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Back to SearchMonday May 4, 2020 - Starting today, CHEO’s Emergency Department is offering virtual appointments with a pediatric emergency physician for children and youth needing urgent, but not medically life-threatening, care — becoming Canada’s first pediatric hospital to do so.
CHEO’s Emergency Department is always open for in-person visits and we encourage anyone who needs in-person care to come. We are here and we are safe.
“Being the first pediatric hospital in Canada to offer virtual Emergency Department visits responds to a real need,” said Alex Munter, President and CEO of CHEO, a pediatric health and research centre in Ottawa. “In the past 60 days we’ve seen a significant decline in the number of kids and teens coming to our Emergency Department, and those who are coming are too often presenting with worse symptoms than we would normally see. Offering these virtual Emergency Department appointments as a pandemic initiative provides more choice, so every child or youth has access to the care they need during this extraordinary time."
CHEO still asks that families first consult with their primary care physicians, providers and pediatricians, whenever possible, and to always follow their recommendations when advised to come in person to CHEO’s Emergency Department.
To start, CHEO will offer 24 virtual appointments a day, between 9 am and 9 pm. These appointments will be conducted using secure video connections.
"Because this approach to emergency care hasn’t been done before, we will be learning to walk before we run. We will adjust as we go and appreciate families’ understanding as we do. We are also looking to them for guidance and feedback as we work to improve and expand this new service," said Dr. Lindy Samson, Medical Chief of Staff for CHEO.
“This is not, in any way, meant to provide primary care. That is always best done by primary care providers in the community,” emphasized Dr. Samson. “This is a service for children who require emergency care.”
How it works
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Go to www.cheo.on.ca, where you can submit an appointment request 24 hours a day.
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CHEO has developed a self-triage checklist that indicates whether a virtual appointment is right for them. CHEO always asks that families first consult with their primary care provider whenever possible.
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If you are requesting a virtual emergency visit, you will be asked to fill out a secure online form with more details.
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A CHEO registration clerk will contact you to schedule a virtual appointment. Between 8:00 am and 11:30 pm, you will receive a call back within 30 minutes. Clerks will start calling back at 8:00 am for any requests made overnight.
While we expect to be able to manage a good portion of the appointments entirely virtually, some families or youth will be advised to come to CHEO in person for further evaluation.
If you need urgent, in-person care our Emergency Department is always here for you. If you do need to visit in-person, make sure to follow the physical distancing markers and put on a mask when you arrive.
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Media contact
Paddy Moore, CHEO
o. 613-737-7600, ext. 3536 | c. 613-769-5553 | pmoore@cheo.on.ca
About CHEO
Dedicated to the best life for every child and youth, CHEO is a global leader in pediatric health care and research. Based in Ottawa, CHEO includes a hospital, children’s treatment centre, school and research institute, with satellite services located throughout Eastern Ontario. CHEO provides excellence in complex pediatric care, research and education. We are committed to partnering with families and the community to provide exceptional care — where, when and how it’s needed. CHEO is a founding member of Kids Health Alliance, a network of partners working to create a high quality, standardized and coordinated approach to pediatric health care that is centred around children, youth and their families. Every year, CHEO helps more than 500,000 children and youth from Eastern Ontario, western Quebec, Nunavut and Northern Ontario.