BC residents with MSP generally pay nothing for a phone or video visit with a BC-licensed doctor. HealthLink BC (dial 8-1-1) connects you free of charge with nurses, pharmacists and dietitians, and a nurse can refer you on to a physician. You may have to pay if you have no MSP, if you choose a commercial platform with membership fees, or if you ask for something MSP does not cover. Virtual care is for non-urgent problems, not emergencies, and when you need a physical exam the doctor should arrange an in-person visit. [1][3][4]
Free options
| Service | Who you reach | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 8-1-1 HealthLink BC | Nurse (non-emergency health advice) | 24 hours a day |
| 8-1-1 HealthLink BC | Pharmacist (medications, side effects, interactions) | Daily, 5 pm to 9 am |
| 8-1-1 HealthLink BC | Dietitian, qualified exercise professional | Mon–Fri, 9 am–5 pm |
| 8-1-1 physician services | Physician by phone or video, after a nurse assessment | Daily, 9 am–11 pm |
| Fraser Health Virtual Care 1-800-314-0999 | Nurse; dietitian | Nurses daily 10 am–10 pm; dietitians weekdays 10 am–4 pm |
8-1-1 is toll-free anywhere in BC. An English-speaking health service navigator answers; say the language you need to get an interpreter, available in more than 130 languages. Deaf and hard-of-hearing callers can dial 7-1-1. Hours are as listed by HealthLink BC in 2026. [1][9]
You cannot book the 8-1-1 physician directly: a registered nurse first decides whether a doctor would help. For phone visits the physician calls you back at the set time; for video you get a Zoom link. HealthLink BC says video visits are not recorded and servers are in Canada. [2]
If you have a family doctor or a regular clinic, many offer phone or video follow-ups. Health authorities state there is no cost for BC residents covered by MSP, apart from your own data charges. First Nations people can use FNHA's Virtual Doctor of the Day (1-855-344-3800), and people aged 12–24 can use Foundry's virtual services. [3][4]
When you may have to pay
- No MSP: the free provincial options assume a BC Services Card. Visitors, newcomers in the MSP wait period and students without MSP usually pay out of pocket on commercial platforms.
- Commercial platform fees: BC has many private virtual care companies. Some are free with a BC Services Card; others charge membership or service fees. Health authorities advise asking about extra fees and how your data is used before booking.
- Uninsured services, such as some forms and letters. Doctors cannot charge patients for MSP-insured services; uninsured items may be charged if the price is explained first under the rules.
This is based on Island Health and CPSBC guidance. This site does not recommend specific platforms; check each platform's written fees. [3][6]
What a virtual visit can and cannot do
| Item | Virtually |
|---|---|
| Prescriptions | Yes. Many clinics send prescriptions straight to your chosen pharmacy. 8-1-1 physicians do not provide regular refills [3][2] |
| Lab tests, referrals, forms | Health authorities list refills, lab tests, referrals and forms as things virtual care can handle [3] |
| Sick notes | Not provided by 8-1-1; ask your own doctor or another clinic [2] |
| Physical exam needed | If a virtual visit is not enough, the doctor must arrange a timely in-person assessment and cannot skip the exam because the medium does not allow it [6] |
| Certain drugs | CPSBC sets extra conditions for prescribing opioids for pain, psychotropic drugs and some others virtually, usually an ongoing treating relationship [6] |
Since November 2025, BC employers cannot ask for a sick note for an employee's first two health-related absences of five consecutive days or fewer in a calendar year. [8]
For minor problems you can also see a pharmacist: BC pharmacists can prescribe for 21 minor ailments and contraception, but the publicly paid assessment must be done in person. [7]
What to have ready
- Your BC Services Card (it shows your Personal Health Number) and photo ID; the doctor must confirm your identity at a first visit. [3][6]
- Your pharmacy's name, phone number and address, so a prescription can be sent there. [3][4]
- A list of your current medications and your questions.
- A phone, tablet or computer and a quiet, private space. For video, use home Wi-Fi or a wired connection rather than public Wi-Fi. [3][4]
- If English is hard for you, ask for an interpreter on 8-1-1; Fraser Health Virtual Care can also arrange a medical interpreter. [1][5]
Privacy
CPSBC requires doctors, at the first virtual visit, to explain in plain language what virtual care is suitable for, its limits and its privacy risks, and to document your consent. Anyone else joining the visit must be disclosed to you and approved by you. [6]
Health authority video tools are generally not recorded and are chosen to comply with BC's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, though Interior Health also notes that perfect security does not exist. If you want to record a visit, get everyone's permission first. With a private platform, read its privacy policy and ask where your data is stored and how it is used. [4][3]
If you are outside BC
CPSBC requires doctors providing virtual care to meet licensing rules in BC and in the place where the patient is located. When you are in another province or abroad, a BC doctor may not be able to see you virtually, so ask first. [6]
Sources
- HealthLink BC: About HealthLink BC (8-1-1 services and hours)
- HealthLink BC: Physician Services at HealthLink BC
- Island Health: See a doctor or nurse online (virtual care)
- Interior Health: Virtual Care Services for Patients
- Fraser Health: Fraser Health Virtual Care
- CPSBC Practice Standard: Virtual Care (revised April 2026)
- Province of BC: Pharmacist prescribing for minor ailments and contraception
- BC Gov News (Nov 2025): sick note rule change
- HelpStartsHere (BC government): HealthLink BC 8-1-1