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 Québec TeleHealth Network (Réseau québécois de la télésanté). An information portal is available for telehealth patients, professionals and pilots.

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.

For more information about the advantages of telehealth and its areas of application, watch the video La télésanté, c’est quoi? (What is telehealth?)  (video in French, with English subtitles by pressing the "cc" button below the video).

For more information about home telehealth visits, watch the video It’s time for Telehealth!  (for English subtitles, please press the "cc" button below the video).

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 Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) implemented a telehealth governance structure that was strengthened in 2019 with the creation of the Québec TeleHealth Network (Réseau québécois de la télésanté). The governance structure relies on clinical and technological co-management, both at the MSSS 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 pilots. A clinical pilot and a technology pilot were appointed by each institution in accordance with ministerial guidelines.