Ontario is conducting an open competitive procurement process to modernize Telehealth services. The government anticipates the procurement process will be completed and a vendor will be selected by the fall of 2016.

Currently, Telehealth is only available as a telephone service. Since Ontarians are increasingly going online to connect with health services, this modernization will enable access to Telehealth both online and by telephone.

Since 2001, Telehealth has been providing Ontarians with 24/7 access to free, confidential health care information on general or urgent health concerns, as well as service referrals for community supports over the telephone. Telehealth receives an average of 2,700 calls daily with questions about health symptoms, local health service referrals and healthy living.

Modernizing Telehealth services will put patients first by providing faster access to the right care, featuring a combination of 24/7 phone-based services, along with web-based health information, promotion and referral services.

Ontario wants to make life easier for people and design online health services that will put them first, that are user-friendly, and that are simple and straightforward so that, given the choice, they prefer to use them.

For more information about this opportunity and to obtain a copy of the Request for Bids document (RFB 2015-108 Telehealth Services), please visit the government’s designated tendering portal:

https://ontariotenders.bravosolution.com/esop/nac-host/public/web/login.html

Ontario recently extended the Telehealth service contract with the service provider for a one-year term up to March 31, 2017.