Family Physician FAQ

Family Physician FAQ

• What number do I use if I want to text in my request?

  We can accept calls and texts on the same number: 1-844-633-2263 (toll free)

• When will I get a call back?

  The majority of calls are returned the same day; however, specialists do have 48 hours to respond to your request within existing program hours. It is imperative that you leave us a contact number that you can be reached at for this duration. 

• What can I ask the specialist?

  Calls should be for routine, non-urgent patient advice. You can ask about medications, next steps in treatment, imaging, resources available or discuss if a referral is needed, etc. Urgent cases should still go through RAAPID-North.  

• Why can’t I just call the specialist directly?

  ConnectMD specialists are on a rotation and we are unable to efficiently communicate this information to all participating physicians – especially if there are last minute changes. Additionally, in order for the call to be recorded and a summary sent to you, the PCN must initiate the call-record feature and process the transcription.

• Will I receive anything after the call?

  All calls are recorded to enable us to type up a brief summary and send it to you afterwards. There is no need for you to take notes during the call unless you want to. You can scan this summary into your EMR and use the fee-for-service billing code we will provide. We have confirmed all billing codes with Alberta Health.

• What are the fee-for-service billing codes?

  For calls that occur between 0900-1700 – 03.01LG

  For calls that occur between 1700-1800 – 03.01LH

• How will my and my patient’s information be protected?

  Your contact information will not be distributed to any ConnectMD specialist and vice versa. All patient information is stored electronically at the Edmonton North PCN using existing security measures and only accessible by the staff working directly with the program. A Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) for this program has been submitted to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) and is currently pending approval.

• Where are the specialists located?

  The majority of specialists taking calls are located in the Edmonton zone. There are some that are outside of the zone but still practice in Alberta.

• How is this different than RAAPID?

  ConnectMD is for routine, lower-acuity calls that do not need to be responded to on the spot. The specialist has two business days to call back and be connected to you.

• How is this different than eReferral Advice Request?

  The biggest difference between ConnectMD and Advice Request is that ConnectMD is exclusively over the phone whereas Advice Request is strictly through eReferral (online).  ConnectMD allows for a real-time conversation that takes, on average, five minutes or less.