To have access to the free and universal Quebec health plan , you must have a health insurance card issued by the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ).
Family doctor
Due to the shortage of medical personnel, it is really not easy to find a family doctor in Quebec and since there is a quota of patients, it is possible that this doctor will no longer take new patients. Also, as soon as you arrive, register on the waiting list at the family doctor access counter .
If you have a specific condition that requires regular care or if you are pregnant, report it to the local community service center (CLSC) in your neighborhood for immediate treatment. Note: doctors do not perform home visits.
Local community service center (CLSC)
You can receive medical consultations at a local community service center (CLSC). It is a public establishment that provides both health and social services. For more information, you must identify the CLSC in the neighborhood where you live. Consultations in CLSCs are generally done without an appointment: the wait can be very long.
To find your CLSC, consult the directory.
Medical clinics
Medical clinics - family medicine group (GMF) or family medicine unit (UMF) - allow patients to see a doctor, with or without an appointment. Generally, in network clinics, a team of health professionals (nurses, kinesiologists, psychologists, etc.) is also present and works in collaboration with the doctors. To see a doctor without an appointment in these centers, get up early! To see a doctor during the day, the order of passage is made according to your time of arrival and it is first come, first served. So plan to arrive at least one hour before the doors open.
Some clinics have developed a system for making an appointment the day before or a paid callback service that alerts you to your progress in the queue.
To consult a specialist (gynecologist, ENT or others), you must be referred by a doctor. However, you can choose your dentist or optometrist (ophthalmologist). It is preferable to inquire beforehand about the prices charged which can be high.
The Bonjour-Santé site allows you to make an appointment during the day with a doctor (for $ 15 CAN), to obtain an appointment in your usual clinic (free), to consult a specialist doctor (list of centralized waiting, free service).
Medical consultation by phone: Info-Santé at 811
You can also receive a medical consultation by telephone at Info-Santé by dialing 811. This service is available 24 hours a day all year round. A nurse will answer your questions.
Emergency room
If you, or those around you, require prompt treatment, you can go to the emergency department of the hospital nearest to you. Emergencies are open all year round, 24 hours a day. They are generally overcrowded so only resort to them if it is really necessary.
Doctors, ambulances, firefighters, police: 911 (for Montreal and Quebec); 0 for the rest of Quebec.
Info-Santé (medical consultation by telephone): 811
Quebec poison control center: 1 800 463-5060
Info-crime Quebec: 1 800 711 1800
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