TELUS Health Virtual Care Rebrand and Privacy FAQ

Link to Privacy Commitment

TELUS Health Virtual Care FAQ Updates
As of September 29, 2021, Akira will operate under the new name, TELUS Health Virtual Care.

Rebrand Frequently Asked Questions

Why did we change the name from Akira to TELUS Health Virtual Care?

The Background: TELUS acquired Right-Health Inc (operating as Akira) in 2019 to bring its innovative virtual care technology to the TELUS Family and provide members and their family direct access to secure medical consults with friendly, knowledgeable clinicians – 24/7, 365 days per year, and across Canada. TELUS acquired Equinoxe Virtual Clinic Corp (EQ Care platform) in 2020 to further invest in virtual care and to enable broader access to digital healthcare services and better health outcomes for Canadians, improving the overall patient experience.

Today: For now, Akira will operate under the new TELUS Health Virtual Care brand and EQ Care will continue to operate under the EQ Care name. Over time, EQ Care will also transition to the TELUS Health Virtual Care brand. For you, our patients, you can expect to see new TELUS Health Virtual Care branding while continuing to benefit from the services we offer.

How does the rebrand impact the services I receive currently?

Don’t worry, the services you receive are not impacted. Akira, under our new name TELUS Health Virtual Care, will continue to provide the same quality health and non-health services you have come to expect from us. You can expect to see new TELUS Health Virtual Care branding in the apps and communications from us and can continue to access health and non-health services. All services will continue through the apps without disruption. You have our commitment that we will continue to expand the services and features we offer to you through TELUS Health Virtual Care.

What does this mean for customer support?

Our services, clinical team and support staff will remain the same. Should you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to help@vc.telushealth.com

What will happen to my personal health information? What do I need to do as a customer?

We continue to safeguard your personal information and respect your privacy. There is no material change to the handling of your personal health information, but as your personal information will be handled in accordance with the TELUS Health Virtual Care Privacy Commitment as of SEPTEMBER 29, 2021, it is important that you read and understand the TELUS Health Virtual Care Privacy Commitment.

We want you to understand how seriously we take your privacy and we have worked hard to provide you with a policy that makes our personal information handling practices as transparent as possible.

To access the TELUS Health Virtual Care app on or after SEPTEMBER 29, 2021 you will be required to review and agree to new Terms and Conditions and will be asked in the app if you understand the updated Privacy Commitment.

Privacy & Security FAQS:

Terms used below are defined in the TELUS Health Virtual Care Privacy Commitment

How does the rebrand affect my privacy?

As of June 1, 2021, Right-Health Inc operates under the new name, TELUS Health Virtual Care Inc. The rebrand will not have a substantial impact on your privacy and the service continues to fall under the robust TELUS Privacy Management Program Framework that applies more broadly to the TELUS family of companies.

We have also taken this opportunity to develop and update our existing Akira Privacy Policy to a new TELUS Health Virtual Care Privacy Commitment that is more transparent and describes the specifics of how we protect your privacy and handle data in the context of the TELUS Health Virtual Care service. The TELUS Health Virtual Care Privacy Commitment is effective as of SEPTEMBER 29, 2021.

Who is responsible and accountable for protecting my privacy?

In most provinces, TELUS Health Virtual Care has overall responsibility for protecting the privacy of your Medical Records and other Personal Information and we are directly accountable to you.

Consultations with Healthcare Practitioners are available across Canada. With the exception of Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Yukon, TELUS Health Virtual Care has overall responsibility for protecting your Personal Health Information, including your Medical Record, and we are directly accountable to you.

In Alberta, Northwest Territories, and Yukon your Healthcare Practitioners who are designated as ‘health information custodians’ or ‘custodians’ under applicable legislation (Alberta’s Health Information Act, Northwest Territories’ Health Information Act, and Yukon’s Health Information Privacy and Management Act), have overall responsibility for the privacy of your Medical Records and TELUS Health Virtual Care collects, uses, and discloses Personal Health Information on their behalf and otherwise assists them with their responsibilities under the applicable legislation.

Consultations with Non-healthcare Professionals are available across Canada. The Non-healthcare Professional is responsible for all Personal Information that they collect and use during the consultation and otherwise (including if you decide to book an appointment directly with the Non-healthcare Professional). Please refer to the Non-healthcare Professional’s privacy policy if you have any questions or to learn more about how they treat your personal information.

What changes will occur in respect of my personal health information? What do I need to do as a customer?

There is no material change to the handling of your personal health information, but as your personal information will be handled in accordance with the TELUS Health Virtual Care Privacy Commitment as of SEPTEMBER 29, 2021, it is important that you read and understand the TELUS Health Virtual Care Privacy Commitment.

We want you to understand how seriously we take your privacy and we have worked hard to provide you with an updated policy that makes our personal information handling practices transparent.

To access the TELUS Health Virtual Care app on or after SEPTEMBER 29, 2021 you will be required to review and agree to new Terms and Conditions and will be asked in the app if you understand the updated Privacy Commitment.

Which privacy policy now governs my personal information at TELUS Health Virtual Care?

As of September 29, 2021, the TELUS Health Virtual Care Privacy Commitment and the associated TELUS Privacy Code will govern your personal information. It is important that you read and understand the TELUS Health Virtual Care Privacy Commitment.

Will my health information now be shared with the rest of TELUS?

No. To be clear, no Information from your medical record is shared or has been shared in the past with the rest of TELUS.

Which Privacy Policy and program govern my personal information when I use the TELUS Health Virtual Care app?

As of SEPTEMBER 29, 2021, the TELUS Health Virtual Care Privacy Commitment and the associated TELUS Privacy Code will govern your personal information.

TELUS Health Virtual Care service also falls under the robust TELUS Privacy Management Program Framework that applies more broadly to the TELUS family of companies.

Where can I find more information on TELUS Health Virtual Care’s privacy practices?

The TELUS Health Virtual Care Privacy Commitment contains the specifics about how we handle your personal information when you engage with the TELUS Health Virtual Care services and when you use our virtual consultation services. TELUS Health Virtual Care service falls under the robust TELUS Privacy Management Program Framework that applies more broadly to the TELUS family of companies.

What personal information does the TELUS Health Virtual Care app collect and why?

We collect only the Personal Information required for us to establish and maintain a responsible healthcare and service relationship with you, to provide our services, and to develop, enhance or market our products and services (including to send you relevant information about products and services that may be of interest to you), and to maintain and improve the security and functionality of our virtual care platform.‬

We collect Personal Information to set up an account for you on the TELUS Health Virtual Care App so that you can access and use the TELUS Health Virtual Care health-related services, including consultations with Healthcare Practitioners.

We also collect other information from you as you use the TELUS Health Virtual Care Platform Services:

App usage information
Website and device information
Cookies
Payment information or healthcare number

‬‬‬‬‬We may use Personal Information to send you newsletters. You can opt out of receiving them at any time.

More detail is set out in the TELUS Health Virtual Care Privacy Commitment

How is my information safeguarded?

Your Personal Information is encrypted and password-protected in the app.

We understand that data security is a critical priority and we are committed to safeguarding the Personal Information in our custody and control. We have implemented a comprehensive information security program that includes written policies and procedures, and security controls, as well as reasonable administrative, technical and physical safeguards in an effort to protect against unauthorized access, use, loss, modification, and disclosure of Personal Information in our custody or control.

Our team members must complete privacy and security training before they have access to any Personal Information, and must complete annual privacy and security training for ongoing access to Personal Information.

TELUS Health Virtual Care ensures that the security policies, procedures, and controls meet industry and TELUS best practices and are regularly tested. Please keep in mind that no internet or email transmission is ever fully secure or error free and no security system is impenetrable. We cannot fully guarantee the confidentiality of any information that you provide to us but we can assure you that we will use reasonable and appropriate security controls, reflective of the sensitive nature of Personal Health Information.

It is important for you to play an active role in the protection and safeguarding of your Personal Information. It’s important to guard your privacy when you are online. If TELUS Health Virtual Care contains links to other websites, this Privacy Commitment does not govern those websites. You should read their privacy policies and make an informed decision about whether you want to use those websites or their services.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Where is my personal information data stored?

Your Medical Record is encrypted in transit and at rest, and stored on a third party cloud platform with data centers physically located in Canada. As with most cloud platforms, in order to ensure availability, redundancy, and reliability, third parties operating these cloud platforms may temporarily view, access, use, or transfer information stored in these data centers outside of Canada as necessary for installing, implementing, maintaining, repairing, troubleshooting, or upgrading their cloud platform. To ensure this information is safeguarded at all times, we make sure that any information stored on these data centers are always encrypted in transit and at rest.

We also use service providers who may access or store Personal Information, not including your Medical Record, in the United States or other jurisdictions. For example, Non-healthcare Professionals are responsible for safeguarding your Personal Information and may store information in their own systems. We do not have control over what systems they use and where this data may be stored but we have contractual controls in place to protect this information and limit its use to what is necessary for them to perform the service.

For continuity of care purposes, we may share Personal Information among your Healthcare Practitioners and others who assist in the provision of healthcare to you.

We will not disclose your Personal Information for any purpose other than what has been outlined in this Privacy Commitment or as permitted under applicable law, unless we obtain your express consent. We disclose only the limited amount of Personal Information necessary to meet these purposes.

We do not sell your Personal Information to any third parties.

We may share your Personal Information with our service providers who are contracted to perform services or functions on our behalf where they require the information to assist us in serving you. We use contractual controls to protect this information and limit its use to what is necessary for the service provider to perform the service.

No Information from your Medical Record is shared with the TELUS Family.

Does TELUS Health Virtual Care sell my personal information?

No, we do not and will not sell your personal information.

Does the app collect or use my GPS location?

No, the app does not collect or use your GPS location.

Why am I asked to provide ID before my first consultation?

In order to consult with a Healthcare Practitioner, you will be required to verify your identity before you start your first consultation by providing a photo of your government-issued identification (either driver’s license, passport, or government-issued photo identification card). By sharing your government-issued identification to our encrypted chat log that forms part of your medical record, our Healthcare Practitioners will be able to match the photo on your identification card to you during any subsequent audio and video call to validate your identity. We do not use this information for any other purpose. In addition, on each audio or video visit with a Healthcare Practitioner, you may be asked questions to verify your identity using information from the photo identification card you provided. If you would like us to delete the copy of the government-issued identification card that you have uploaded into the TELUS Health Virtual Care App, please contact us at help@vc.telushealth.com.

If you do not wish to share your government-issued identification by chat, you will be asked to present it on video at each consultation and as required for services where we need to validate your identity. You may choose to share your government issued identification by chat at any time.

Does TELUS Health Virtual Care use facial recognition technology to authenticate?

No, facial recognition technology, which involves comparing a face or image of a face against a database of facial images, is not used by the TELUS Health Virtual Care service.

Are my consultations recorded?

No, we do not record audio or video consultations.

My physician uses a TELUS EMR, will my TELUS Health Virtual Care Medical Record be combined with it?

No, we do not share any information with your family doctor unless you request and consent to this information to be shared.

How long are my Medical Records retained for?

Medical Records must be retained in accordance with provincial retention guidelines. In general, for Medical Records, we will follow a retention of 16 years from either the date of last entry or from the age of majority of the individual to whom the information relates, whichever is later.

How do I access my health records or make a correction to my health records?

If you wish to access, update, and/or correct inaccuracies to your medical records, please contact us within the app by starting a consult or, at help@vc.telushealth.com, or at the address below:

TELUS Health Virtual Care
c/o Privacy Officer
25 York Street; Floor 30
Toronto, ON
M5J 2V5

How does TELUS Health Virtual Care use cookies?

The TELUS Health Virtual Care platform uses a technology called “cookies”. A cookie is a tiny element of data that the TELUS Health Virtual Care Platform sends to your browser, which may then be stored on your hard drive so that we can recognize your browser when you return. We use cookies to remember your preferences and to authenticate you. You may set your browser to notify you when you receive a cookie or to not accept certain cookies. However, if you decide not to accept first-party cookies used for the purpose of authentication, you will not be able to login to the TELUS Health Virtual Care platform. Please see our FAQs and Cookies Notice for information on our use of Cookies.

Does TELUS Health Virtual Care use artificial intelligence (AI)?

No, at this time, we do not use AI.

We are exploring numerous opportunities in AI within our business and believe that AI will also extend our capabilities to give back to the broader community and contribute to a friendlier future. Current AI applications are in their early stages, and we believe that human passion to innovate, coupled with strong ethical AI design principles, can create a powerful and positive transformation of our society.

As part of our commitment to putting customers first, we deploy AI responsibly. This means using data with integrity and in a way that protects privacy in accordance with our TELUS Health Virtual Care Privacy Commitment. It also means being transparent about how data is used. We aim to foster an environment where AI is a tool to drive the best customer experiences and improve our communities through social good initiatives.

Using supervised machine learning models to determine the products and services that are of interest to you, our customers. AI can help us learn from our past customer interactions to give us insights into what matters most to you. To learn more about TELUS’ approach to responsible AI, visit the responsible AI page.

What can I do to protect my privacy and security?

We also believe that an important part of protecting your privacy is sharing with you best practices on what you can do to protect your own privacy and security. To learn more about:

recognizing phishing and spam;
protecting your devices;
protecting yourself from identity theft and fraud;
surfing the internet safety, and
creating strong passwords please visit our general TELUS Protecting Your Privacy page.

TELUS Wise

At TELUS we believe in empowering all Canadians to stay safe in our digital world. Free-of-charge, TELUS Wise® offers interactive and informative workshops and content to help Canadians of all ages have a positive experience as digital citizens. Topics include protecting your online security, privacy, and reputation, rising above cyberbullying, and using technology responsibly. Visit TELUS Wise to learn more.

If you still have questions, you can reach out to us at:

Please contact us at help@vc.telushealth.com or the address below if:

you have any questions related to the collection, use and disclosure of your Personal Information;
you need to report any privacy or security violations, including any suspected or actual unauthorized access, use, disclosure or loss of Personal Information;
you have any questions or comments about this Privacy Commitment; or
you otherwise have a question or complaint about the manner in which we or our service providers treat your Personal Information, including our policies and practices with respect to the use of service providers outside Canada.