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Improving access to care and helping Clients live healthier lives
Sun Life is committed to being a partner for Clients throughout their health journey. For us that means helping them find the right care in complex health-care systems. It means offering health insurance plans with appropriate coverage. And it means educating and empowering Clients to confidently make decisions about their health.
To meet today’s health-care challenges and improve health outcomes for all, Sun Life provides a wide range of health and wellness solutions. We serve individuals and families, as well as organizations that aspire to create healthier workplaces for their employees.
Our approach
In today’s world, people face increased challenges when it comes to managing their health and accessing the right care at the right time. There are complex chronic diseases that require prevention and consistent management. Navigating the health-care system can be difficult, time-consuming and stressful, especially when dealing with a serious medical condition. To support healthier lives, we are using Client insights to innovate new products and services that address unmet needs in society.
With Sun Life and our network of partners, people don’t have to go through it alone. Helping Clients get the right care, at the right time, is a top priority – and we believe it’s an important competitive differentiator. We've created powerful search tools, such as Health Navigator (U.S.) and Lumino Health (Canada), that help Clients to explore and find local health-care providers that are right for them. These providers range from dentists, chiropractors, physiotherapists and psychologists to doctors and dietitians.
More people are turning to digital options to address their health concerns and connect with medical professionals virtually. Sun Life continues to invest in virtual care solutions that let Clients connect digitally with health-care professionals.
We’re also creating opportunities for underserved communities to get the care they need, with the goal of increasing health outcomes for all. Location, income, background or work arrangement should not prevent people from accessing care. One example is dental care. Our DentaQuest business in the U.S. is connecting underserved populations with oral health care to address systemic health issues.
Sun Life’s key programs and support services for Client health
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Mental health |
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Client access to programs and support services listed above may vary.
Mental health is one of the key issues of our time. Half a million Canadians miss work each week due to mental illness1. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased mental health challenges, leading to new cases of depression and anxiety worldwide2. That’s why we continue to prioritize mental health for Clients. We have developed programs and partnerships focused on removing barriers to effective treatment and recovery.
In Canada, for example, our Mental Health Coach (the “Coach”) supports group benefits Clients’ mental health journeys. The program proactively identifies Clients most at risk of developing mental health problems. The Coach provides these Clients with personalized treatment options and regular check-ins for ongoing care. In the U.S., we’ve partnered with AbleTo, a leading provider of high-quality, evidence-based virtual mental health therapy and coaching solutions. The program offers convenient mental health services to help Sun Life disability and critical illness members cope with a cancer diagnosis.
Another focus is helping people remain productive at work when facing an illness or injury, when appropriate. We have a Work is Healthy approach that helps people focus on their abilities rather than their limitations. We provide disability and return-to-work programs for Clients enrolled in Sun Life’s employer disability plans (North America). Our interdisciplinary teams, consisting of nurses, rehab consultants and more, provide early intervention and accommodation support.
We offer a growing suite of resources that give people the latest health insights, provide answers on health topics that matter to them and inspire healthier living. These resources include videos, articles, webinars and apps. In our retail business in Canada, for instance, we’ve partnered with a wellness provider to pilot a health app that rewards Clients for taking actions towards their physical, mental and financial health. In the Philippines, we have GoWell, a wellness community to help Clients access exercise programs, guided meditation and health-care awareness and education resources.
Drawing on our experiences in creating wellness solutions for our own employees, we share what we’ve learned with others. We do this by developing resources, such as white papers, videos and podcasts that all employers can use to advance health in their own organizations. For example, Sun Life’s Bright Paper reports combine research and analysis to help employers gain a deeper understanding of health issues.
We continue to be a thought leader. We work with researchers and government bodies to solve issues standing in the way of every employee getting health benefits and preventive health care. Refer to our Sustainability Report for examples.
Goals
2022 highlights
- Made health care more inclusive and accessible through new product and service offerings globally
- Provided access to mental health supports and services through new offerings in Canada and the U.S.
- Generated US$30.5 million in savings for Sun Life and our stop-loss Clients through our Clinical 360 program in the U.S.
Learn more about our progress and performance in our 2022 Sustainability Report and ESG Performance Tables.
Recognition
More resources
1 Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. “Workplace mental health playbook for business leaders”. 2020.
2 The Lancet, “Global prevalence and burden of depressive and anxiety disorders in 204 countries and territories in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic”. 2021.
Refer to Sustainability Data Scope.