Virtual health care getting a boost in Sask. after province signs multi-year deal with service provider

Virtual health care is set to become more available in Saskatchewan.

The provincial government announced in a news release on Thursday that it has signed a multi-year contract with Lumeca, a Saskatchewan company that launched in 2019.

Lumeca will provide a platform for patients to speak to a health-care professional virtually instead of in-person. 

"This exciting new development is the start of a new era for Saskatchewan health care," the release said.

"This new agreement will enable health-care providers to offer more options for their practice by using virtual appointments to supplement in-person care, providing Saskatchewan patients and their families easier and more convenient communications with their providers."

A website and app that patients and health-care providers can use will be developed in the coming months, according to the release.

Health Minister Paul Merriman said in the release that, "this system will be of benefit to all Saskatchewan patients, especially those in rural or remote settings."

The platform will be available to 3,500 health-care providers in the province, according to Lumeca CEO Tom Douglass.

"Our team has worked very hard to build this solution in Saskatchewan for Saskatchewan people," he said in the release.

Virtual care popular option during the pandemic

The new software will replace an older platform the province has used during the pandemic, the release said.

There were more than 1.7 million virtual health-care appointments from March to December 2020 in Saskatchewan.

Dr. Eben Strydom, president of the Saskatchewan Medical Association (SMA) and a family physician in Melfort, told CBC News in March that virtual care has "a bright future," and that combined with education it could help health-care professionals provide better care and access to patients.

However, he said there are also some challenges.

He said in some cases virtual care has led to poorer outcomes than in-person visits, while there can also be issues around billing and accessibility for people without the proper technology. 

Despite that, he called virtual care a "lifesaver" early in the pandemic.