TELUS and Babylon Partner to Bring Virtual Healthcare to Canadians

TELUS has partnered with Babylon, a global leader in digital health, to create a mobile application that aims to provide virtual services to Canadians who cannot easily access non-emergency healthcare.

“Our partnership with Babylon, through a globally-leading virtual care solution, will enable consumers to get access to healthcare anywhere and anytime that they need it,” says Juggy Sihota, VP of TELUS Health. “Together, we are not only helping to improve the options Canadians have for accessing healthcare, but also providing them with a digital tool that makes communicating with healthcare professionals more efficient.”

Babylon’s digital health solutions are accessible to tens of millions of users through the organization’s global partnerships, and TELUS is helping to develop a Canadian-specific version of this virtual care technology. The companies are in the midst of establishing an advisory council composed of medical professionals and health ministries across the country to support the delivery of this service, which will be released in English first, followed by French in 2019.

It’s clear that the solution is in high demand, with a recent study by the Canadian Medical Association finding that 70 per cent of Canadians would take advantage of virtual physician visits and 75 per cent believe that new technologies can solve issues in the country’s healthcare system.  

Babylon and TELUS form a powerful strategic partnership. Babylon’s mission is to provide accessible and affordable health services to every individual on Earth, while TELUS leverages technology to enable superior health outcomes and digital solutions for Canadians.

“Canada is building a reputation worldwide for innovation and desires to be at the cutting-edge of development,” said Dr. Ali Parsa, Babylon’s founder and CEO. “TELUS’ consumer-centric approach coupled with its success in creating a more connected healthcare ecosystem through the use of innovative digital health technology solutions makes them the perfect partner for Babylon as we begin to serve this great country.”

This isn’t the first time TELUS has proved to be a key player in Canada’s digital economy. TELUS announced plans to open a new cybersecurity lab in Toronto earlier this year, in addition to partnering with Tunstall to provide home health monitoring to Canadians.