Dialogue product updates for April 2021: integrated healthcare at your fingertips

Welcome to the latest edition of our product updates newsletter!

This month, we explore some of the features of our virtual care platform and updates we’ve released to provide all of our members with quick access to a personalized, integrated health and wellness experience from a single app.

Read on to learn more.

Taking charge of your health? Dialogue can help.

As Canadians, we are fortunate to live in a country with a vast, free public healthcare system. Healthcare that is so extensive, that unfortunately for many, getting access to healthcare in a timely manner can be challenging, and navigating the system to find the right kind of care for your situation can be confusing.

The fact of the matter is, going to a walk-in clinic or hospital is not always needed, and can be frustrating and inconvenient if there is a long wait and/or commute. Dialogue’s virtual care platform doesn’t replace the public healthcare system, but rather complements it. Our members have quick access to medical staff to help address non-urgent, primary care concerns 24/7, and get guidance on navigating to the right area of the public healthcare system when necessary.

Support navigating the healthcare system

Back in 2020, we launched a health resources navigator tool to give all of our members access to a database of health resources including ERs, lab centers, and specialists (ex. dermatologist). The navigator now includes over 25,000 resources across Canada and continues to grow! Access the navigator simply by opening the Dialogue app, and clicking “Find Health Resources”. Members can input the type of resource they’re looking for and their location to narrow down the search and to find the resource most convenient for them.

While the navigator tool is accessible directly by members, our care team is also always available to help, and with virtual care, can save members a trip to a walk-in clinic. For example, a skin rash is a common ailment our care team sees. Instead of going to a walk-in clinic, a member can speak to one of our medical practitioners and get a prescription for an antibiotic cream to help relieve bothersome symptoms—within minutes, and all within the Dialogue app! If there are other symptoms or the rash has persisted for more than 7 days, our medical practitioner may also recommend a further evaluation with a dermatologist. But our support doesn’t end there! The necessary referral to book an appointment with a dermatologist is provided, and our care team checks in with the member following the evaluation. The member can then use the health resources navigator to find a dermatologist nearby, or get help from a care team member to find and book an appointment convenient for them.

Direct access to the largest, multidisciplinary healthcare team in Canada

Not only does Dialogue’s virtual care platform provide quick access to medical care, but members also benefit from the ability to access to one of the largest, multidisciplinary medical teams from a single app. For example, insomnia is an issue that can be triggered by a variety of or even multiple reasons, such as physical pain, poor eating or sleep hygiene or from stress. With Dialogue, a member can speak to a doctor for medication to help manage symptoms and a mental health specialist for advice on how to calm their mind for a better night’s sleep—all within a single day, and without leaving the comfort of their home or office.

Support for a spectrum of work-life balance issues

* Applies to members with access to Dialogue’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Feeling stressed, anxious, or simply not your best can be triggered by a variety of reasons—pressure at work, challenges at home, financial problems, and so on. The purpose of an employee assistance program (EAP) is to help support a variety of work-life balance issues including stressors related to work & career, financial, legal and family & relationships.

In the past year, our care team has seen an increase in work-life balance issues as we all continue to face challenges throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, such as maintaining a positive work-life balance while working from home, managing and effectively communicating with a remote team, and unforeseen financial challenges.

With Dialogue’s EAP, members can speak to a case manager within minutes, and schedule a virtual consultation with the practitioner or professional that best supports their specific needs. To access these services, simply open the Dialogue app, click the tile that suits your need most, and click Start a consultation.

Keep your app up-to-date

Whether it’s a service update, platform optimization or a new app feature, we aim to continuously provide all of our members with the best virtual care experience. Keep your eye out in the App and Google Play store for our latest release, 4.0.0! This release is a major behind-the-scenes improvement for our mobile platforms: we’ve consolidated onto React Native which enables our developers to create truly native apps, with a consistent, amazing user experience no matter which platform you’re using, and to release new features to all of our members faster.

Keep your Dialogue app up-to-date to take advantage of new features and improvements. If you’re an iOS or Android user, turn on automatic updates to never miss one!