Virtual Primary Care

Virtual Primary Care offers residents of Newfoundland and Labrador who do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner access to NL-licensed primary care providers through video or phone call appointments.

During your Virtual Primary Care appointment, you will communicate with a health-care provider just like you do in a regular in-person appointment. The only difference is that you do so using video (on your computer or smartphone), or a phone (cellphone or landline), enabling you to receive medical attention from the comfort of your own home.

Eligible Newfoundlanders and Labradorians can use Virtual Primary Care from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. NST, Monday to Friday. Access to a computer, smartphone, tablet, or phone is required. This service is delivered by family doctors and nurse practitioners from Teladoc Health Canada, to add capacity to the NL health-care system.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible for Virtual Primary Care, you must:

• not have a family doctor or primary care provider in Newfoundland and Labrador
• be signed up for Patient Connect NL (if you have not yet signed up, you can do so via this link) or another health zone waitlist
• have a valid MCP number.

*This would also include those who have been provided a family care team in Newfoundland and Labrador but have not yet been contacted or seen by the practice.

Eligible individuals will be given access to Virtual Primary Care in phases, equitably across the different health zones, starting with residents who have been on the Patient Connect NL or another health zone waitlist the longest. It is anticipated that all eligible people will have access to Virtual Primary Care by approximately early 2024.

FAQs

• How do I sign up for this service?

  If you are already registered for Patient Connect NL or another health zone waitlist, you are already on the eligibility list. You will receive a letter in the mail confirming your placement in the coming weeks.

  If you haven’t registered on Patient Connect NL, once you do so, your name will automatically be put on the eligibility list for Virtual Primary Care.

   

• When can I start using Virtual Primary Care?

  Once eligible, you will be notified by letter that you can access Virtual Primary Care. The letter will include detailed instructions on how to register and log in to use the service.

• I haven’t received a letter yet. When will it be my turn to access Virtual Primary Care?

  Access to Virtual Primary Care will be rolled out in phases equitably across health zones, starting with residents who have been on the Patient Connect NL or another health zone waitlist for the longest time. Everyone who is without a family doctor or primary care provider and who have signed up on the Patient Connect NL list will have access to the service.

   

• Will this impact my place on a waiting list for a family doctor?

  No. If you use Virtual Primary Care, you maintain your place on the waiting list for a family doctor or primary care provider.  Once you have an in-person family doctor/primary care provider, you will no longer be eligible for Virtual Primary Care.

• I’m not on Patient Connect NL but received a letter. What should I do?

  There are two cases for receiving a letter without being on Patient Connect NL:

  1. There are other health zone waitlists that were established before Patient Connect NL that are being used to connect patients with family care teams.
  2. You could also be contacted if you have been provided a family care team in NL but have not yet been seen by a health-care provider.

  If you receive the letter, you are eligible for virtual care services. You should follow the necessary instructions for registering for Teladoc services.

• I don’t have internet. Can I connect with a virtual primary care provider by telephone?

  Yes. If you do not have access to the internet or cannot for any reason access the services via web or app, you can connect by telephone. A telephone number will be provided to you. However, medical practitioners prefer to see patients as well as hear them. Please consider going to a friend’s house, for example, to access the internet.

• Can minors (under 18) also see virtual providers?

  Yes. Minors under 18 years old can be added as dependent under their parent/guardian profile. A parent or guardian must be present for a medical appointment for children fourteen years of age and younger.

• Where will the virtual health-care providers be located?

  Virtual care providers are located across Canada. This adds capacity to the NL health-care system, by increasing the number of clinicians available to treat people. All health-care providers are licensed to work in Newfoundland and Labrador and have access to HEALTHe NL, the province’s electronic health record system.

• How will my privacy and my health data be protected?

  Teladoc Health, Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services and all medical providers offering virtual care are committed to protecting the privacy of patient’s personal health information by following the provisions outlined in the Personal Health Information Act. These include, but are not limited to, Privacy Impact Assessments, third party agreements, routine audits of access to personal information and personal health information, data encryption in transit and at rest and Privacy training for all staff. NLHS has made every reasonable effort to ensure the security of the virtual care technology, however, it is important for patients  and providers to ensure that their personal computer, mobile device, home internet, or Wi-Fi connection is secure.

• Who is providing this service?

  This program is offered and operated by Teladoc Health Canada. With over 20 years of experience in Canada, Teladoc Health Canada integrates with public health-care systems across the country, offering comprehensive care to millions of Canadians coast to coast.

• How was Teladoc Health Canada chosen to provide this service?

  There was a comprehensive procurement process issued by Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services (NLHS) to deliver these programs in early September of 2022. In November 2023, Teladoc Health was announced as the provider.