Since May 20, 2008, a single three-digit phone number, 8-1-1, is all you need to reach Info-Santé. This easy-to-remember number can be dialled from anywhere in Québec, except in the far north (Terres-Cries-de-la-Baie-James and Nunavik). Info-Santé 8-1-1 allows you to reach a health care professional easily for non-urgent cases.

Info-Santé 8-1-1 – make it top-of-mind !

What’s Info-Santé again?

Info-Santé is a major part of first-line health care in Québec. It provides answers to certain common health questions and directs users to the right type of health or social services.

This service is not a replacement for those provided by health and social services centres and family medical groups, who provide true patient management beyond immediate problems. Also, in an emergency, you should go to a hospital emergency room or call the 9-1-1 emergency number to get help.

Why a single number?

The use of a single number throughout Québec is meant to make it easier for the population to access services. Currently, Info-Santé staff answers 2,400,000 calls annually.

In June 2004, the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux set up a working group to review the role and organization of Info-Santé services in Québec. Based on its recommendations, the Minister of Health and Social Services decided on certain measures to improve Info-Santé services. Chief among these were the centralization of the services to one call centre per health region and the networking of the 15 sites.

Now, dialling 8-1-1 will connect you to one of the 15 Info-Santé call centres. These call centres are connected to each other so that, if there is an overflow in one centre, calls will be transferred to another. This will help to reduce wait times. Previously, there were more than a hundred different Info-Santé phone numbers, as it worked at the local level.