Vector Health Labs Acquires Tulip Health Telemedicine Platform

Acquisition will help expand Ontarians' access to simple, safe and OHIP-covered medical advice from authorized physicians

TORONTO, Feb. 17, 2022 /CNW/ - Today, healthcare technology innovator Vector Health Labs announced its acquisition of the Tulip Health telemedicine platform. Tulip will join Vector's existing suite of healthcare services, which includes diagnostic Covid-19 testing, antibodies serology testing, and hormone testing to address the next stages of the current pandemic. As part of Vector Health Labs' mission to grant greater autonomy over personal healthcare, this acquisition will expand the platform's ability to offer OHIP-covered virtual consultations confidentially, and with quick turnaround, so more patients can speak to doctors without having to leave home.

Tulip Health offers a wide range of free medical services for all Ontario residents with a valid OHIP card, including specialist referrals, prescription renewals, and Covid-19 assessment. Patients can register online for an appointment with one of more than 250 doctors, available seven days a week, with no mobile app and no waiting room visits required. All Tulip Health's doctors are Ontario MDs with backgrounds ranging from family medicine to long-term care and are also trained to provide mental health consultations.

"We are excited to welcome Tulip Health to the Vector family, where we believe that our biggest healthcare crisis is the pandemic of mental health––a pandemic that has been further exposed by Covid-19," said Rob Godfrey, president and CEO, Vector Health Labs. "Since primary care physicians are often the first point of contact for those experiencing mental health issues, adding Tulip's OHIP-covered telehealth platform to our service offerings will be an important step toward our goal of addressing this wide-ranging crisis."

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a 240 per cent increase in virtual healthcare in Canada, including a 114 per cent increase in telemental health services. Overall, the percentage of medical appointments conducted online has risen from 20 per cent before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, to 60 per cent throughout. With a healthcare system that has been stretched to its limits during a public health crisis, expanding access to telemedicine can help reduce wait times in urgent care clinics, allow more frequent and convenient meetings with healthcare providers, and reduce patient stress.

"We share Vector Health's vision of expanding the Tulip platform to not only other areas of medicine such as mental health, but also to other geographic regions, including other provinces and the United States," said Jeff Gilmore, CEO, Tulip Health. "Together we can provide a more integrated solution to customers looking to take a more proactive and preventative approach to their personal healthcare."

The Tulip Health platform is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.  For more information and to register and book appointments, visit tuliphealth.ca.

ABOUT VECTOR HEALTH LABS
Vector Health Labs is a technology and innovation organization focused on providing unparalleled service to clients through laboratory services and state of the art technology. Founded in January 2021, Vector Health is currently offering services at 22 locations across the GTA, extending to the Ottawa region for both retail and corporate clients. For more information, please visit vectorhealth.ca.

ABOUT TULIP HEALTH
Tulip Health is a virtual medicine platform offering high-quality virtual appointments to all Ontario residents, both urban and rural. Founded in May 2020 to help Ontario citizens when in-person medical care was restricted by Covid-19, Tulip has now serviced over 70,000 patients across the province, ensuring efficient access to family practitioners, pediatricians and mental health specialists at a time of need. For more information, please visit tuliphealth.ca.

SOURCE Vector Health Labs

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