About telehealth

The goal of telehealth is to provide patients with safe access to remote clinical services using information and communications technologies.

This modality makes it possible to organize and deliver health and social services that are integrated into regular health care services.

Activities in this sector are coordinated by the Réseau québécois de la télésanté. An information portal is available for telehealth patients and health professionals.

Go to the Réseau québécois de la télésanté portal

The objectives of telehealth are to:

• increase access to health care services
• provide timely, quality and continuous care
• promote patient participation as care partners
• improve the use of professional expertise and resources
• organize services into networks and promote collaboration among professionals

To discover telehealth and its different activities through simple definitions, illustrations and concrete examples, visit the What is telehealth? page.

Telehealth has many advantages for patients and their health care professionals. Various clinical activities can be carried out remotely using technological tools. For example, patients can discuss treatment options with their professionals, participate in diagnoses, be consulted and receive education.

It promotes improved access to specialized expertise in most regions of the province. At the same time, it reduces travel and related costs for patients and health care professionals.

Telehealth also facilitates collaboration among health care professionals including communication and knowledge transfer in the health network.

The gouvernement du Québec implemented a telehealth governance structure that was strengthened in 2019 with the creation of the Réseau québécois de la télésanté. The governance structure relies on clinical and technological co-management, both at the gouvernement du Québec and within the network’s establishments.

To support the deployment of telehealth, four telehealth coordination centres (TCCs) were created, one in each integrated university health and social services network (RUISSS) territory.

TCCs work closely with telehealth respondents. A clinical respondent and a technology respondent were appointed by each institution in accordance with ministerial guidelines.