On-Demand Psychiatry Service

Island Health has launched the Virtual On-Demand Urgent Psychiatry service, an innovative program that provides adult emergency patients in five rural and remote community hospitals with evening and weekend access to psychiatric consultation through secure virtual technology, improving timely access to mental health care.

“This service allows us to provide timely psychiatric consultative assessments for patients in their own communities,” said Melanee Szafron, clinical services director for acute mental health and substance use. “It means patients can receive the right care at the right time, closer to home and their support networks.”

The service is referral based and operates from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on weekdays and 24 hours on weekends and statutory holidays. It became fully operational at all five locations on March 31, 2025, serving West Coast General Hospital, Tofino General Hospital, Port Hardy Hospital, Port McNeill Hospital, and Lady Minto Hospital on Salt Spring Island.

Six regional psychiatrists rotate weekly to provide the service, bringing expertise from across Vancouver Island. The team includes specialists based in Nanaimo, Port Alberni, and various South Island locations.

The virtual service complements existing mental health resources by filling gaps during times when in- person psychiatric consultations may not be readily available. Emergency department staff use dedicated iPads equipped with the BC Virtual Visit application to facilitate these secure, confidential consultations.

Read more here: https://www.islandhealth.ca/news/stories/virtual-psychiatry-service-brings-timely-mental-health-care-rural-communities