How are we working together?
The Ministry of Health, Health Services Integration Division (HSID) conducts regular and collaborative partner meetings with First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) to support program implementation and oversight. There are plans for engagement with First Nations, Métis and Inuit healthcare providers and patients to provide feedback on their experience, outcomes and opportunities to improve primary care funded virtual care services.
Are there challenges?
Increasing demand for these services from First Nations communities are outpacing the availability.
Highlights
FNHA’s First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day (FNvDOD) and First Nations Virtual Substance Use and Psychiatry Service (FNvSUPs):
- FNHA Virtual Services Program has provided 72,800 client encounters with a physician since 2020 across all regions (as of December 31, 2025). Since 2023/2024 Q3, the program has had over 140,000 points of contact with clients, including follow-ups and outreach through FNHA allied care team.
- Since 2020, over 14,300 clients have accessed Doctor of the Day (DOD) and over 2,000 clients have accessed Substance Use and Psychiatry Services (SUPS).The program primarily serves First Nations people, comprising 91% of DOD clients and 84% of SUPS clients in 2025/2026.
- High client satisfaction rates remain consistent for both DOD and SUPS. For example, 95% of clients are satisfied with DOD, 96% of clients would recommend DOD to family or friends, and 94% of DOD clients reported that the care they received was culturally safe.
- FNHA continues to monitor virtual service wait times and implement strategies to optimize access.
- The substance use pathway provides lifesaving care for clients, inclusive of First Nations people and their families affected by the toxic drug crisis. The service is unique as it provides longitudinal care, including for many individuals with high complexity health issues and/or who cannot maintain access to other services.
Previous years’ progress
Highlights
From implementation (April 1, 2020, for First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day and August 17, 2020, for First Nations Virtual Substance Use and Psychiatry Service) to March 7, 2025, there were 53,805 First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day encounters and 8,385 First Nations Virtual Substance Use and Psychiatry Service encounters.
From April 1, 2024, to March 7, 2025, there were 11,057 First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day encounters and 1,531 First Nations Virtual Substance Use and Psychiatry Service encounters.
Clients’ satisfaction rate for First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day and First Nations Virtual Substance Use and Psychiatry Service:
- From patient satisfaction surveys from April 1, 2024, to March 7, 2025, over 90% of users accessing the First Nations Virtual Substance Use and Psychiatry Service report satisfaction with their appointment and over 92% of users indicate they would recommend the service to their family and friends.
- From patient satisfaction surveys from November 10, 2022, to March 7, 2025, over 95% of users accessing the First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day service report satisfaction with their appointment and over 96% of users indicate they would recommend the service to their family and friends.
- From patient satisfaction surveys from April 1, 2024, to March 7, 2025, over 96% of users accessing the First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day service report satisfaction with their appointment and over 96% of users indicate they would recommend the service to their family and friends.
- From patient satisfaction surveys from March 15, 2023, to March 7, 2025, over 91% of users accessing the First Nations Virtual Substance Use and Psychiatry Service report satisfaction with their appointment and over 93% of users indicate they would recommend the service to their family and friends.
How are we working together?
The Primary Care Division in the Ministry of Health fosters strong collaborative partnerships with the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) to enhance the delivery of primary health care services. Through regular engagement and joint planning, the Primary Care Division and FNHA ensure that virtual care programs are well supported, effectively implemented, and continuously improved. A key achievement has been strengthening the FNHA’s Medical Affairs and Wellness Office by enabling them to hold medical contracts for Indigenous-focused family physicians and nurse practitioners. This supports expansion of culturally grounded physician and nurse practitioner care through the initiatives like the First Nations-led Primary Health Care Initiative, First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day, and some Primary Care Networks.
Are there challenges?
Funding for Real-Time Virtual Support services is currently approved until 2025/26.
The Ministry of Health’s Primary Care Division, in collaboration with Hospital and Provincial Health Services, Health Sector Workforce and Beneficiary Services Division, and Finance and corporate services, is conducting further policy work on coordinated virtual services and establishing a long-term governance structure for Real-Time Virtual Support services before seeking base funding for 2026/27 and onwards.
The FNHA is experiencing physician recruitment issues for their virtual care lines, which results in barriers to service provision and underutilized budget spends. Physicians working these call lines are at capacity. The Primary Care Division is working with partners to create a recruitment strategy to resolve this issue.
Highlights
Approved funding for real-time virtual support services in 2023/24 supported physicians and other health care providers to provide culturally safe virtual primary care services, including extended hours and increased access to care for those who have difficulties travelling. While respectfully acknowledging the capacity and priorities of First Nations, Métis and Inuit across the province, the Ministry of Health is committed to improving collaboration and representation of First Nations, Métis and Inuit partners to support improvements to the availability and accessibility of primary care-funded virtual care services.
- From the start of implementation on April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2024, there were 42,098 First Nations virtual doctor of the day (FNvDOD) encounters.
- From implementation on August 17, 2020 to March 31, 2024 there were 6,779 First Nations virtual substance use and psychiatry services (FNvSUPs) encounters.
- From April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024, approximately 23,386 (11,846 for FNvDOD and 2,207 for FNvSUPS) inbound and outbound calls were managed by MOAs, nurses, wellness liaisons, mental health care coordinators and registered clinical counsellors.
- From patient satisfaction surveys from November 10, 2022 to March 31, 2024, over 93% of users accessing the FNvDOD service reported satisfaction with their appointment, and over 94% of users indicated they would recommend the service to their family and friends.
- From patient satisfaction surveys from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, over 93% of users accessing the FNvDOD service reported satisfaction with their appointment and over 93% of users indicated they would recommend the service to their family and friends.
- From patient satisfaction surveys from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, over 92% of users accessing the FNvSUPS service reported satisfaction with their appointment and over 92% of users indicated they would recommend the service to their family and friends
- The Indigenous cultural safety and humility working group between the Ministry of Health and the First Nations Heath Authority (FNHA) has committed to examining and refreshing the Declaration Act standards, recommendations and calls to action into primary and community care; this will include 1) implementing cultural safety and humility recommendations and standards into daily practice by creating a toolkit of resources that reference college standards for primary and community care; 2) Supporting committees and working groups that inform primary and community care across the province to implement cultural safety and humility tools, recommendations and standards into the practices and engagement approaches, including supporting PCNs; 3) Develop a provincial community of practice comprised of existing groups working towards cultural safety and humility across the healthcare continuum, to support collaboration, reduce duplication, and inform best practices; 4) Develop a strategic workplan that defines the goals, objectives and outcomes the working group will seek to achieve with metrics to monitor the improvement of cultural safety and humility across primary and community care.
How are we working together?
Collaborative partner meetings with the First Nations Health Authority to support program implementation and oversight. Planning for engagement with First Nations, Métis and Inuit health care providers and patients to provide feedback on their experience, outcomes, and opportunities to improve primary care funded virtual care services.
Are there challenges?
Funding is currently derived from COVID-19 contingency budget, with long term base funding to be determined.
Highlights
Approved funding for Real-Time Virtual Support services in 2022/23 supported physicians and other healthcare providers to provide culturally safe virtual primary care services including extended hours and increased access to care for those who have difficulties travelling.
Indicators
- Implementation project underway: All Service plans reviewed and funding letters issued (100%).
- Indigenous patient satisfaction rates: From patient satisfaction surveys, over 90% of users accessing the First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day service report satisfaction with their appointment and over 95% of users indicate they would recommend the service to their family and friends.
- Implementation project underway: From implementation in April 2020 to March 31, 2023, there were 30,123 First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day encounters. From implementation in August 2020 to March 31, 2023, there were 4,483 First Nations Virtual Substance Use and Psychiatry Service encounters.
How are we working together?
Regular, ongoing and collaborative partner meetings with the First Nations Health Authority to support program implementation and oversight. Planning for engagement with First Nations, Inuit and Métis health care providers and patients to provide feedback on their experience, outcomes and opportunities to improve primary care funded virtual care services.
Are there challenges?
Funding for Real-Time Virtual Support services ends in March 2024, as it is currently funded out of COVID-19 contingency funds from Treasury Board. Sustainment and expansions of this service will require identification of base funding to ensure it is a fully funded operation.