the industry.
“Many institutions and private training establishments are still in recovery mode post-pandemic,” says Elst.
New Zealand opened its borders later than many other countries, which prolonged the pain for many businesses here but also reinforced the country’s image as a safe destination. The early diversion of students to other countries is also providing unexpected opportunities for New Zealand education providers.
“The UK, Canada and Australia are all actively rebalancing international student entry policies, and some are introducing caps in these areas where housing supply is in crisis. For international students looking for that overseas experience, this draws more and more attention and focus toward New Zealand.”
Even so, students are looking for different experiences to those that were typical pre-pandemic.
“The young learner demographic, who used to stay for longer periods of time of 12 to 18 months in New Zealand, are now here for six months on average.”
This creates more administrative onboarding and offboarding tasks for schools, which means many institutions are looking for stronger support in areas they don’t specialise in, such as healthcare support.
The stakes are high in getting the reset of international education right.
“Maintaining and enhancing New Zealand’s reputation as a high-quality education provider is crucial. Any negative incidents or perceptions can have a long-lasting impact on international student enrolments,” says Elst.
While the challenges are many, firms like Allianz Partners are stepping up with modern, tailored solutions that can provide better outcomes not only for students but also for education providers and the industry overall.
“Addressing these challenges will require coordinated efforts from education institutions, government bodies and other relevant stakeholders like ourselves to ensure that New Zealand remains an attractive and supportive destination for international students.”
Challenges for the international education industry
Six main features of Allianz Digital Health Service (ADHS)
Symptom assessment: Use AI chatbot technology to check symptoms and allow self-diagnosis to determine if need further care
Personal chat/message: Chat with and send photos to New Zealand-registered doctor and receive a response normally within 15 minutes of request, 24/7
Call for health advice: Call Healthline to speak to a medical professional for health advice and information 24/7 (Healthline is a free service funded by the Ministry of Health, New Zealand, an independent entity with no association with the ADHS)
Mental wellbeing: Build resilience and learn strategies and skills to manage stress – if additional support is needed, users can access four 30-minute one-on-one personalised coaching sessions
Find healthcare: Use Healthpoint, New Zealand’s national health services directory, to find further services (Healthpoint provides up-to-date information about healthcare providers, referral expectations, services offered and common treatments)
Teleconsultation: Using CareHQ, have an online video or telephone consultation with a New Zealand-registered doctor (GP) who can prescribe medication (CareHQ is a user-pays service available 7 days a week, 7 a.m.–7 p.m.)
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Estimated quarterly student visa arrivals in New Zealand
International sTudent numbers surpassing pre-COVID level
8,427
Source: Stats NZ (International Travel and Migration – Table: Estimated migrant arrivals by visa type, 12/16-month rule, quarterly)
4,438
8,451
5,428
10,315
55
126
72
140
444
417
344
401
1,222
4,430
4,937
11,871
6,912
10,541
6,852
11,256
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
Q1,
2019
Q2,
2019
Q3,
2019
Q4,
2019
Q1,
2020
Q2,
2020
Q3,
2020
Q4,
2020
Q1,
2021
Q2,
2021
Q3,
2021
Q4,
2021
Q1,
2022
Q2,
2022
Q3,
2022
Q4,
2022
Q1,
2023
Q2,
2023
Q3,
2023
Q4,
2023
Q1,
2024
From telehealth 1.0 to 2.0 and beyond
Another example is the mental-health care built into ADHS. Studying abroad can be an isolating experience as students adjust to everything from a different education system to unfamiliar weather.
“Allianz Mental Wellbeing gives students the tools they need to help navigate study, work, and life challenges.”
It tracks how students feel through a wellbeing assessment, and, based on the score a student receives, recommends tailored programmes through an extensive library of evidence-based videos and exercises to help build resilience.
“If they require additional support, they can access four 30-minute coaching sessions with a registered psychologist, psychotherapist or counsellor from Australia or New Zealand. We also have detailed processes in place for high-risk users to ensure they get the care and support they need.”
ADHS also offers the option of a user-pays online video or telephone consultation with a New Zealand-registered doctor (GP) called CareHQ. Doctors can prescribe medication, reducing time delays and the burden of travel for students.
“CareHQ is a quick and easy solution to receive a prescription for medication, a referral letter to a specialist, lab tests referral, or a doctor’s certificate if need be.”
The student can also opt to have their notes shared with their registered GP clinic to ensure continuity of care. With the service available seven days a week, students never need to feel like they can’t reach a medical professional quickly and easily.
“ADHS is like a one-stop shop – you literally have a doctor in your pocket,” says Elst.
Challenges for the international education industry
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Challenges for the international education
industry
Copyright © 2024 KM Business Information NZ
RSS
Sitemap
Contact us
About us
Conditions of Use
Privacy policy
Terms & conditions
People
Contact Us
Specialty
Best in Insurance
Resources
Risk Management
TV
News
NZ
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