‘Really disappointing’: Saskatchewan virtual health-care service discontinued

Lumeca is a virtual health-care company that provided access to locally licensed doctors via audio and video communication for residents of Saskatchewan.

The service was first introduced to Saskatchewan in 2019 but has been discontinued effective December 2021.

The doctor app has helped many Saskatchewan residents access health care remotely without leaving their house, which was a convenience for many.

“We’ve used the Lumeca app in the past two years…it’s super handy,” said Laura Strem, who lives on a farm an hour out of Regina.

“When you have little kids, you don’t want to bundle them and drive to the nearest centre to a doctor’s office.”

Strem said the Lumeca app was a great convenience for her family and others who live remotely. The longest she had to wait to talk to a doctor was an hour and didn’t have to leave her house.

When she heard the Lumeca virtual clinic was closed, she was disappointed because she said this app is a huge asset for the province.

“I was hoping it was something that would continue,” she said. “We’ve had enough struggles with the health-care system in the last three years trying to balance COVID and to lose one more thing is really disappointing.”

On the Lumeca website where people would book their online appointments to see a doctor, an automated message appears that reads,”Sorry, Lumeca Virtual Walk-In Clinic is closed…We regret to inform you of the closure of the Lumeca same-day access clinic effective December 17, 2021.”

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health sent a statement in regards to the closure, stating that Lumeca is a private company that was providing a virtual health-care services in Saskatchewan.

“The Ministry and SHA are not in a position to speculate on the business decisions of a private business, specifically the considerations involved in the decision to discontinue services,” according to the statement.

It isn’t known if the Lumeca app will return this year or why the service has discontinued in Saskatchewan.

Global Regina reached out to Lumeca but they declined to comment.