Sun Life announces Google enhancement to digital coach

Sun Life has announced that its new interactive coach that helps plan members find local healthcare practitioners can now be accessed using Google Assistant.

After asking “Hey Google, can I speak to Sun Life?” to a Google home device, the closest top-rated healthcare providers will be connected to Ella, Sun Life’s bilingual digital coach.

“Ella, our digital coach, allows every Canadian to benefit from what Sun Life can offer," said Dave Jones, senior vice-president for Group Benefits at Sun Life Financial Canada. “We are thrilled to share our provider network and the power of the Sun Life community through Ella on Google Home.”

Ella’s search function harnesses ratings for over 100,000 healthcare providers, including dentists, physiotherapists, chiropractors, and massage therapists. More than 3 million ratings have been gathered from Sun Life clients, who are asked to rate their provider on a scale from one to five when submitting a claim online or via the Sun Life mobile app.

Once a user selects a service provider, Ella can send the user a text message with the provider’s name, location, and contact information to schedule an appointment.

“Our goal is to help Canadians make informed decisions when managing their health and wellness,” said Chris Denys, senior vice-president of Possibilities with Digital Health Solutions at Sun Life Financial Canada. “As the leading group benefits provider in Canada, with 50 million health touchpoints with Canadians per year, we are constantly exploring the latest and greatest in digital innovations that support Canadians and their health needs."

Sun Life recently announced another development in its innovative use of data and analytics. Through a new collaboration with SecureKey Technologies, a leading provider of identity and authentication solutions, clients can have even more options to conveniently and securely share identity information using other trusted providers such as banks, telcos, and governments.