How Virtual Care Helps You Be More Proactive About Your Health

We’re quick to tap our tech tools that make our lives easier. Don’t have time to whip up dinner? Need a lift to the airport? Want to rejig your investments? We have go-to apps for all of that.

Yet, when it comes to healthcare, technology hasn’t been embraced quite as much. Sure, smartwatches help track steps and heart rates — but what about when you want to check in with a doctor before something small becomes something more worrying? 

In October 2024, we launched a report titled “Health on Hold: The Need to Unlock a Proactive Care Future in Canada,” shedding light on the significant barriers Canadians face when being proactive about their care. 

What is proactive care, exactly? Proactive care includes routine checkups, referrals for testing and preventative screening, tests, and treatments. Some common examples include a breast exam or a cholesterol test. Put simply, proactive care means addressing your health concerns early instead of waiting until they become worse — or untreatable. 

According to our report, almost half of Canadians delay seeking medical advice even when they have physical or mental health concerns, and 81% of Canadians report barriers to accessing proactive care, citing long wait times, limited provider availability, and inconvenient appointment times.

Our report, based on a survey of 1,500 Canadians conducted among Angus Reid Forum members, tells a bigger story about a healthcare system under strain: over 6 million Canadians don’t have a primary care provider — and of those who do, only 35% can get a same-day or next-day appointment. It’s no surprise that frustration is mounting.

Being proactive about your care is one of the most effective ways to maintain your health. However, many Canadians struggle to access this care. Virtual care can help remove barriers and make it easier to prioritize your health.

Here’s why proactive care matters and how virtual care can help.   

READ NOW: What health appointments should women make as they age? 

Why proactive care is important

Did you know? About 35% of deaths of people under 75 are avoidable through proactive care efforts like lifestyle changes, vaccinations, proper screening, and early detection, according to a Maple analysis of data from Statistics Canada. 

Without access to ongoing care, health outcomes and patient experiences may worsen over the long term. For example, researchers looking at a recent rise in people receiving cancer diagnoses in Canadian emergency rooms — which they attribute to a poor or complete lack of access to primary care providers — say the phenomenon is emotionally distressing and could lead to confusion on long-term follow up of treatment plans and treatment coordination. 

Proactive care — like routine tests to screen for diabetes — can help identify and address potential health risks early. This empowers patients to take control of their healthcare journey and prevent serious complications down the line.

Why you should think again before consulting Dr. Google

What do you do when you don’t have access to a primary care doctor, or can’t make the trip to see yours? If you’re like most Canadians, you may self-diagnose with the help of Google. 

Our report found that 77% of Canadians have used Google to manage a serious health concern instead of seeking help from a healthcare professional.

Here’s the problem: while convenient, the medical information found online can be significantly misleading and generic, since it’s unable to take a person’s particular conditions, symptoms, and health history into account. 

READ NOW: What health appointments should men make as they age? 

The benefits of virtual care

For people who choose to use Google or ChatGPT rather than face hours of waiting rooms, virtual care provides the alternative option of medical advice from a Canadian-licensed professional with the comfort of staying home.

If you’ve never tried virtual care, there are a few ways it can help you be proactive about your care. Below, we go over some benefits of using virtual care when you’ve got non-emergency questions and concerns.

If you want to learn more about how virtual care works, we’ve got this handy guide available. 

Convenience

Have you been worrying about a minor health concern you know you should get checked out, but don’t have a family doctor nearby — or even one at all? Virtual care makes it easy to connect with a provider and get your questions answered. 

Anyone with a tablet, smartphone, or camera-enabled laptop can receive virtual care from anywhere in the country. With solutions like a membership on Maple, for example, you and your family can access a network of primary care providers — including doctors and nurse practitioners — 24/7, in minutes.

Whether you’re at home and suddenly remember that health appointment you’ve been putting off because it’s not urgent, or you’re juggling a busy schedule, virtual care makes it easy to take that first step toward better health.

Ease of access

For the millions of Canadians that don’t have a primary care provider, virtual care can be an essential first step to getting the medical opinion you need.

Whether you’re unsure if you need to see a specialist or if you need a prescription, a Canadian-licensed primary care provider may be able to answer those questions virtually. If you’re looking for something more specialized, primary care providers on Maple can provide specialist referrals or prescriptions at their discretion — or, you can book certain specialists directly for appointments.

More time saved

Doctors often have appointments open during work hours, meaning that people have to take a lunch break or some time off work to make their much-needed appointments.   Even if, in Canada, seeing a doctor is free, waiting for care has an underlying cost — the Fraser Institute estimates that Canadians lost $3.5 billion in wages and productivity waiting for care. 

Virtual care is accessible over text, phone, or video call, making it a convenient way to address health issues and ask questions the moment you need it. This can be especially helpful if you need to wrangle kids for an appointment — on Maple, memberships also include paediatric primary care for your little ones. 

Your health data in your hands

Virtual care can make it easier to keep track of your health data because your interactions and activity are recorded securely. 

Have you ever been to a doctor and forgotten your recent shots or medications? For people without a primary care provider, having a resource where their health data is available anytime can be helpful. On Maple, for example, patients can access all their data securely and reference it anytime they speak to a primary care provider. 

Additionally, Maple memberships include Personal Health Check-Ins—a series of proactive care screenings. These check-ins provide risk assessments for conditions like diabetes and more, offering valuable insights into your health. Staying informed empowers you to take small, meaningful steps toward better health outcomes.

While proactive care is a great way to prevent potential health issues, it starts with feeling empowered to take charge of your health. Virtual care can be a key tool to help overcome these barriers — supporting you and your family every step of the way.

Find out what other Canadians think of the healthcare system and their thoughts on proactive care by checking out the rest of our report.

The information presented here is for educational purposes and is not meant to replace the advice from your medical professional.

When using virtual care, all medical treatment is at the sole discretion of the provider. Virtual care is not meant for medical emergencies, and your provider will determine if your case is appropriate for virtual care. If you are experiencing an emergency like chest pain or difficulties breathing, for example, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.