Ontarians can receive assistance finding a family physician or nurse practitioner accepting new patients through the phone service (not available over chat).

Register for Health Care Connect and a nurse will search for a doctor or nurse practitioner who is accepting new patients in the local community. To sign up: Name, health card number and some basic health information will be needed that will help determine health needs. Priority is given to people with greater health needs as decided based on an established clinical process. Health Care Connect does not guarantee a match with a doctor or nurse practitioner.

How to sign-up for the service:

Register online or call Health811 at 811 (TTY: 1-866-797-0007) 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Once registered, the request will be given to a Health Care Connect nurse in local community and they will:

• review the request
• try to find the right family health care provider in the local community who is accepting new patients
• contact if a provider is found, and give their contact information

If a provider is found, contact them as soon as possible. In the case of not registering with the provider and for Health Care Connect to keep looking, it is required to register again.

For health care professionals:

To join Health Care Connect or speak with the Care Connector in the local community, contact the local Home and Community Care Support Services organization.