EMR stamps to facilitate new referrals for specialists providing exclusively virtual care
Last Updated July 28, 2023
A new permanent virtual care framework came into effect in Ontario on December 1, 2022. Specialists providing exclusively virtual care to a patient now require a new referral from the family physician or nurse practitioner every 24 months to continue billing comprehensive virtual care.
To assist clinicians, OntarioMD and the OMA have developed referral templates for Accuro® EMR, and stamps for TELUS PSS. These templates are intended to simplify the new referral process.
All physicians who provide care virtually are reminded of the expectations outlined in the CPSO virtual care policy. Physicians must use their professional judgement to determine whether virtual care is appropriate in each instance its use is contemplated. Care should only be provided virtually if it is in the patient’s best interest to do so and patient preference for in-person or virtual care must be prioritized where clinically appropriate.
For more information on billing for virtual care, please refer to the Permanent virtual care codes: a visual guide (oma.org).
Sample Language for New Referrals (OMA.org)
Accuro Templates
Instructions OMA New Referral Request Templates
Instructions OMA Reply to Specialist and Follow Up Templates
TELUS PSS