Case Study
Economic Impact of Virtual Healthcare in Canada
Year:
2021
Sector:
Health Information Technology
Client:
Dialogue
The Mandate
Client Need
Virtual healthcare has been gaining ground in Canada since 2010—but the pandemic pushed its adoption into overdrive. In this rapidly evolving landscape, Dialogue set out to explore how virtual care could go beyond convenience: improving access to health services, easing financial pressure on the public system, and boosting employee productivity across the country.
Our Work
Our Strategic Approach
We supported the project across three key phases:
Reviewing the Evidence
We examined the latest research to compare virtual care with traditional in-person services—looking at access, quality, health outcomes, and overall costs.
Assessing the Economic Impact
We modelled how virtual healthcare impacts the economy, both nationally and in key provinces like Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec—capturing its effects on healthcare spending and system efficiency.
Forecasting the Future
We projected how different levels of virtual care adoption could play out, analysing potential gains and trade-offs for governments, individuals, and businesses across Canada.
The Result
Conclusion
Recommendations and Impact:
Dialogue’s business model creates significant savings for governments by internalizing health costs that would otherwise be borne by the public sector. To further improve healthcare efficiency, governments should establish a clear framework for Employer-Funded Virtual Care. This would not only enhance patient care but also encourage ongoing research and continuous monitoring of virtual care performance to ensure it meets evolving needs.
Expanding Access to Care
We found that virtual healthcare significantly enhances access to care and improves health outcomes across various contexts.
Quantifying the Benefits
Our cost-benefit analysis reveals net direct benefits associated with the adoption of virtual healthcare for governments, businesses, and patients. Specifically, governments save an average of $52 per consultation on virtual healthcare platforms like Dialogue compared to traditional healthcare services.
Projecting Future Savings
Projection scenarios suggest that annual net benefits could reach $1.6 billion nationwide by 2025. This underscores the significant potential of virtual healthcare in generating substantial economic benefits.
Addressing Mental Health Gaps
There is a significant opportunity for improving population health and reducing costs related to mental health, given the substantial gap in timely and effective treatment across Canada. Expanding virtual care access could address this gap, leading to better mental health outcomes and cost savings.
