the app used to cost money, but the provincial health plan began covering it when other telemedicine services were introduced. the company says it’s now seeing more than a thousand visits every week, several times more than the 100-150 weekly average before the pandemic began.
however, ruddy and privacy officials say patients should be careful about using such applications.
in a statement, provincial information and privacy commissioner ronald kruzeniski said users should ensure the apps comply with privacy standards about the use of personal health information.
the applications could prove to be a “very convenient service,” but health governing bodies should establish clearer rules about how they work, kruzeniski noted.
“i expect there will be many apps vying for loyalty of health professionals and patients,” he wrote. “as always, it will be ‘buyer beware’. in other words, health professionals and patients, be careful for what you sign up for.”
lumeca’s privacy officer, kaitlyn hebert, said the company is checking all the boxes when it comes to privacy law.
however, even if they are secure, ruddy said the applications may not share consultation results with a patient’s family doctor, which poses challenges for continuity of care. family doctors know more about their patients and provide better service, she argued.