Want to Win Over Your Workforce? Invest in Virtual Care.
Helping Employees Stay Healthy with Easy-to-Use, On-Demand Care
Note: This article is adapted from a piece that first appeared in Benefits and Pensions Monitor. Read the original here.
Want to Win Over Your Workforce? Invest in Virtual Care.
Helping Employees Stay Healthy with Easy-to-Use, On-Demand Care
Note: This article is adapted from a piece that first appeared in Benefits and Pensions Monitor. Read the original here.
Virtual care, once seen as an optional benefit, is now a core part of mainstream health benefits. According to David Adams, Senior Vice President, Insurance Business at Medavie Blue Cross, this shift is creating a more accessible and often more affordable path to healthcare.
In a recent interview with Benefits and Pensions Monitor, Adams reflected on how the COVID-19 pandemic significantly reshaped the health benefits landscape. This change has redefined not only the role of insurers but also the expectations of plan sponsors.
“We see our role in the health insurance industry as facilitators of healthcare. Plan sponsors want to have a very good benefit package to help them recruit, but fundamentally, they want a healthy, productive, predictable workforce. To get that today, that means opening avenues to get health care in different ways.”
After working in the insurance industry for over ten years, Adams has noticed a big change in how people use and think about healthcare. More plan members are open to trying new types of care. Additionally, both members and sponsors see the value and convenience in using digital health tools.
Simplifying health benefits
Adams sees a system that offers both digital health and traditional healthcare as essential for meeting today’s workforce expectations. He also believes it’s important to help employees understand their options so they can choose what works best for them.
He also highlights the importance of improving healthcare navigation.
“Healthcare navigation really means helping people get access to care in the most efficient way, and that they understand how to do it. It's incumbent on all of us to make sure that we have sound communication, so plan members know what's available.”
Simplifying health benefits
Adams sees a system that offers both digital health and traditional healthcare as essential for meeting today’s workforce expectations. He also believes it’s important to help employees understand their options so they can choose what works best for them.
He also highlights the importance of improving healthcare navigation.
“Healthcare navigation really means helping people get access to care in the most efficient way, and that they understand how to do it. It's incumbent on all of us to make sure that we have sound communication, so plan members know what's available.”
While comprehensive benefits plans may look great on paper, they only become truly effective when employees understand how to use them.
That’s why Adams emphasizes the importance of mobile apps and online advisor platforms. They help plan members understand their benefits more easily and make it faster for them to access what they need.
Virtual care solutions at Medavie Blue Cross
Medavie Blue Cross is at the forefront of offering virtual care to its members across Canada. By focusing on innovation and making tools that are easy to use, Medavie Blue Cross is changing how group benefits work. As a result, employers can offer support that truly meets the needs of today’s workforce. Options include:
24/7 Virtual Consultations
Plan members can talk to licensed doctors, nurses, or mental health professionals anytime and from anywhere.
Mental Health Support
Access to a wide range of virtual mental health supports, including therapy, coaching, and digital wellness tools designed to meet your individual needs.
Digital Pharmacy Services
Members can renew prescriptions online, arrange home delivery, and consult with pharmacists.
Chronic Disease Management Tools
Digital programs and coaching support for managing conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
Connected Care
Connected Care offers a wide range of digital services, including cognitive behavioural therapy, virtual physiotherapy, pharmacogenetic testing, online doctor's appointments, a mindfulness app, nutrition therapy, financial counselling, menopause and ADHD services.
Mobile Apps and Web Platforms
Through the Blue Cross Mobile app and Member Services Site, users can easily access care, check eligibility, submit claims, and get real-time updates on their health coverage.
Ready to Bring Virtual Care to Your Team?
At Medavie Blue Cross, we want to help you take care of your team with smart and easy-to-use health solutions. Whether you want to improve your current benefits or try something new, our team is here to help.
Posted by Medavie Blue Cross on July 17, 2025
Medavie Blue Cross is a premier all-in-one carrier that provides health, dental, travel, life and disability benefits and administers federal and provincial government-sponsored health programs. Together with Medavie Health Services, we are part of Medavie, a health solutions partner committed to improving the wellbeing of Canadians. We are in the...