Group plan sponsors with Saskatchewan Blue Cross will now be able to provide their employees with access to a virtual healthcare product, allowing workers and their families to digitally consult with a Canadian-licensed general practitioner.

Saskatchewan Blue Cross’s new “Online Doctors” service is being offered through a partnership with Maple, a technology platform that connects patients with doctors and medical care specialists from users’ smartphones or computers. The insurer chose Maple due to its ‘best-in-class digital experience’, speed and convenience in being able to access a general practitioner, a release said.

The Online Doctors service will allow plan members to access care for acute, chronic and mental health issues, as well as store and share medical records.

“The demand for virtual care continues to grow and, and it’s essential that employers have options available to help remove barriers to exceptional care for their employees through their health benefit plans,” said Saskatchewan Blue Cross VP of customer relations and external affairs Megan Douglas. “This exciting partnership with Maple ensures that plan members can access licensed general practitioners 24/7 in under five minutes through a seamless and intuitive patient experience.”

“We’re so pleased to be partnering with Saskatchewan Blue Cross,” said Maple VP of business development Christy Prada. “The focus on patient experience and quality of care is well aligned to our values. It has never been more important for plan sponsors to consider new digital tools to support employee health and wellness.”

Prada added that barrier-free access to healthcare is a critical way for employers to support their employees’ wellness, particularly as organizations have now experienced the impact of a year of the pandemic.

In line with its commitment to provide digital offerings to clients, Saskatchewan Blue Cross also launched a proprietary Personal Health Plan Member Portal earlier this year. Building upon this, the company has revealed plans to launch a new Personal Health Plan Member app sometime in spring 2021.