Virtual Primary Care

Provincial virtual primary care services are available to individuals who do not have a primary care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner) and have registered with Patient Connect NL. Virtual primary care is an additional service option that can provide diagnosis and treatment for numerous common illnesses with the use of innovative technology.

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.

Virtual primary care is one of the tools within our health-care system, and the addition of this digital solution is an option for individuals without immediate access to primary care.

With provincial virtual primary care, users can access primary health care via phone, mobile app or computer, allowing them to promptly schedule appointments with Canadian-based family physicians and nurse practitioners who are licensed to practice in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Eligible Newfoundlanders and Labradorians can use virtual primary care from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. NST, Monday to Friday. Access to a computer, smartphone, tablet, or phone (cellphone or landline) is required.

Since its introduction in November 2023, over 19,000 people have registered and nearly 21,000 virtual appointments (as of October 2024) have taken place through provincial virtual care services, which are offered by third-party provider Teladoc Health Canada.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible for Virtual Primary Care, you must:

• not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner;
• be signed up for Patient Connect NL (if you have not yet signed up, you can do so via this link) or by phone at 1-833-913-4679); and
• 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.

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 provincial virtual primary care. The letter will include detailed instructions on how to register and log in to use the service.

• What should I do if I haven’t received a letter but am eligible for this service?

  NL Health Services routinely issues letters through regular mail to new people added to the provincial waitlist with instructions on how to access provincial virtual primary care.

  Those who have already registered on Patient Connect NL, have not yet been assigned a family doctor or nurse practitioner, and have not yet received or misplaced their letter, can call 1-833-913-4679 to confirm their eligibility for this service and receive instructions on how to access it.

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

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

• What types of care can be provided virtually?

  While not a substitute for an in-person visit, family doctors and nurse practitioners delivering virtual primary care can diagnose and treat numerous common illnesses, order diagnostic tests and imaging, manage and monitor ongoing chronic problems for new or worsening symptoms, prescribe medications, and refer patients when required for additional support related to complex medical issues.

  Virtual primary care is an additional service option that can provide diagnosis and treatment for numerous common illnesses with the use of innovative technology.

• What platforms can I use to access provincial virtual care services?

  With provincial virtual primary care, users can access primary health care via phone, mobile app or computer, allowing them to promptly schedule appointments with Canadian-based family physicians and nurse practitioners who are licensed to practice in Newfoundland and Labrador.

• 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 (NL) 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. NL Health Services 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 to deliver these programs in early September of 2022. In November 2023, Teladoc Health was announced as the provider.