Reach out
Call, walk in, or ask your pharmacy to send a request. No referral needed.
What to expect
What actually happens from the moment you get in touch to the point where treatment settles into the background of your life.
What you can count on
No referraland no family doctor needed
~90 minutesfor a first assessment
Same daytreatment can often begin
$0 with MSPappointments are billed to MSP
Keep your pharmacythe one you already use
All of BC by videotelemedicine wherever you live
The process
Six stages, from first call to steady
Timelines vary between people.
Assessment
History, a physical check and a urine screen. You set the goal.
A plan you agree with
Medication, starting dose, your pharmacy, and how often we meet.
First dose
Where clinically appropriate, the same day, at your pharmacy.
Finding the right dose
Two to four weeks of adjustment, with frequent contact.
Settling in
Appointments space out and take home doses begin.
What to bring
- Photo ID and your BC Services Card, if you have them
- The pharmacy you would like to use
- Any other medications you take
- Whatever you know of your treatment history
If you have none of this, come anyway.
What we will ask you
- What you are using, how much, and how you take it
- Alcohol, benzodiazepines and stimulants
- Any overdoses, and whether you use alone
- Physical and mental health history
- What you want treatment to do for you
Answer honestly. We are working out a safe dose.
Telemedicine
When you cannot get to a clinic
Telemedicine covers most of what an in person appointment does, and the prescription still goes to your own pharmacy.
You need a phone or a computer and somewhere private. A first assessment sometimes needs a physical examination, and we will say plainly if yours is one.
Common questions
Before your first appointment
The questions we are asked most often before someone comes in.
Do I need a referral or a family doctor?
No. You can contact us directly, and most of our patients do not have a family doctor. Walk in, call, or ask at a participating pharmacy.
What if I have no identification or no MSP coverage?
Come anyway. We can begin an assessment without identification and help you sort out coverage afterwards. Missing paperwork is a problem to solve, not a reason to turn you away.
If you have a BC Services Card, bring it. If you have lost it, we can usually look up your coverage with your name and date of birth.
How long does the first appointment take?
Plan for ninety minutes to two hours. There is a full history to take, a physical assessment, a urine drug screen and a conversation about which pharmacy you want to use. Arriving before 4:00 PM gives the best chance of finishing the same day.
Will I be tested for drugs, and what happens to the result?
Yes. A urine drug screen is part of the assessment and part of ongoing care. Its purpose is clinical. It tells us what is actually in the supply you have been using, which shapes both your dose and your safety plan.
Results are not shared with police, employers or family. An unexpected result is a reason for a conversation, not for discharge.
Can I keep using the pharmacy I already go to?
In almost every case, yes. Tell us which pharmacy you prefer and we will send the prescription there.
What happens if I am still using while in treatment?
You stay in treatment. Continued use tells us the current plan needs adjusting, which is clinical information rather than grounds for discharge.
It may affect how quickly take home doses are offered, because those decisions are about safety. It does not affect whether you are welcome here.
Is telemedicine as good as being seen in person?
For most follow up appointments, yes, and it removes the travel entirely. For a first assessment it depends on your situation, and there are cases where we will ask you to come in, particularly where a physical examination matters.
You need somewhere private and a phone or a computer. That is all.
What does any of this cost?
Appointments with our physicians are billed to the Medical Services Plan, so there is no fee to see us if you have active MSP coverage. Methadone and Suboxone are covered by BC PharmaCare for most residents, and people receiving income assistance or disability assistance are generally covered in full including dispensing fees.
If you have no coverage at all, tell us at the first appointment. It can almost always be arranged, and it should never be the reason you do not start.
If this is an emergency, call 911. Overdose symptoms, trouble breathing, chest pain, seizures or an immediate mental health crisis need emergency care, not a callback form. In British Columbia you can also reach the Suicide Crisis Helpline at 988 or call 811 for HealthLink BC nurse advice.
Still deciding?
Call and ask questions. A phone call commits you to nothing.