Telehealth FAQS

Why can’t we just do the appointment over the phone?

According to the Standards of Practice of the Alberta College of Pharmacists, a pharmacist cannot issue a new prescription to a patient that they have not met based on a phone consultation.

My whole family is going on the trip.  Do they all need to be on the video conference?

Not if you only want to ask questions of our travel health providers. But if you would like prescriptions for vaccines issued (and you are located in a province that allows it), everyone has to be on the video conference.  We are only able to prescribe to patients that we have seen on the video conference.  This is similar to the rules regarding why we can’t do a consultation by phone.  In order to create a relationship with a patient that enables us to prescribe, we must be able to see them on the video.  If it’s not possible to get everyone on the same appointment at the same time, we can schedule another appointment for those unable to make it for the first one.

Will I have to go to your travel clinic to get my vaccinations?

If you have a travel health appointment with us by video, you are most welcome to to come to our location in Airdrie and receive your vaccinations and medications at a later date.  However, if you live farther away and this is not practical, we can send a prescription for your vaccines and prescriptions to your local pharmacy of your choice by fax.

Most pharmacies in Alberta have at least one pharmacist that has been trained and certified to inject vaccines.  Your local pharmacy may not keep all vaccines in stock, so they may have to order them in, which can sometimes take a day or two.  Also, you may need to schedule an injection appointment with your pharmacist.  Your pharmacist may charge an injection fee.  Check with your pharmacist before your appointment with us  if you questions about these topics.

How much do my prescription drugs and vaccines cost?

Pricing can be variable at other travel clinics and pharmacies. Check with your pharmacy to verify prices as well as any additional fees they may charge for providing an injection.  If you have a drug plan, some of the vaccines or medications may be covered.

Will my local pharmacy have these vaccines in stock?

Most pharmacies can order in most vaccines and travel related medications, such as anti-malaria medications if they don’t have them in stock.  It may take a day or two depending on their location.  Check with your local pharmacy.  Please note that yellow fever vaccine is not available at most pharmacies.  Check the next question for more information.

What about yellow fever vaccine?

If you are travelling to certain destinations in South America or Africa, you may need to get vaccinated for yellow fever.  Some countries will not allow you to enter without receiving this vaccine.

Only locations designated by Health Canada can provide yellow fever vaccine and can give you the required paperwork to satisfy customs officials in other countries.  A list of Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres in Alberta is listed here:

http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/tmp-pmv/yf-fj/clinic-clinique/ab-eng.php

During our video travel health consultation, we may prescribe the yellow fever vaccine.  If you are able to come to our clinic in Airdrie later on, we can provide the injection.  But if you cannot get to our location and want us to fax it to your local pharmacy, it must be a certified yellow fever centre.  We advise you check in advance with your pharmacy regarding their policies regarding yellow fever vaccination.

I do not live in Alberta; can I still have a travel health video appointment with you?

Yes. Our consultation will provide you with information on how to stay safe and healthy when travelling that crosses any border. However, we may not be able to issue you a prescription depending on where you live. Some provinces will allow pharmacies to honour out of province prescriptions, but some may not. Check with your local pharmacist who will know or can verify the rules.  If you are prescribed vaccines that require injections, you need to make your own arrangements to have them done, either with your local pharmacist (if certified and allowed under provincial law) or some other qualified health professional.   As mentioned above, prices of vaccines and medications may vary at different pharmacies, and some health professionals may charge an injection fee.

Is the video conference secure and private?

Our video conference program is a secure system that ensures a private consultation that can not be recorded or transmitted to a third party. The interactions we have are meant to be between you and your health care provider.  The video conferencing program is used by many other health care professionals across Canada to meet with patients in rural areas. If you have more questions about security, contact us and we can discuss further.

I have more questions or I’d like to book an appointment.

You can request an appointment here.  Specify in the comments that you want to do the appointment by video.  If you have more questions about the video conference and the process, contact us and we’d be happy to go through it with you.