Why should employers utilize virtual care platforms?

It’s that time of year when the nights get darker earlier, and the seasonal depression kicks in along with a variety of illnesses. This also means that employers are uniquely positioned and often required to support their employees in taking charge of their wellbeing.

A recent report from Maple, a virtual care platform, found that while 74 per cent of Canadians prioritize proactive care, a staggering 86 per cent of Canadians feel they lack control over their healthcare, with long wait times, limited access to primary care, and significant financial and time costs being the main barriers.

Amii Stephenson, VP of sales at Maple, asserts that with nearly half of Canadians feeling out of control in managing their health, employer-funded care options are emerging as a vital support system. She points to a statistic from a study that highlighted every dollar invested in preventative health care saves an estimated $14 in future costs to the healthcare system and economy. She’s quick to note that while there are a lot of barriers in healthcare, she believes employers have traditionally filled that gap in many ways.

“It feels like a win-win to see employers invest in care that is proactive, meeting their employees where they are at and to see the positive impacts that that has both on the individual health and the system and the employers in preventing disease and illness in the future,” she says.

Chief among these barriers in Canada are, unsurprisingly, long wait times and limited access to primary care providers. “One in five Canadians is without a family doctor, and for Canadians who do have a family practitioner, they are often waiting days, if not weeks, to see that practitioner,” notes Stephenson. These delays come at a significant cost, with the Fraser Institute estimating that Canadians lose "$3.5 billion in wages just waiting for care."

Along with these obstacles, many Canadians (77 per cent) are also turning to unconventional sources, like Google, for medical advice, a trend that is particularly pronounced among women. "The rate raises to 82 per cent when you look at women," Stephenson shares, "and we found that women are really delaying medical advice and feeling discouraged from seeking care, even at higher rates than men."

The current state of healthcare in Canada is leaving employees feeling frustrated and disempowered. As a result, Stephenson believes that employers have a pivotal role to play. "Employers really do spend time, money and resources to use benefits as a way to attract and retain talent, to keep their teams healthy, to empower them with the right resources and to take control over their health," she explains.

Some of the right resources also include paramedical benefits and EAPs. Dr. Marc Robin, medical director at Dialogue, says as the winter season approaches, virtual care platforms, like Dialogue, are addressing and mitigating the effects of seasonal illnesses. He asserts they also help Canadians provide convenient, technology-driven solutions that reduce barriers such as time, cost, and accessibility.

“80 per cent of Canadians are looking now to their employers to have access to employer paid virtual care,” he says. “Additionally, 80 per cent of employers state that access [to virtual care] translates into increased productivity, a decreased of missed, unplanned days at work.”

By including virtual care in benefits plans, Robin says it allows employees to access healthcare providers quickly, without the need to take time off work to visit a clinic or emergency room, reduces productivity losses from missed workdays. And by handling 70 per cent of what would typically present at walk-in clinics or family physician offices, virtual care platforms can alleviate the burden on the public healthcare system.

Stephenson also believes in the power of virtual care solutions, emphasizing that virtual care is an example of a technology that can empower Canadians to be more proactive about their health.

“It allows Canadians to take charge of their health early. They get quick, personalized, convenient access to care, no matter how small the concern, and it removes those barriers like long wait times and limited access,” she says.

Consequently, Stephenson asserts an investment in employer funded virtual benefits or virtual care programs addresses these “pressing societal issues.” She suggests that employees are eager to leverage technology to manage their health.

“Technology really does empower Canadians in every part of their life, and healthcare is no different,” says Stephenson. “Canadians are looking for ways that technology can reduce administration, reduce travel, reduce cost, and reduce time spent. Something like a virtual care program really accomplishes all of those things.”