Virtual vs In-Person Care?
We can help with some health concerns through virtual care (video or phone), but some health issues are better treated in person. Your health and safety are very important to us.
If the Nurse Practitioner feels that your concern cannot be safely managed virtually, you may be advised to attend a clinic, urgent care, or the hospital.
Below is a list of concerns that are generally appropriate for virtual care, and those that are not.
Appropriate for Virtual Care
If you are experiencing any of the following, a virtual appointment may be suitable:
- Medication reviews and follow-up prescriptions, including controlled substances, when clinically appropriate
- Urinary tract infection
- Sore throat (less than seven days, or already treated)
- Skin problems, rash, or shingles (less than seven days)
- Tick bite
- Stomach ache without fever (less than two weeks)
- Mild to moderate headache
- Mild breathing difficulty
Please note: prescribing decisions are made by the NP based on clinical assessment and safety.
Not Appropriate for Virtual Care
For the following concerns, it is important to seek in-person or emergency medical care:
✖ Acute or severe abdominal pain
✖ Life- or limb-threatening conditions
✖ Chest pain
✖ Acute or worsening shortness of breath
✖ Extreme lethargy
✖ Signs of stroke (such as trouble speaking or weakness on one side of the body)
✖ Reduced level of consciousness
✖ Severe headache (sudden or “the worst headache ever”)
✖ New difficulty breathing (trouble speaking, walking, or breathing when lying flat)
✖ Severe stomach pain with nausea or vomiting
✖ Baby under three months with a fever
✖ Baby aged three to twelve months with a fever lasting three days or more
✖ Very high blood sugar (>20 mmol/L) with thirst, fatigue, or dizziness
✖ Sudden loss of vision
✖ Sudden paralysis or rapidly worsening weakness
If you are unsure whether your concern is appropriate for virtual care, our team will be happy to help guide you.
