TORONTO, June 18, 2020 /CNW/ - The COVID-19 pandemic has put a spotlight on the importance of virtual care. Once an emerging trend, it's now a necessity for health care in Canada. Yet, many are facing challenges. In a recent Lumino Health survey, over half of all Canadians (55%) said they do not know how to find virtual care services.

Forty-nine per cent of Canadians surveyed report the pandemic having negative effects on their physical health and nearly 60% report mental health impacts. This is a three per cent increase from a Sun Life survey conducted earlier in May1, which found 56% of Canadians reported COVID-19 having a negative impact on their mental health.

Interestingly, despite identifying a physical or mental health concern, only a small percentage of Canadians are seeking treatment. Of respondents who said COVID-19 is negatively impacting their mental health, only 21% have sought professional care. This rate is consistent with Canadians who say the pandemic is having a negative impact on their physical health – with only 21% seeking professional help.

"The need for Canadians to connect virtually with health care professionals has never been more important," said Chris Denys, Senior Vice-President, Possibilities, Lumino Health. "As physical distancing continues, it's our goal to bring Canadians the tools and resources they need to manage their health from home. The Lumino Health network has access to more than 12,000 health care providers who offer virtual services."

Although many Canadians are finding it difficult knowing where to access virtual care, awareness is high (72%). When asked what they believe are the main benefits of virtual care, Canadians listed:

• convenience (54%);
• no waiting rooms (50%); and
• speed to connect with a health care professional (40%).

Lumino Health: connecting Canadians with solutions

"When it comes to taking care of yourself, finding the right health care provider, solution or information can make all the difference. However, we know it's not always easy. That's why we created Lumino Health – Canada's largest network of health care providers, free to all Canadians," Denys explains.

Features of Lumino Health include:

• A 'virtual visit' icon, providing Canadians with access to over 12,000 health care providers who offer virtual care services.
• A search engine to find dentists, massage therapists, mental health professionals and other health care providers in your area.
• Access to more than 14 million ratings submitted by Sun Life Clients and their family members.
• Cost information to help compare how much each provider charges.
• A collection of resources and information to help Canadians manage their health and wellness.

As the situation related to the COVID-19 pandemic continues to develop, Lumino Health will help Canadians access the support they need to manage their health and wellness. For more information, visit LuminoHealth.ca.

About the survey
The survey is based on findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between May 8 and May 11, 2020. A sample of 1,001 Canadians was drawn from the Ipsos I-Say online panel aged 18 and older. The data for Canadians surveyed was weighted to ensure the sample's regional, age, and gender composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population.

The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within +/- 3.5% at 95% confidence level had all Canadian adults been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to methodological change, coverage error and measurement error.

About Lumino Health
Lumino Health network is an innovation from Sun Life, launched in fall 2018. Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada created the platform as a commitment to helping Canadians live healthier lives. As Canada's premier network of health resources, LuminoHealth.ca helps Canadians find healthcare providers near them in seconds and access resources and innovations to live healthier lives. In 2019, Lumino Health was awarded the "Reinventor" award by PWC for their innovative and industry-disrupting platform.

About Sun Life
Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing insurance, wealth and asset management solutions to individual and corporate Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March 31, 2020, Sun Life had total assets under management of $1,023 billion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.