About Virtual Urgent Care
In February 2021, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton (SJHH) and London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) partnered together to offer Virtual Urgent Care (VUC) services through www.UrgentCareOntario.ca. We offer urgent online medical care services to adults and children across Ontario.
The VUC initiative initially received provincial funding to enhance the pandemic response through appropriate virtual care options. These options were crucial in maintaining continuity of health services while preventing the spread of COVID-19. Recognizing the value of this initiative beyond the pandemic, the province has since expanded its scope to offer online urgent medical services more broadly.
The VUC services are only for individuals that have an urgent medical issue but cannot see their family doctor due to availability or for individuals that do not have a family doctor. We inform all individuals that their first point of contact should always be their family doctor if they have one and they are available. Individuals seen through VUC are told to follow up with their family doctor if necessary. For any adults who are seen through VUC services, the assessment notes from the visit are shared with the individual’s family physician through fax within 24 hours.
If during the VUC visit, the individual is told they need to attend an emergency department for further assessment, they will be instructed to go in-person and follow the same triage process as any other person accessing the emergency department without a virtual assessment.
The purpose of the www.UrgentCareOntario.ca website is to allow individuals to self-schedule a VUC appointment, to share a wide range of useful information for those seeking VUC services, and to provide tangible resources for planning and promoting VUC.
Virtual Urgent Care Promotional Resources
The SJHH and LHSC Communications Teams jointly developed promotional materials for external organizations to leverage to support and promote awareness of Virtual Urgent Care (VUC) services provided by SJHH and LHSC. These resources have been developed for general use, and multiple formats and sizes have been provided.
The VUC Digital Toolkit contains descriptions of each promotional resource and recommendations for the best use.
Social Media
Download a copy of VUC Social Media Content to be used for promotion on Instagram and Facebook platforms. Download graphics for a Facebook and/or Instagram story, posts, as well as download the verbiage for the captions. There is content available for three separate posts. Use the account tags and hashtags provided to support cross-promotion. Click here to download the messaging, graphics available for download below.
Business Card
Download the VUC Business Card to print and distribute for promotion. Business cards have been designed with a QR code for individuals to easily navigate to the www.UrgentCareOntario.ca website. This business card is available in the standard size, 3.5” x 2”, click here to download.
Poster
Download the VUC Poster to promote awareness. Posters can be printed and placed in key places such as elevators, bulletin boards, etc. These posters have been designed for portrait orientation and are available in different sizes, including:
Digital Screen
Download the VUC Digital Screen to support promotion. Digital Screens can be displayed on a TV or digital monitor in key places such as waiting rooms, lobbies, etc. These Digital Screens are available in different sizes, including:
Newsletter Promotion
Download a copy of the VUC Newsletter Promotion verbiage. This verbiage can be replicated within an existing newsletter to support promotion. The downloaded file contains two options for newsletter verbiage and an accompanying graphic. Click here to download the messaging, graphics available for download below.
Website Promotion
Download a copy of the VUC Website Promotion verbiage. This verbiage can be replicated on an organizational webpage/website to support promotion. It is recommended to dedicate a specific space on the website with this verbiage to ensure it is easily accessible. Click here to download.