Your baby wakes up at night with a high fever. You've had the flu for several days. Your partner seems to have a nasty rash from an insect bite. Non-urgent but worrisome health problems can crop up day and night and you need advice? That's where Info-Santé 811 comes in. This free, confidential service allows all Quebec residents to quickly speak to a healthcare professional for advice and information.
Info-Santé 811 is a free, confidential telephone service available throughout Quebec. It lets any resident quickly consult a nurse for medical advice and recommendations based on their health condition or that of someone close to them. Available 24/7, 811 is a valuable service for people who need quick health advice... and a quick and easy solution that can often prevent a visit to the doctor!
In addition to providing advice on non-urgent health problems, Info-Santé 811 nurses can also direct callers to the right health services in their area. They can provide information on nearby medical clinics, pharmacy business hours or even, if necessary, recommend that the patient go to the emergency. Info-Santé is an essential link between the public and Quebec's healthcare system.
811 offers three options to meet different health needs.
811 Option 1 - Info-Santé: For health advice, a nurse will assess your health condition and offer recommendations for either treating yourself at home or finding the most appropriate service. If the call concerns a child aged 0 to 17, a priority line is available for a quicker response that may lead to an appointment with a health professional.
811 Option 2 - Info-Social: For psychosocial advice, a psychosocial intervention professional will offer advice on psychosocial or mental health problems.
811 Option 3 - Primary Care Access Point: Reserved for people without a family doctor, the Primary Care Access Point (GAP – Guichet d’accès à la première ligne) offers recommendations for care at home and can direct the caller, as needed, to the most appropriate healthcare professional (pharmacist, nurse, doctor, etc.).
The Primary Care Access Point (GAP) provides recommendations tailored to the needs of patients and offers them various options to help them seek a physical health or psychosocial health service.
While you can call Info-Santé 811 24/7, the GAP helpline is available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends and public holidays. If you have requested a callback, a GAP representative will call you back to assess your health needs and refer you to the most appropriate resource. Call-back times vary from region to region. You can view the call-back times by region by clicking here.
Despite its usefulness, Info-Santé 811 has certain limitations. Waiting times can be long, especially during peak periods. Furthermore, although nurses can provide advice, they cannot prescribe medication, do follow-ups or make precise diagnoses, and they do not have privileged access to available appointments at medical clinics. The service is intended as a first point of contact for non-urgent concerns or for general guidance.
Bonjour-santé is primarily known for the free platform it offers to all Quebec patients to search for medical appointments in clinics across the province. But Bonjour-santé is more than just for booking appointments.
Like 811, the Bonjour-santé membership provides access to e-consults with nurses for concerns related to physical health, but also mental health (anxiety, insomnia, addiction, etc.). This ensures that various health problems are dealt with quickly and effectively. The nurses listen to you, assess your situation, give you advice, offer recommendations for treating yourself at home, when possible, or refer you to the appropriate services.
However, as opposed to 811, you do not have to wait on the phone for several hours to speak to a nurse. Simply log in to your member account to chat directly with a nurse or book an appointment at your convenience. Unlike 811, which only offers a telephone option, consultations with Bonjour-santé nurses take place via chat or e-consults by videoconference (on smartphone, tablet or computer). This allows you to see the nurse, show them a wound, if necessary, upload an image, etc. The Bonjour-santé virtual care team also includes specialist nurse practitioners (NPs) to whom you can be referred directly, if necessary.
In addition to the care team, the Bonjour-santé membership gives unlimited access to a team of liaison nurses. These nurses are dedicated to supporting you throughout your follow-up care. Do you have a doctor's referral to consult a specialist (cardiologist, dermatologist, neuropsychologist) or undergo a specialised test (CT scan, MRI, colonoscopy, etc.)? Or are you looking for home care or a paramedical professional such as a psychologist, nutritionist, physiotherapist or other? The Bonjour-santé liaison nurses will help you navigate the healthcare system, help you find the appointments you need and, when required, ensure follow-up.
As opposed to Info-Santé 811, the Bonjour-santé membership offers a more comprehensive and personalised range of services, including :
Bonjour-Santé focuses on comprehensive care and offers peace of mind for its users. The service aims to reduce waiting times and offer more direct access to healthcare professionals.
There are several reasons to consult a nurse, either through Info-Santé 811 or the Bonjour-santé membership. Consulting a nurse by telephone or e-consult is an important first step in resolving a non-urgent health concern. This can help you deal with the situation at home, be referred to the right service and, where possible, avoid having to spend several hours in an emergency room. Bear in mind that according to the Government of Quebec, in November 2024, the average waiting time at the emergency department was 3 hours, while the average time spent on a stretcher was more than 17 hours.
You can consult a nurse if you have any unusual symptoms, such as persistent fever, severe chest or abdominal pain, or breathing difficulties, or if you have any questions about prescribed medication or treatments.
Ultimately, talking to a nurse can also be beneficial when seeking a recommendation to consult an appropriate healthcare professional. For example, if you are unsure whether to go to the emergency or wait for an appointment with your family doctor, the nurse can guide you towards the best option.
Both Info-Santé 811 and Bonjour-santé provide non-emergency medical advice. The purpose of these services is to relieve congestion at the ER by directing people to the appropriate resources.
The 911 number, on the other hand, is essentially reserved for emergency situations that endanger a person's life or safety. This is the number to call to get help quickly in a critical situation.
Going to the emergency is recommended for serious health problems requiring immediate attention, such as serious injuries or alarming symptoms. Finally, going to a walk-in clinic can be useful to get minor medical care without having to wait in the emergency room.
Quebec patients have a number of options available to help them access primary care services, including Info-Santé 811, Bonjour-santé, the Primary Care Access Point (GAP) and the Québec Family Doctor Finder (Guichet d'accès à un médecin de famille (GAMF)).
For various data on access to the front line, including the number of patients registered with a family doctor, a group of doctors or a specialist nurse practitioner, the number of patients waiting to be registered with a health professional, as well as data on requests and response wait times for the Info-Santé 811 service and the GAP, consult the Government of Quebec's dashboard.
You can also check waiting times in emergency rooms throughout Quebec by consulting the occupancy rate by region.
