Module 15: Telehealth & Medical Portals
What you will learn: How to book medical appointments online, access your health records through patient portals, connect with doctors by video, request prescription refills through pharmacy apps, and use the Ontario Telehealth nurse line — all from the comfort of home.
⏱ About 30–40 minutes — go at your own pace
Nothing on this page can harm your device. You cannot break anything by reading. If anything feels overwhelming, take a break and come back later — your progress is saved.
🔊 Listen to This Page
iPhone / iPad: Touch and hold any text, then tap Speak — the whole page can be read aloud.
Android: Settings → Accessibility → Select to Speak → tap any text to hear it.
Windows: Press Windows + Ctrl + Enter to start Narrator, which reads the page aloud.
Mac: System Settings → Accessibility → Spoken Content → turn on Speak Selection.
Helen, 78, from Chatham, Ontario. After her hip replacement, getting to her family doctor's office was exhausting and painful. When her doctor's clinic offered telephone appointments during the pandemic, Helen discovered something wonderful: most of her check-ins did not require being there in person.
She now does her quarterly blood pressure review by phone, books her lab work online, and refills her prescriptions through the Shoppers Drug Mart app. The only trips she makes are for tests or issues that truly require hands-on examination.
This module covers everything Helen uses — and more.
🩺 Part 1: What Is Telehealth?
Telehealth simply means receiving medical care from a distance — over the phone or by video — instead of travelling to a clinic in person. It is not a replacement for all medical visits, but it is a genuinely useful option for many everyday health needs.
Three Types of Telehealth
You and your doctor talk over the phone. No camera needed. Works on any phone, including a landline.
You and your doctor can see each other, like a video call with family. Needs a smartphone, tablet, or computer with a camera.
Send non-urgent questions to your care team through a patient portal. They respond in writing, usually within one to two business days.
Does OHIP Cover Telehealth Visits?
Most telehealth visits with your own Ontario-registered family doctor are covered by OHIP at no cost to you — just like an in-person appointment. Virtual urgent care services (such as Maple or Dialogue) may charge fees unless you have employer benefits or insurance that covers them.
When Telehealth Works Well
- Follow-up appointments after a procedure or treatment
- Medication reviews and prescription renewals
- Mental health check-ins with a therapist or psychiatrist
- Discussing lab results or test reports
- Non-emergency questions — rashes that are healing, mild colds, sleep concerns
When In-Person Is Better
- New symptoms that require a physical examination
- Urgent or emergency situations — always call 911 for emergencies
- Procedures, injections, or physical tests
- Hearing or vision checks that require equipment
Doctors offering telehealth in Ontario must use platforms that comply with PHIPA — the Personal Health Information Protection Act. This is Ontario's law that protects your private health information. If you are unsure whether your doctor's telehealth platform is PHIPA-compliant, it is completely reasonable to ask them directly.
📋 Part 2: Accessing Your Medical Records Online
Many Ontario hospitals now offer a patient portal — a secure website where you can see your own health information without having to phone the hospital. The most widely used portal in Ontario is called MyChart.
What Is MyChart?
MyChart is used by hospitals such as London Health Sciences Centre, Unity Health Toronto, Humber River Hospital, and many others across Ontario. Once you register, you can log in from any device — phone, tablet, or computer — and see your health records.
What You Can See in MyChart
- Lab results — blood work, urine tests, and more, often available before your doctor calls
- Imaging reports — X-ray, ultrasound, and CT scan findings
- Medications list — what has been prescribed and by whom
- Immunisation records — vaccinations on file at that hospital
- Upcoming appointments — scheduled visits with specialists or your care team
How to Register for MyChart
Lab results in MyChart are often available before your doctor has had a chance to review them. Seeing an "out of range" or "high" flag on a result can be alarming — but those flags are printed for all ages and situations, not just yours. Your doctor knows your individual baseline and medical history. If something looks abnormal, wait for your doctor's call or send a message through the portal before worrying.
📅 Part 3: Booking Appointments Online
You no longer have to call and wait on hold to book many medical appointments. Here is a guide to the most common online booking options in Ontario.
Family Doctor Appointments
Many Ontario family medical practices now offer online booking through platforms such as OceanMD, Jane App, or their own clinic website. Look for a "Book Online" or "Request an Appointment" button on your doctor's website. If you are not sure whether your clinic offers this, call and ask.
Lab Appointments
| Lab | How to Book Online | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| LifeLabs | Visit lifelabs.com/book-appointment | Canada's largest lab network. Choose your nearest location, service, date, and time. |
| Dynacare | Visit dynacare.ca and select "Book Now" | Also accepts walk-ins at many Ontario locations. |
Vaccination Appointments
For flu shots, COVID-19 boosters, and other publicly funded vaccines, visit ontario.ca/bookvaccine. You can choose your nearest pharmacy, public health unit, or community clinic and select a time that suits you.
Appointments with specialists (such as a cardiologist or orthopaedic surgeon) are usually arranged by your family doctor, not booked directly by you. After your doctor makes the referral, you will receive a phone call or letter from the specialist's office with your appointment details. You do not need to book this yourself.
📹 Part 4: Video Doctor Visits
If your own family doctor offers video appointments, they will walk you through how to connect — it may be through a simple link sent by email or text. You can also access video doctors through services that are available 24 hours a day.
Two Main On-Demand Video Doctor Services in Ontario
Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. See a doctor within minutes for non-emergency issues. Fees apply unless covered by your benefits plan or insurance. App available for iPhone and Android.
Similar to Maple. Some plans through employer benefits include TELUS Health at no extra cost. Check with your insurer or benefits administrator.
How to Prepare for a Video Appointment
Both Maple and TELUS Health Virtual Care can send prescriptions electronically directly to any Ontario pharmacy you choose — including mail-order pharmacies that deliver to your door. You do not need a paper prescription.
📞 Part 5: Ontario Telehealth — Free 24/7 Nurse Line
Ontario Telehealth Nurse Line
1-866-797-0000Free. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Covered by your Ontario health card. No cost to you.
When you call this number, you will be connected to a registered nurse who can discuss your symptoms, answer health questions, and help you decide whether you need to go to the emergency room, visit a walk-in clinic, or simply rest and monitor your symptoms at home.
When to Call Ontario Telehealth
- You have a health question and cannot reach your family doctor
- You are not sure whether your symptoms need emergency care
- It is evening, a weekend, or a holiday and your clinic is closed
- You want a nurse's opinion before deciding what to do next
- You want to know more about a medication or possible side effect
Ontario Telehealth is available in multiple languages through an interpreter service. Simply let the operator know your preferred language when you call and they will arrange interpretation.
If you prefer using a website, ontario.ca/healthline offers a symptom checker and a directory of local health services across Ontario, including walk-in clinics, mental health supports, and community health centres near you.
💊 Part 6: E-Prescriptions and Refill Requests
How E-Prescriptions Work
When your doctor writes an e-prescription (short for electronic prescription), they send it digitally — directly to your chosen pharmacy. There is no paper to pick up, carry, or potentially lose. You will usually receive a text message or email confirming that your prescription is ready at the pharmacy.
Requesting Refills Through Pharmacy Apps
Managing Multiple Medications
If you take several different medications at different times of day, ask your pharmacist about a blister pack — sometimes called a Dosette. Your medications are sorted into individual compartments by day and time, making it much easier to track what you have taken.
Automated pill dispensers (such as MedMinder) are also available and can send reminders to your phone when it is time to take a pill.
Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) Programme
If you are 65 or older with a valid Ontario health card, you are eligible for the Ontario Drug Benefit programme. It covers many listed prescription drugs for a small co-payment of $6.11 per prescription (2026 rate). For questions about ODB coverage, call ServiceOntario at 1-800-268-1154.
Whether your appointment is in-person or by video, it is a good habit to keep an up-to-date written list of all your current medications — including dosages and the doctor who prescribed each one. This helps avoid accidental duplicate prescriptions and ensures all your healthcare providers are informed.
🇨🇦 Part 7: Ontario Health App and MyHealth Ontario
MyHealth Ontario (myhealth.ontario.ca) is the Ontario government's official health portal. It is free, secure, and works on any device — your smartphone, tablet, or computer.
What You Can Do on MyHealth Ontario
- Access your COVID-19 vaccination record and QR code — useful proof of vaccination if requested by travel destinations, employers, or venues
- View certain lab results — available from connected healthcare providers in Ontario
- Download your immunisation history — a permanent record of the vaccines on file with the province
- Store your proof of vaccination in your Wallet app — tap and show instead of searching for a PDF
Creating Your MyHealth Ontario Account
Not every Ontario lab or clinic uploads results to MyHealth Ontario. Ask your family doctor which labs in your area are connected to the portal if you are not seeing your expected results.
🚚 Part 8: TELUS Health Virtual Pharmacy
TELUS Health offers a mail-order pharmacy service that delivers medications directly to your door anywhere in Ontario. This can be especially convenient if you have mobility challenges, live in a rural area, or simply prefer the ease of home delivery.
What the Service Offers
- Prescription fills delivered to your home, at no delivery charge
- Medication counselling by phone with a registered pharmacist
- Automatic refills with advance notification before each fill
- Simple management of multiple medications in one place
How to Sign Up
Visit telus.com/virtual-care and create an account using your health card and your existing prescriptions. Your current pharmacy can transfer your prescriptions electronically. Most Ontario private insurance plans accept TELUS Health, and the Ontario Drug Benefit programme is accepted as well.
If you enjoy the relationship with your neighbourhood pharmacist — the friendly face who knows your name and your medications — there is no obligation to switch to a mail-order service. The virtual pharmacy is an option, not a requirement. Some people find it a relief; others prefer the in-person experience. Both are perfectly valid choices.
🔒 Part 9: Privacy and Security for Health Portals
Your health information is among the most sensitive personal information you have. Here is how to keep it protected when using digital health services.
Your Rights Under PHIPA
PHIPA — Ontario's Personal Health Information Protection Act — gives you specific rights over your own health information. You have the right to:
- See your own health records held by any provider in Ontario
- Request corrections to any errors in your records
- Know who has accessed your health information
- Withdraw consent for non-essential sharing of your information
Practical Security Steps
Contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC):
Website: ipc.on.ca
Phone: 1-800-387-0073
The IPC is an independent office that oversees privacy rights in Ontario. Filing a complaint is free, and you do not need a lawyer.
✏️ Try It Yourself — Practice Exercises
The best way to feel comfortable with these tools is to try them. Here are four simple exercises to get started.
Go to myhealth.ontario.ca on your device. Create a free account using your health card number and date of birth. Once logged in, find your COVID-19 vaccination record and try downloading or saving the QR code to your phone's Wallet app.
Search the name of your family doctor's clinic online (for example, "Dr. Smith Medical Centre St. Thomas"). See if their website has a "Book Online" or "Request an Appointment" option. Even if you do not book anything, you will know it is there for next time.
If you use Shoppers Drug Mart, search for "PC Health" in the App Store or Google Play. If you use Rexall, search for "Rexall." Download the app, create an account, and locate the "Refill Prescription" option. You do not need to refill anything — just find the button so you know where it is.
Open the Contacts app on your phone. Add a new contact named "Ontario Telehealth Nurse" with the phone number 1-866-797-0000. Having it saved means you will not need to search for it when you are feeling unwell and just want to speak with a nurse.
✅ What You Have Learned — Progress Check
Tick each box when you feel confident about that skill:
Canadian Resources — Telehealth & Health Portals
You have completed Module 15!
You now know how to access your health records online, book lab and doctor appointments without waiting on hold, connect with a doctor by video, reach a free nurse any time of day or night, manage your prescriptions through an app, and protect your health information from prying eyes. Healthcare has come to your home — and you know how to use it.