Quality Underwriting Services Limited (QUS) remains a leader in the paramedical industry, utilizing cutting edge technology to continually ensure that we can provide the highest level of service possible to our customers and their clients.

QUS continues to seek out and implement new technology; within the past few years, we have introduced QUEST (our on-line order system), MedQuest/MedQuest Plus (our electronic paramedical) and also integrated the use of Electronic ECG's.

QUEST (Quality Underwriting Enhanced Service Tracking)

The QUEST system was designed specifically for QUS, in order to meet and exceed the ever-changing needs of the insurance industry. This system is the most advanced ordering and tracking system designed for the insurance industry. QUEST was designed to bring our customers and staff closer together, providing the most enhanced communication system available today. The QUEST system allows brokers and insurance company Head Offices to order, update and track underwriting requirements on new applicants. QUEST is an internet based system, which works in "real-time" and allows all of its users full access to the system 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

What type of security does Quest have?

The most important concern with any system that operates on a public network such as the Internet is security. An encryption certificate is licensed from a central agency named GeoTrust. The application is implemented using secure sockets (SSL), which enables the information to remain secure. Once an application user logs onto the system, all information is encrypted during transfer between the browser and the application server.

In order to gain access to the QUEST system, a new user must first register for the system and select a username & password. New users must also request the level of access they require and anything above the "basic" level of access must be authorized before access is granted.

"Agent or Broker" level access allows a user to place orders and track ONLY the orders they have placed themselves. Users with this level of access cannot view any orders other than their own.

"Agency/MGA" level access allows a user to place orders and/or track the orders of all the brokers/agents who belong to the same agency/MGA. In order to grant this level of access to a user, the security personnel at QUS require verification from someone in authority at the agency/MGA.

"Insurance Company" level access allows Underwriters or Head Office personnel to order additional medical requirements, or to track all the orders placed for their company, by any broker, anywhere in Canada. In order to grant this level of access to a user, the security personnel at QUS require verification from someone in authority at the Insurance Company Head Office.

What do I require for hardware and software?

To utilize the QUEST system, a user requires a system with Pentium 166 or better, 32 Meg of RAM memory or better and an Internet connection. The system requires Windows 95 or better, Internet Explorer 4.0 or Netscape. The browser should have 128-bit encryption level.

If you do not have this, you can download this from Microsoft at the following address: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/recommended/128bit/default.asp

Tele-Underwriting - MedQuest / MedQuest Plus

The last decade has seen the insurance industry concentrate on devising new and more effective ways of conducting business. The overriding criteria is that any new business system must also carry the guarantee of maintaining if not improving reliability and accuracy of information - and do it faster.

The tele-underwriting interview is simply an applicant's health history that has been obtained by a medical professional in a telephone interview. These reports can also be expanded to include non-health information such as lifestyle or avocation questionnaires. Our reports are called MedQUEST and MedQUEST Plus reports. The process is described below.

MedQuest / MedQuest Plus Process

A medical professional from Quality Underwriting Services (QUS) contacts the applicant to complete the health history interview over the telephone. Once completed, this information is stored in our secure and confidential website, which can only be accessed by specific individuals with the appropriate clearance.

The completed form(s) are then sent electronically to the insurance company's underwriting department, for immediate evaluation. QUS then prints a hard copy of the completed form and sends it to the medical professional that will be collecting the specimen(s) and vital statistics from the client.

When the medical professional visits the client to collect the specimen and vital statistics, they also have the client sign the completed form at the same time. The signed form, the specimen and the vitals are then sent from the medical professional to the insurance company.

• Since the form is transmitted to the underwriting department electronically, current courier delays, such as lost or delayed documents are no longer an issue.
• All information obtained in this process is completely confidential and will only be furnished to the insurance company's Head Office.
• Reflex questionnaires built into the form dramatically reduce the frequency of APS requests, thereby improving the overall issue time.

Electronic ECG's

In the past, our medical staff had to carry large, heavy ECG machines to client's homes. These machines would print a paper reading of the client's ECG, which would then be placed on a mounting card. This process often created problems; if the ECG reading was not "standardized", or if the paper strips were not mounted on the card correctly, then the ECG was often useless and would have to be re-done.

New technology has eliminated the potential for these types of problems. A small, portable ECG machine transmits the client's ECG reading through the phone line to a collection center. The collection center verifies that the reading they have received is accurate and complete. The collection center then transmits the completed ECG to our appropriate branch office. A copy of the ECG is also stored on file at the collection center, so that there is no longer the possibility of the ECG being lost in the courier.