Frequently Asked Questions: Individual & Employee Family Assistance Program and Virtual Care

General questions

How do I access my IAP or EFAP and Virtual Care benefits? Icon/UI/plus-circle

For Personal Health Plan Members:

To access your new Individual Assistance Program and Virtual Care:

  1. Start by logging in to your Member Portal. 
  2. Navigate to My Coverage, then select IAP.
  3. Here you will see a description of your Individual Assistance Program and instructions on how to access your benefits.
  4. At the bottom of the summary, you will find your Access Code/Service Key. Use this to register your account. You will use the same access code to register for both IAP and Virtual Care.
  5. Visit www.homeweb.ca to get started and register for your account.

For Group Plan Members with EFAP included in their plan: Ask your plan administrator for your organization access code.

Are the services confidential? Icon/UI/plus-circle

Yes, all services are fully confidential. Homewood Health and Cleveland Clinic Canada are trusted leaders in providing private and secure support and healthcare services. Your identity and personal information are safeguarded and will not be shared, except as required by law.

Individual Assistance Program (IAP) and Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP)

What is the Individual Assistance Program (IAP) or Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP) and what’s included? Icon/UI/plus-circle

Homewood Health’s IAP and EFAP provide you and your eligible family members with a wide variety of mental health, wellness and personal life supports. Some of the services you have access to as a Saskatchewan Blue Cross plan member include, but are not limited to:

  • Counselling services to assist with depression, anxiety, grief/bereavement, and more
  • Sentio iCBT, an internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (iCBT) program designed to provide support for mild to moderate depression, anxiety and other mental health issues
  • Life Smart Coaching service for everyday challenges such as financial and family care, smoking cessation, lifestyle changes and nutrition, and more
  • A tailored library of online resources
What type of counselling services are available through my IAP or EFAP? Icon/UI/plus-circle

Homewood Health offers a range of counselling modalities that can be tailored to your individual needs. These include options for:

  • Video Counselling: you can access personal, face-to-face contact with a counsellor, no matter where you live
  • In-person Counselling: counselling may be delivered in-person. To support in-person counselling, Homewood Health draws on a network of professionals across Canada.
  • Telephonic Counselling: counselling delivered over the phone is especially valuable if you prefer the added anonymity of a telephone appointment, are time-challenged, or in-person is not convenient or possible.
  • Chat e-Counselling: offers real time interaction with a counsellor in a secure chat room.
  • Private Conversations e-Counselling: Private Conversations is a highly secure application that functions similar to email. With this option, you have the freedom to compose thoughts, edit and stop writing and return to the exchange when you’re ready.
Who is Homewood Health? Icon/UI/plus-circle

Saskatchewan Blue Cross has partnered with Homewood Health to offer our plan members access to a best-in-class Individual Assistance Program (IAP) and Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP).

Homewood Health is at the forefront of mental health and well-being, providing Canadians with an unparalleled continuum of care. They achieve outstanding outcomes daily through their national network of over 6,000 employees and clinical experts working in partnership with leading employers, organizations, researchers and governments. Their unique and comprehensive stepped care continuum provides the most complete range of mental health services available nationally.

 

TytoCare®

What is TytoHome™? Icon/UI/plus-circle

Designed for home and travel use, TytoHome is a portable, hand-held examination kit that syncs seamlessly with the Express Care Online application, enabling patients to have a seamless, high-quality remote physical exam with a Cleveland Clinic Canada nurse practitioner. This innovative technology includes a digital camera, thermometer, stethoscope, otoscope, and tongue depressor and allows for most common medical problems to be addressed virtually.

Learn more

What is TytoClinic™? Icon/UI/plus-circle

TytoClinic is like having a mini clinic in your building. It is an easy and convenient way for employees to have a guided remote medical exam with a Cleveland Clinic Canada clinician while at the office or work site.

To set up a TytoClinic, all you need is a small, private space in your building. The TytoClinic includes easy-to-use diagnostic tools that can check your temperature, heart, lungs, ears, throat, and skin. A nurse practitioner guides you through the exam in real time, providing a thorough and personalized virtual assessment — without the need to visit a clinic in person.

Unlike the TytoHome kit, the TytoClinic is a fixed setup, offering a more comprehensive, clinic-like experience for workplaces at an affordable cost.

TytoClinic is not available to plan members; it is only an option for clients and plan administrators.

Learn more

How do TytoHome and TytoClinic integrate with Express Care Online? Icon/UI/plus-circle

Tyto devices enhance your virtual care experience by allowing thorough remote physical exams during your video visits. If you have a Tyto device, it must be paired with your Express Care Online account before starting your virtual visit. Once connected, your nurse practitioner will let you know which diagnostic tools to use and guide you through the exam.

What can the TytoHome and TytoClinic diagnostic tools check? Icon/UI/plus-circle

The TytoHome exam kit includes tools for examining the heart, lungs, throat, skin, ears, and body temperature.

TytoHome can be used for diagnosing common medical conditions such as the flu, common cold, ear infections, bronchitis, and sore throats. It can also be used to take high-resolution photos of the ear, throat and skin.

The TytoCare solution resolves 59% more conditions than audio/visual telehealth offerings and 98% of visits without necessitating an in-person appointment.

Do Saskatchewan Blue Cross clients and plan members have access to preferred pricing? Icon/UI/plus-circle

Yes! All eligible clients and plan members receive a 10% preferred pricing discount for both the TytoClinic and TytoHome devices.

For corporate inquiries on the TytoHome and TytoClinic, please contact Cleveland Clinic Canada at corporatehealthcanada@ccf.org.

To purchase individual TytoHome kits, go to, TytoHome™ – Cleveland Clinic Canada.

Use code SBC10 at checkout.

Please note that pricing is subject to change and includes applicable taxes and shipping fees.

 *Note: TytoHome subscriptions are managed by Cleveland Clinic Canada and require an Express Care Online virtual care subscription. Subscriptions have a two-year commitment and auto-renew annually. TytoHome is not available in Quebec. 

Can plan members use their HSA or PWA to cover the cost of TytoHome? Icon/UI/plus-circle

Yes. TytoHome is a Health Canada-approved medical device and is eligible for reimbursement through a Saskatchewan Blue Cross Health Spending Account (HSA) and/or Personal Wellness Account (PWA).

Virtual Care

Are Virtual Care services available when I’m travelling? Icon/UI/plus-circle

You can access your Virtual Care 24/7* within Canada. Services are not available when travelling outside of Canada. 

What is Virtual Care and what is included? Icon/UI/plus-circle

Virtual Care, also referred to as telemedicine, allows patients to receive care from a provider virtually via a video or phone consult without having to visit a clinic in-person.  Cleveland Clinic Canada’s Express Care Online allows patients to connect live with a nurse practitioner to get a diagnosis or medical advice for non-emergency health conditions.

A Cleveland Clinic Canada nurse practitioner can diagnose, treat, and prescribe medications for non-emergency conditions like:

  • Flu
  • Allergies
  • Sinus issues
  • Cough
  • Common cold
  • Pink eye
  • Anxiety/Depression
  • Acute diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting
  • Rashes, skin problems, burns, insect bites

After your assessment, if needed, you can receive:

  • Lab and imaging requisitions
  • Prescriptions sent to your preferred pharmacy
  • Referrals to specialists
  • Case coordination with Cleveland Clinic Canada
  • Case coordination with Homewood Health (with your consent) for mental health and wellness support
When are Virtual Care services available? Icon/UI/plus-circle

Express Care Online is available 24/7/365, in all provinces except Quebec.

*In Quebec, services are available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST daily, excluding statutory holidays.

Is there a limit to number of virtual care sessions I can access? Icon/UI/plus-circle

You and your eligible dependents can use Virtual Care services as much as you need, there is no cap on the number of visits or on the number of concerns you may want to address at an appointment.

Who is Cleveland Clinic Canada? Icon/UI/plus-circle

Cleveland Clinic Canada is the Canadian location of Cleveland Clinic, a global nonprofit academic medical centre that has provided world class patient care to people from around the world since 1921. Their multi-disciplinary team of physicians and wellness experts provide in-person care at their clinics in Toronto as well as virtual care across Canada. Cleveland Clinic Canada patients benefit from the expertise of dozens of Canadian physicians, specialists and wellness experts, as well as over 5,000 physicians and specialists across the Cleveland Clinic network.