Canada

Frequently Asked Questions

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Do you have relevant/specific legal regulations regarding telemedicine practice in your hospital/region/country?

Alberta
Any licensed physician can perform telemedicine visits.

Manitoba
Any licensed physician can perform telemedicine visits.

Ontario
Any licensed physician can perform telemedicine visits. Before Covid required to use Ontario Telemedicine Network systems. Since Covid can use any videoconferencing software and use telephone calls.

Quebec
All licenced physicians may use telephone or a choice of 3 telemedicine software options. REACTS (integrated into EMR) is approved and available to all physicians. ZOOM and Microsoft Team also can be used. Not allowed to use email or FaceTime

Nova Scotia
All licensed physicians had access but had limited use before Covid in regional hospitals with limited time.

Is there specific reimbursement for telemedicine services (fee for service) or it is included in your clinical care practice without any specific reimbursement?

Alberta
Telehealth was well reimbursed by provincial health system and same as in person visits. There is a general telephone fee code.

Manitoba
Telehealth was well reimbursed by provincial health system before Covid-19

Ontario
Telehealth is reimbursed at the same rate as in person visits through the provincial health system.

Quebec
Billing codes are identical for telephone and videoconferencing.

Nova Scotia
Billing codes for videoconferencing and phone calls poorly reimbursed.

Any rules or recommendations regarding institutional preferences for time split between physical visits versus virtual?

Manitoba
No

Ontario
No

Quebec
No

Nova Scotia
No

How do you use telemedicine? What actual methods - mainly telephone calls?, e mails, text messages, videoconferences? Any specific platform/software?

Alberta
Standard approach is to have patients go to a telemedicine studio that has an experienced coordinator present.

Manitoba
Standard approach is to have patients go to a telemedicine studio that has an experienced coordinator present. The coordinator would be responsible for the technology and helping with patient evaluations.

Since Covid-19 these telemedicine clinics have not been operational since all non-urgent patients are not encouraged to come to facilities. These patients are offered phone calls as another option. If determined that an in clinic visit is needed it will be set up. New consults are also initially interviewed by phone then brought in at an appropriate time based on the need.

1st nation communities are not allowing patients to leave their community for any reason including a MD apt and return without 2 weeks of quarantine on your return. Thus they are not coming to apps.

Ontario
Standard approach is to have patients go to a telemedicine studio that has an experienced coordinator present. The coordinator would be responsible for the technology and helping with patient evaluations. Since Covid-19 these telemedicine clinics have not been operational since all non-urgent patients are not encouraged to come to facilities. These patients are offered telehealth visits at their homes or phone calls as another option.

Quebec
See above. Have protocols for dystonic patients, Huntington’s patients are seen with social workers, predictive genetic testing

Nova Scotia
No movement disorders regular use before Covid

The main difficulties or barriers to perform telemedicine? Technological limitations, patient rejection, lack of training how to conduct it. Privacy concerns?

Alberta
No major barriers

Manitoba
No major barriers

Onatrio
No major barriers except for elderly patient population has difficulty with in-home videoconferencing with access to computers, set up and use

Quebec
Problems with elderly population using technology

Nova Scotia
Limited access in hospitals