New app from TELUS Health and Babylon enables Canadians to visit a doctor through their smartphone
More than 50% of Canadians find it difficult to quickly access after-hours medical care without going to an emergency department;New smartphone app gives Canadians convenient access to doctors and healthcare information where and when they need it.
Vancouver – Today, following a recent announcement, TELUS Health and Babylon are together launching Babylon by TELUS Health, a future-forward virtual healthcare solution that promises to revolutionize how Canadians take control of their own health from the convenience of a smartphone. Babylon by TELUS Health will empower Canadians with access to healthcare support and information day and night - a huge step forward in the evolution of Canada’s healthcare system and how patients currently access care. The app also improves the efficiency of communication with doctors to help drive better health outcomes for all Canadians.
At launch, British Columbians will be the first to get access to the app’s one-on-one video consultation feature, allowing them to speak directly and privately with a BC-licensed family doctor. This video consultation will be covered by the patient’s BC provincial MSP.
Canadians across the country who download the Babylon by TELUS Health app on iTunes or Google Play can immediately use the app’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot Symptom Checker. Developed by a team of dedicated doctors and scientists, the Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered Symptom Checker draws on more than 500 million streams of medical knowledge and asks patients questions about their symptoms providing information on possible causes or courses of action. The smartphone app is available in English immediately, with a French version to follow later in the year.
“TELUS Health is leveraging the power of technology to improve health outcomes for all Canadians because we believe that by giving people the right tools, information and support we can empower them to manage their own health leading to healthier, happier lives,” said Juggy Sihota, vice president, TELUS Health. “Babylon by TELUS Health revolutionizes how Canadians can access healthcare with a unique patient-centric approach that’s built upon TELUS’ unparalleled Customers First strategy. Quality healthcare and support underscored by putting patients first.”
Canadians can use Babylon by TELUS Health (BC-only at launch) to:
● Book an appointment with a doctor through the app in seconds;
● Access doctor consultation notes and video consults for quick reference and/or sharing;
● Manage prescription details and preferred pharmacy for easy prescription pick up; and
● Get referrals for diagnostic tests or specialists when needed.
Babylon’s suite of digital solutions is currently being used by approximately three million registered users outside of Canada and is accessible to tens of millions more through Babylon’s worldwide partnerships.
“We are honoured to be partnering with TELUS Health, an organisation dedicated to driving enhanced patient experiences and greater efficiency in healthcare, to launch Babylon by TELUS Health. Through this partnership, we will enable access to innovative, high quality healthcare for all Canadians. Consistent with the progressive mindset in this country, our partnership with TELUS Health shows that by working closely and collaboratively, we can use advanced technology to help bring accessible, affordable healthcare services to patients and doctors, as demonstrated already in Rwanda and the UK.” said Tracey McNeill, Chief Mobilisation Officer, Babylon.
Plans are also currently underway to integrate Babylon’s virtual care platform into TELUS Health electronic medical records systems (EMRs) to enable physicians across the country to also easily conduct virtual sessions with their own patients. TELUS Health is committed to ensuring that patient privacy is respected and Babylon by TELUS Health meets or exceeds legal and industry standards for privacy. Patient records are retained in accordance with national best practice guidelines and all data is securely transmitted using industry-recognized encryption methods.
About Babylon
Babylon’s Mission is to put an accessible and affordable health service in the hands of every person on Earth. Babylon uses a combination of cutting-edge technology and the best available medical expertise to deliver 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week access to digital health tools (including health assessment, Symptom Checker and medical information tools), to people across Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, as well as video doctor consultations.
For more information, please visit: www.babylonhealth.com.
About TELUS Health and Payment Solutions
TELUS Health is a leader in home health monitoring, electronic medical and health records, as well as consumer health, benefits management and pharmacy management solutions. TELUS Health leverages the power of technology to enable better health outcomes for Canadians with innovative digital solutions that enable collaboration, efficiency and productivity for physicians, pharmacists, health authorities, allied healthcare professionals, insurers, employers and citizens. TELUS Payment Solutions complements our health solutions by delivering secure, industry-compliant payment and lending solutions that connect lenders, payors, insurers, extended health care providers and financial institutions to their customers across Canada.
For more information please visit: www.telushealth.com and www.telus.com/payment-solutions.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Jill Yetman
Senior Communications Manager
TELUS Social and Media Relations
(416) 992-2639
jill.yetman@telus.com
Edward Sykes
Public Relations Manager
Babylon
+44 (0) 203 848 7316
ed.sykes@babylonhealth.com
NOTE: For b-roll of the Babylon by TELUS Health virtual care application, please click here: https://we.tl/t-yNo7mpRrb5