Quebecers Without A Family Doctor Now Have A Hotline For Prescriptions & Scheduling Tests
It's a stop-gap for people on the Quebec Family Doctor Finder waitlist.
Pharmacy shelves filled with various pill boxes.
Quebecers who don't have a family doctor can now dial Info-Santé 811 and select option 3 to reach the Primary Care Access Point, or Guichet d'accès à la première ligne (GAP). The new hotline connects callers without a care provider to non and semi-urgent health services, like prescription refills and testing for STIs.
"When you contact the Primary Care Access Point, your request is assessed in order to refer you to the professional or medical service that best meets your need, such as seeing a doctor, talking with your pharmacist or joining a support program," according to the Quebec Health Ministry.
The service is a stop-gap for those who've already registered with the Quebec Family Doctor Finder (GAMF) but are still waiting to be paired with a family physician. The hotline can help with flu, COVID-19 or gastroenteritis symptoms, or provide support with family planning (pregnancy, birth control and infertility), mental health and scheduling vaccinations. Additional services are expected in the coming months.
In addition to the open 811 line, there are also local numbers to access regional versions of the service:
- Montreal: 514-890-6111
- Laval: 514-807-5775
- Abitibi-Témiscaminque: 1-855-484-2438
- Bas-Saint-Laurent: 1-855-905-5300, option 2
- Côte-Nord: 1-844-962-4262, option 2
- Estrie: 1-877-791-5439, option 1
- Lanaudière: 514-390-2163 or 1-833-572-2063
- Laurentides: 514-807-5764 or 1-833-638-1960
- Mauricie–Centre-du-Québec: 1-844-313-2029, option 1
- Outaouais: 819-966-6201 or 1-833-966-6201
- Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean: 1-844-867-5332, option 2
Similar medical support is also available online. A GAP web questionnaire connects users with the medical resources they need, except for appointment scheduling.