COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need for health
care from home
TORONTO, June 18, 2020 /CNW/ - The COVID-19 pandemic
has put a spotlight on the importance of virtual care. Once an
emerging trend, it's now a necessity for health care in
Canada. Yet, many are facing
challenges. In a recent Lumino Health survey, over half of all
Canadians (55%) said they do not know how to find virtual care
services.
Forty-nine per cent of Canadians surveyed report the
pandemic having negative effects on their physical health and
nearly 60% report mental health impacts. This is a three per cent
increase from a Sun Life survey conducted earlier in
May1, which found 56% of Canadians reported COVID-19
having a negative impact on their mental health.
Interestingly, despite identifying a physical or mental health
concern, only a small percentage of Canadians are seeking
treatment. Of respondents who said COVID-19 is negatively impacting
their mental health, only 21% have sought professional care. This
rate is consistent with Canadians who say the pandemic is having a
negative impact on their physical health – with only 21% seeking
professional help.
"The need for Canadians to connect virtually with health care
professionals has never been more important," said Chris Denys, Senior Vice-President,
Possibilities, Lumino Health. "As physical distancing continues,
it's our goal to bring Canadians the tools and resources they need
to manage their health from home. The Lumino Health network has
access to more than 12,000 health care providers who offer virtual
services."
Although many Canadians are finding it difficult knowing where
to access virtual care, awareness is high (72%). When asked what
they believe are the main benefits of virtual care, Canadians
listed:
- convenience (54%);
- no waiting rooms (50%); and
- speed to connect with a health care professional (40%).
Lumino Health: connecting Canadians with solutions
"When it comes to taking care of yourself, finding the right
health care provider, solution or information can make all the
difference. However, we know it's not always easy. That's why we
created Lumino Health – Canada's
largest network of health care providers, free to all
Canadians," Denys explains.
Features of Lumino Health include:
- A 'virtual visit' icon, providing Canadians with access to over
12,000 health care providers who offer virtual care services.
- A search engine to find dentists, massage therapists, mental
health professionals and other health care providers in your
area.
- Access to more than 14 million ratings submitted by Sun Life
Clients and their family members.
- Cost information to help compare how much each provider
charges.
- A collection of resources and information to help Canadians
manage their health and wellness.
As the situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic continues to
develop, Lumino Health will help Canadians access the support they
need to manage their health and wellness. For more information,
visit LuminoHealth.ca.
About the survey
The survey is based on findings of an
Ipsos poll conducted between May 8 and May
11, 2020. A sample of 1,001 Canadians was drawn from the
Ipsos I-Say online panel aged 18 and older. The data for Canadians
surveyed was weighted to ensure the sample's regional, age, and
gender composition reflects that of the actual Canadian
population.
The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a
credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within
+/- 3.5% at 95% confidence level had all Canadian adults been
polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other
sources of error, including, but not limited to methodological
change, coverage error and measurement error.
About Lumino Health
Lumino Health network is an
innovation from Sun Life, launched in fall 2018. Sun Life Assurance
Company of Canada created the
platform as a commitment to helping Canadians live healthier lives.
As Canada's premier network of
health resources, LuminoHealth.ca helps Canadians find healthcare
providers near them in seconds and access resources and innovations
to live healthier lives. In 2019, Lumino Health was awarded the
"Reinventor" award by PWC for their innovative and
industry-disrupting platform.
About Sun Life
Sun Life is a leading international
financial services organization providing insurance, wealth and
asset management solutions to individual and corporate Clients. Sun
Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including
Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong
Kong, the Philippines,
Japan, Indonesia, India, China,
Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March 31, 2020, Sun Life
had total assets under management of $1,023
billion. For more information, please visit
www.sunlife.com.
Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New
York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the
ticker symbol SLF.
Note to editors: All figures in Canadian dollars
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Sun Life Canada
Survey, April 29 – May 1 2020
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Media Relations Contact:
Carson MacIsaac
Senior Specialist, Corporate Communications
T. 416-979-6030
carson.macisaac@sunlife.com
SOURCE Sun Life Financial Inc.