**** HEALTH / WELLNESS Media Release
New Mobile App Provides Better Access to Care, Information
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Healthcare services, resources, and information are now a tap away with a new mobile app that connects Nova Scotians with care.
YourHealthNS helps Nova Scotians better navigate the healthcare system – it is a one-stop shop to book services, navigate care, and find information easier and faster.
“If Nova Scotians can’t find the healthcare information they need, they can’t make decisions about how to access care,” said Premier Tim Houston. “YourHealthNS will help Nova Scotians find the right care when they need it, no matter where they are in the province.”
Key features of this first-of-its-kind app for Nova Scotia include:
— a home screen that can be personalized with information most important to the individual
— the ability to book blood tests, X-rays, flu shots and COVID-19 vaccine appointments
— a search tool to find the nearest health services
— predicted emergency department wait times
— access to vaccination records
— access to free, same-day virtual care
— the option to chat with a care navigator to help find the best service or information needed and, if appropriate, direct people to a virtual care visit.
Accessing virtual care has also become easier for Nova Scotians. People on the Need a Family Practice Registry can receive comprehensive care from Nova Scotian healthcare providers who can order diagnostic tests and provide referrals to specialists. Those on the registry will also have access to general consults and prescription refills 24/7, 365 days a year through a partnership with Maple, one of Canada’s leading virtual-care platforms.
Nova Scotians who are attached to a primary care provider will also have access to virtual care, which will include general consults and prescription refills. The Province will cover two visits per year.
Nova Scotians without a mobile device can access YourHealthNS online at: https://www.yourhealthns.ca/
Nova Scotians are reminded that for emergency care, they should go to an emergency department or call 911.
Quotes:
“YourHealthNS helps connect the dots to services and support across our healthcare system. Information and options for care are already available online, and they are growing, making it increasingly complex to navigate and know where to begin. This app helps Nova Scotians access health services and support in a way they have never been able to do before.”
– Michelle Thompson, Minister of Health and Wellness
“Our health system is large and complex. It can be challenging for people to know what health information they need and where to find it. But it doesn’t have to be. YourHealthNS helps Nova Scotians access the right care and the right information at the right time. It empowers Nova Scotians by helping them discover information, options, and pathways to manage their health and well-being.”
– Karen Oldfield, President and CEO, Nova Scotia Health
“YourHealthNS will relieve pressure on our healthcare system by providing people with a single point of entry to book services, get care and find information. It is unique to Nova Scotia and makes it easier and faster to find what is available within the healthcare system. YourHealthNS is one more bold and innovative solution we have developed as we transform Nova Scotia’s healthcare system.”
– Gail Tomblin Murphy, Vice-President of Research, Innovation and Discovery and Chief Nurse Executive, Nova Scotia Health
Quick Facts:
— YourHealthNS is part of a larger digital health transformation at Nova Scotia Health that includes virtual care, the Care Coordination Centre, an oncology transformation project, the One Person One Record clinical information system and using health data to better manage health outcomes for patients
— care navigators are available Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. and weekends between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
— the app will be refined and updated regularly to meet the needs of Nova Scotians
— anyone with a valid Nova Scotia health card number and email address can register for virtual care
Additional Resources:
Download YourHealthNS for iPhone/iPad: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/
Download YourHealthNS for Android devices: https://play.google.com/store/
News release – New Technology to Improve Patient Care: https://novascotia.ca/news/rel
News release – Helping Patients Get Home Sooner: https://novascotia.ca/news/rel
Information about the oncology transformation project is available at: https://www.cdha.nshealth.ca/c
