Providing Access to Healthcare for Patients in Rural Communities

Rocket Doctor Logo

Healthcare for Underserved Populations

Rural community sign

Living in a rural community can present unique challenges when it comes to accessing healthcare.

 

Distance to a clinic and limited transportation options presents barriers to care in addition to the difficulties faced in accessing a physician with the growing shortage of family doctors.

 

With a wide range of healthcare services including primary, emergency and specialist care, Rocket Doctor can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection, providing those in rural communities with a means of accessible care without the need to travel.

Rural community sign

Diverse Locations of Rocket Doctor Patients

Since launching in 2020, Rocket Doctor has enabled physicians on the platform to provide over a quarter of a million virtual appointments.

 

Our data shows that these appointments cover an extensive range of locations across the country.The map of Ontario shows an example of how patients across the province are using virtual care to access healthcare from the comfort and convenience of their homes.

 

This is the same in Alberta and British Columbia where 50% of patients are from rural/Northern communities.

William Cherniak CEO

As an attending Emergency Physician I’ve seen firsthand the challenges of providing care to patients in rural communities, both around access to care, geographic and climate related challenges and difficulties accessing specialist and primary care alike.


I’m so proud that MDs on Rocket Doctor are able to offer the highest quality of care to so many people across Canada, entirely funded by their Provincial health insurance

 

Dr. William Cherniak
Rocket Doctor founder and CEO

Rocket Doctor Logo
red railway bridge in Canada. Accessing virtual care anywhere

Rural Communities

With increased access to wireless high-speed internet and mobile devices, and higher comfort with the use of technology for access to services, telemedicine is poised to address these barriers. Ensuring more Canadians have access to broadband internet will further improve their ability in rural and underserved communities to take advantage of this new technology.

red railway bridge in Canada. Accessing virtual care anywhere

References:

  1. Canada Health Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-6).https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-6/page-2.html#docCont )
  2. Health at a Glance, Difficulty accessing health care services in Canada. Stats Canada. ( https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-624-x/2016001/article/14683-eng.htm )
  3. Harrington DW, Wilson K, Rosenberg M and Bell S. Access granted! barriers endure: determinants of difficulties accessing specialist care when required in Ontario, Canada. BMC Health Services Research. April, 2013.https://bmchealthservres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6963-13-146 )

Which Province Are You Located In?

Ontario

British Columbia

Alberta

Rocket Doctor Accessibility Statement

Rocket Doctor is committed to digital accessibility, and to conforming to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level A and AA and complying with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) effective communication requirements, and other applicable regulations.

To accomplish this, we have partnered with eSSENTIAL Accessibility to administer our accessibility program and oversee its governance. Their accessibility program evaluates our digital products on an ongoing basis in accordance with best practices and is supported by a diverse team of accessibility professionals, including users of assistive technologies. The platform, moreover, goes beyond minimum compliance requirements by making an assistive CX technology application available to customers who have trouble typing, gesturing, moving a mouse, or reading. The application is free to download and it incorporates tools such as mouse and keyboard replacements, voice recognition, speech enablement, hands-free/touch-free navigation, and more.

We want to hear from you if you encounter any accessibility barriers on our digital properties. Please contact our Customer Support at admin@rocketdoctor.io.

Ontario

Do you have a valid/unexpired OHIP card?

Ontario

Do you have a referral?

If you do not have a referral and would like to book an appointment with our General Medicine providers please

If you have a referral that has already been faxed to Rocket Doctor and would like to follow up on its status.

Please Call
1 867 670 2273

If you have a referral for any of the below available specializations.

  • Allergy / Immunology
  • Dermatology
  • Cardiology
  • Family + Lactation Consulting
  • General Surgery
  • STI
  • Genetics
  • Obstetrics
  • Gynecology
  • Internal Medicine
  • Lifestyle Medicine for Stroke Neurology
  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Nephrologist
  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Pediatrics
  • Psychiatry
  • Respirology

Please Fax
1 647 696 8973

Live Text Chat with a Doctor

Get the answers to your healthcare concerns from a licensed Ontario physician in real-time.

 

Connect with a doctor and chat in real-time via live text chat. Choose a time and connect with a doctor who can diagnose, prescribe medication, handle refills, write lab requisitions, order imaging, and more.

Live Video Chat with a Doctor

Connect with a doctor via live video consultation. Speak to a licensed doctor using the video camera on your smartphone, tablet or computer.

 

Schedule your video medical consultation with a time that works for you. See the doctor without the hassle of travel and crowded waiting rooms

Live Text Chat with a Doctor

Get the answers to your healthcare concerns from a licensed Ontario physician in real-time.

 

Connect with a doctor and chat in real-time via live text chat. Choose a time and connect with a doctor who can diagnose, prescribe medication, handle refills, write lab requisitions, order imaging, and more.

Appointments: $55

Live Video Call with a Physician Assistant

Connect with a qualified Physician Assistant through live video call from your smart phone, tablet or computer.

 

Schedule your video medical consultation at a time that works for you. Rest assured, you’re in good hands. Our dedicated Physician Assistants are highly trained, and all cases are reviewed by a fully licensed Ontario doctor.

Appointments: $65

Substance Use Services Clinic

Rocket Doctor’s Substance Use Service is dedicated to providing support, resource, and advice to individuals struggling with substance use. Our service is tailored to give individuals the freedom to seek help in a safe, secure and confidential environment.

 

If you or someone you know is dealing with substance use issues, we are here to help.

Substance Use Services appointments are completely free with OHIP

Live Video Call with a Doctor

Connect with a Doctor via live video call from your smart phone, tablet or computer.

As a result of changes made by the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) and the Ontario Ministry of Health, there are a very limited number of doctors providing appointments that are free of charge for OHIP-covered patients on Rocket Doctor.

 

Appointment wait times are expected to be significantly longer on this service, compared to our other virtual care services.

Appointments: $0 with OHIP

Live Chat with a Doctor

Get the answers to your healthcare concerns from a licensed Ontario physician in real-time.

Connect with a doctor and chat in real-time via live text chat.

Choose a time and connect with a doctor who can diagnose, prescribe medication, handle refills, write lab requistions, order imaging and more.

 

Book a one-off chat with the doctor or plan for the winter season, and the months that follow with some holiday savings.

Choose an option that’s right for you. With Rocket Doctor chat subscriptions, you get access to our live chat service all year.

Single Live Chat

$55 per visit

Chat on Demand

Book a one-off chat visit with a doctor. Choose a time that works for you.

Date Loading

10% Savings

Lite

$62 /monthly cost

($744 billed annually)

15 Visits per year

$49.60 per visit

Up to 1 registered patient

Get 15 visits per year with our Lite chat membership and save $5 per visit. For individuals looking to prepare themselves for the year ahead.

25% Savings

Plus

$82.50 /monthly cost

($990 billed annually)

Popular Deal

24 Visits per year

$41.25 per visit

Up to 2 registered patients

Get access to 24 chat visits per year with some big savings. Ideal for couples looking to plan for the year ahead. Or for individuals with more frequent health concerns.

30% Savings

Premium

$113 /monthly cost

($1,356 billed annually)

36 Visits per year

$37.67 per visit

Up to 4 registered patients

Our biggest savings package! Get 36 virtual chat visits per year. Prepare for the year ahead of healthcare visits for the whole family. Suitable for individuals and couples with very frequent, chronic or recurring health concerns.

Live Video Chat with a Doctor

Connect with a doctor via live video consultation. Speak to a licensed doctor using the video camera on your smartphone, tablet or computer.

 

Schedule your video medical consultation with a time that works for you. See the doctor without the hassle of travel and crowded waiting rooms

Off Province – Ontario Licensed MD

 Video Consult

Live Text Chat with a Doctor

Get the answers to your healthcare concerns from a licensed Ontario physician in real-time.

 

Connect with a doctor and chat in real-time via live text chat. Choose a time and connect with a doctor who can diagnose, prescribe medication, handle refills, write lab requisitions, order imaging, and more.

In Province – Ontario Licensed MD

Chat Consult

Book an Appointment

Please fill in your details and you will be added to the waiting list for an appointment completely covered by OHIP.

Due to high demand and limited physician availability for this service, wait times are likely to be significant longer than our other virtual care services. Patients will be contacted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Please do not call our support team for an update on your appointment. Our Patient Care team will contact you as soon as your appointment is ready to be scheduled.

Please see here for details on our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Single Live Chat

Please note that you may not necessarily be booked for this time and date. Your reason for booking and the clinical context of the next available physician will determine the exact appointment details. Refunds will not be issued where appointments do not align with the selected time, although we will do our best to work with your schedule.