General Questions
The team at QDoc has developed a software that allows patients to be connected to doctors for virtual video appointments. This service is free for Canadian residents with a Manitoba Health Card.
To be connected to a doctor, you need to create a secure account using your email address and a password. After this, you can create a patient card using your first and last name, your date of birth, and your health card information. Once your information has been saved, you simply have to click the “Start Visit” button on your card to be placed in the queue.
Whenever a patient enters the queue, the most appropriate doctors receive a text notification that there is a patient to be seen. If no doctor responds to this message after a period of time, the search is escalated, and more doctors are notified. The first doctor to respond to the message can review your chart and is then connected directly to you for an online audio-video appointment. From here they can assess your symptoms, write prescriptions, and order lab tests if they are deemed necessary. If you select for this option, a summary of the encounter will be automatically sent to your family physician once the visit has ended.
Unfortunately, no. At this time, QDoc is only available to patients who are physically located in Manitoba at the time of their visit. The College of Physicians and the Manitoba government do not allow Manitoba doctors to see patients that are physically located outside of the province. We are actively working to expand into other provinces, so please check back with us again.
Yes – all Canadian citizens with a valid provincial health card (excluding Quebec residents) are able to use QDoc for free. Quebec residents and Canadian residents who do not have a provincial health card are able to use the service but may be billed for their visit. International visitors to Manitoba are not currently able to use QDoc, but we are working to develop this ability. Please check in with us again soon.
Please see Billing and Insurance for more information on private insurance and payment options.
Our QDoctors are a team of skilled physicians who come from various medical backgrounds. They are all licensed and registered to practice medicine in Manitoba and have participated in training to be able to deliver quality care through the virtual QDoc platform.
QDoc can help with non-emergency episodic medical care. Our QDoctors can prescribe medications, refer you to a specialist, provide a sick note, and order lab tests.
QDoc is a free service available to Canadian residents (excluding Quebec residents) that are physically located in Manitoba and hold a valid provincial health card. It is also free to students at the Red River College who are covered by MSH private insurance.
QDoc is PHIA/HIPAA secure and follows all necessary security protocols. We take the security of your healthcare information very seriously.
It is recommended that patients be at least 18 years of age to access QDoc without a parent or guardian. However, some doctors may still see younger patients, such as emancipated minors, so that all patients can receive appropriate medical care.
You may use QDoc if an ASL interpreter is physically located with you during your visit with a QDoc physician. We do not currently provide ASL interpretive services, but we are working towards developing a closed captioning feature for patients who have difficulty hearing.
QDoc is currently only available in Manitoba, Nunavut, and NW Ontario. Please check in with us soon, as we are planning to expand.
QDoc and all medical clinics are bound by the Provincial Health Information Act which strictly prohibits sharing of any medical information unless provided by written consent by the patient.
Account Creation / Maintenance Questions
- Go to qdoc.ca and click “See A Doctor Now”.
- Click on “Register”.
- Enter a valid email address and a secure password.
- QDoc will send a verification code to your email address. If you don’t see the email within 5 minutes, please check your junk/spam/promotions/bulk folders.
- Enter your verification code and press sign up.
- Click “Create A Patient Profile”.
- Enter all required information and save.
There may be an issue with the information that was entered. Check the following:
- Your phone number should only include digits – no brackets or dashes.
- In your postal code, make sure that zeros are not replaced by the letter O.
- If your postal code includes the letters D, F, I, O, Q, or U, it will not be accepted, as these codes are outside of our current region of service.
- Make sure that your birth date is correct and in the appropriate format (dd/mm/yyyy).
- Make sure that there are no spaces between digits in your phone number or health card numbers. Clear the information from that field and type it in again without spaces.
If all of your information is correct, then try saving again (it may take several seconds to process). You will be redirected to the home page after a successful save. If it repeatedly fails to save and there are no issues with formatting, you may need to refresh the page and try again. If it says that your Health card number is already in the system after retrying, refresh the webpage and scroll to the bottom. Your patient card may have been created already.
- Ensure you have created an account AND a patient profile.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page and locate your Patient Card (a square with your name at the top). Click the “Start Visit” button on your card.
- Select the province that you are physically located in from the drop-down menu.
- If a QDoctor has given you a 4-digit code, select “Have a QCode?” and enter it in the provided field. Otherwise, select “Start Visit”.
- The site will check if camera and microphone are available. If necessary, click “Allow” to confirm your device can use the mic/camera for the visit.
- If you are using a smartphone, you may have to go into the Settings app, find your browser (Safari, Firefox, Google Chrome, etc) and manually enable access to mic/camera (see question on how to enable access below).
- If access is enabled and your camera and microphone are still showing as unavailable, click “Cancel” and try again.
- Once your camera and microphone have been verified as available, click “Continue”.
- Select your reason for visit from the available options and provide a brief description of your medical issue in the provided field (optional). You may also upload any photos that may be helpful for the doctor.
- Once everything is filled out completely then click “I am ready for the doctor”.
- Go to theqdoc.com.
- Click on “Log In”.
- Click “Forgot password?”.
- Enter your email address and click “Reset Password”.
- QDoc will send a verification code to your email – please check your junk/spam/promotions/bulk folders if you don’t see the email within 5 minutes. If it has been longer than 5 minutes and the email has not been delivered, go back to theqdoc.com and click “Resend Confirmation Code”.
- Enter your verification code and new password and click “Reset Password”.
- You can now log in with your new password.
- Go to theqdoc.com and log in.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page to your Patient Profile.
- Click “Update Info”. This is located right under the patient’s name.
- QDoc will send a code to your phone to verify your account. If you do not have access to the phone number listed on your profile, select SMS and change the code delivery method to Email. Click “Resend”.
- Enter the code and press “Verify”.
- Edit your information as necessary and click “Save”.
- Go to theqdoc.com and log in.
- Click “+Add New Patient”.
- Enter Patient Registration details.
- Click “Save” (see “Why isn’t my patient information saving” if you have difficulties).
- The new patient can now see a doctor through your QDoc account by pressing “Start Visit” on their new Patient Card.
To delete your patient profile, click the trash can icon on your patient card. Note that QDoc will continue to store your encounter history for medical-legal reasons and in order to maintain an accurate medical record.
To reactivate a deleted profile, please send an email with your request to info@qdoc.ca.
- Go to theqdoc.com and create an account using your email address.
- Once you are logged in, click the button “Create a Patient Profile”.
- Fill in your baby’s information on the patient profile.
- In the Health Card Information section under “Do you have a Manitoba Health Card”, select “No”.
- Select the option “No PHIN”.
A QDoc health number will be assigned to your baby so that we can maintain an accurate record of your baby’s medical information. Once you have received your baby’s PHIN, you can follow the steps under “How do I change my patient info?” to update your baby’s PHIN.
- Make sure your browser has security access to your camera and microphone
- Check your browser app’s preferences to make sure that theqdoc.com has access to camera and microphone
- If still not working, then manually type in your information
Account Feature Questions
- During your visit, the doctor will ask for your preferred pharmacy, where your prescription will be sent.
- Please contact the pharmacy to confirm that the prescription is ready for pick-up.
- If you can no longer access that pharmacy, please call the QDoc help line at 1 (833) 736-2362 and specify where you would like the prescription to be redirected.
- If you have not heard from a QDoctor by two days after your lab tests, please log on and start a visit to get a QDoctor to go through your results with you.
- After they have been reviewed by a QDoctor, results will be accessible on your patient card:
- Click “View Results” on your patient card.
- QDoc will send a 6-digit confirmation code to your phone – please enter it and click “Verify”.
- When in “View Results”, you will be able to see the name of the QDoctor who ordered the test and the type of document.
- Click the “Preview” button to view and download your lab test result.
- If you are using a smartphone, you may need to scroll to the side to see the button.
- Log in to theqdoc.com.
- Scroll down to your patient profile.
- Click “View Documents”.
- QDoc will send a 6-digit confirmation code to your phone – please enter it and click “Verify”.
- When in “View Documents”, you will be able to see the name of the QDoctor and the type of document – click the “Preview” (?) button to view and download documents.
- If you are using a smartphone, you may have to scroll to the side to see the button.
Prescriptions
Once you have been seen by a QDoctor, they are able to prescribe any non-controlled medications that are suitable for your treatment within proper practice guidelines.
The QDoctor will confirm your preferred pharmacy during your visit. Once the visit is complete, your prescription will automatically be sent to your pharmacy of choice to be filled. If you change your mind after the visit has been completed or if you are no longer able to access your preferred pharmacy, please contact the administration team at 1 (833) 736-2362 and name the pharmacy where you would like your prescription to be redirected.
No, you will not be contacted by a member of the QDoc team once the prescription is ready. After your prescription has been sent to your preferred pharmacy, they may call you or you will have to contact them to confirm that your prescription is ready for pick-up.
QDoc is not a replacement for your family doctor. However, we may be able to help bridge the gap between now and your next appointment with your family doctor and refill your routine medications. We are not able to prescribe controlled medications.
Due to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba virtual care guidelines, Manitoba doctors cannot prescribe the following medications virtually:
- Opioids, such as morphine, hydromorphone, fentanyl, oxycodone, codeine, tramadol, or methadone.
- Medications that contain these drugs, including Tylenol #3s, Tramacet, Percocet, Suboxone, etc.
- Benzodiazepines, such as lorazepam (Ativan), diazepam (Valium), etc.
- Z-Drugs, such as zopiclone (Imovane) or zolpidem (Sublinox).
- Cannabis or related medications.
Due to their side-effects and addiction potential, these medications are best prescribed by doctors with whom you have a long-standing relationship, such as your family doctor.
Billing and Insurance
The majority of patients are able to see a doctor through QDoc for free by billing Manitoba Health for their visit, just like any in-person clinic. For the few patients who are not eligible for the free service (i.e. patients who are Quebec residents or who don’t have a provincial health card), an invoice will be sent to the email address listed on their account. This emailed invoice will have instructions on how to pay by direct deposit.
We are currently working on implementing the ability to pay directly by credit card. Please check in with us again soon.
Unfortunately, we are not able to see international visitors at this time. The service is currently only available to Canadian residents. Please check in with us again in the near future.
At the moment, QDoc only accepts MSH as a private insurance payor. Patients with alternate private insurance will need to be reimbursed by their health insurance provider after paying the invoice. We are working towards adding more private health insurance providers to our system, so please check back with us soon.
Medical Questions
QDoc is not a replacement for in-person care with your family physician or primary care physician. QDoc is also not appropriate for emergency situations – if you are experiencing a medical emergency, go to the nearest emergency room or call 9-1-1.
QDoc is designed to work alongside your primary care provider to make sure that you receive appropriate care when you need it. Appropriate reasons for visits with a QDoctor include minor illnesses, minor injuries, requests for prescription refills (for non-controlled medications) in between visits with your primary doctor, and requests for medical advice when your primary doctor is unavailable.
No – QDoc is only appropriate for non-emergent episodic care. If you or a loved one are experiencing a medical emergency, go to the nearest emergency room or call 9-1-1.
Yes – all of our QDoctors are registered physicians with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba.
Our QDoctors only have access to the medical information that you choose to provide in your patient profile and in your description of the reason for your visit. They take a moment to review this information prior to entering the visit with you so that they are prepared to provide you with the best possible care.
No – our program is designed so that patients are seen from the queue on a first-come first-serve basis by the first available physician. QDoc is not a replacement for in-person care with your family physician. However, if the QDoctor feels that it is necessary to see you again for a follow-up appointment, they can provide you with a QCode that you will enter the next time you start a visit. This QCode, which is only valid for a limited time and can only be used once, will allow you to connect with the same QDoctor for your follow-up visit.
Immediately following your visit with a QDoctor, you will be asked whether you would like a copy of your Encounter Summary to be sent to your primary care doctor.
If you select “yes,” then a summary of your visit will be automatically sent to your primary care doctor, as listed on your patient profile.
If you select “no,” then your information will not be sent anywhere, and a copy of your Encounter Summary will be saved to your QDoc patient profile.
Yes – if you request a sick note during your visit with a QDoctor, the doctor can complete and sign a note that you can then access by clicking the “View Documents” button on your patient card. For more information on how to access your sick note, view the section ‘How can I access my sick note/referral/lab requisition?’.
Yes – during your visit with a QDoctor, the doctor can order lab tests or write a referral for you to see a specialist if they feel that it is necessary and appropriate. You will be able to view, download, and print your referrals and lab requisitions by clicking the “View Documents” button on your patient card. For more information on how to access your documents, view the section ‘How can I access my sick note/referral/lab requisition?’.