Grey Bruce Health Services is launching a pilot project offering virtual healthcare appointments.
Starting March 2nd, GBHS will begin offering "urgent care virtual visits" which will allow qualifying patients to "have access to a virtual visit with a GBHS physician from the comfort of their own home." Patients must have their own device for the calls, such as a tablet or laptop. Ten same-day virtual care appointments will be available three times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays between 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Patients must book appointments online on the day that they wish to see a doctor. Registration for appointments opens at 11 a.m. on the days of the virtual clinics, and the appointments must be booked by 3:30 p.m.
Grey Bruce residents with a valid OHIP card will be able to access this service for free. The project is being launched in partnership with Maple, a Canadian provider of "virtual healthcare solutions."
“This new service will work well for patients who need same-day medical attention, but are unable to see their family doctor, and not sick enough to require critical care,” says Dr. Sunil Mehta, Chief of Emergency Medicine at the GBHS Owen Sound hospital.
“We’re proud to come together with GBHS to bring the residents of the Grey and Bruce counties timely access to medical care, all without having to travel to the hospital in person,” adds Shelly-Ann Rampersad, VP of Clinical Operations at Maple. “Embracing innovation, patients will be able to access a GBHS doctor through the Maple platform, allowing those with non-life threatening medical issues to receive effective and convenient care.”
People can register for the new service starting March 2nd on the GBHS website: http://www.gbhs.on.ca.