FNHA Virtual Health Services
The First Nations Health Authority offers a variety of virtual health care services to First Nations people in BC who have limited access to health care services in their communities, who must travel long distances for appointments or whose access to health care has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The FNHA works with health care professionals to ensure that services are aligned with the principles and practices of cultural safety and humility and trauma-informed care. The FNHA also actively recruits specialists with Indigenous ancestry.
Maternity and Babies Advice Line
The Maternity and Babies Advice Line (MaBAL) was created to provide support to health care providers who are caring for pregnant and new parents, guardians and caregivers. The service is available to providers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Phone or Zoom calls are answered by family doctors with obstetrical skills experienced in providing culturally safe care and serving rural and remote communities. The MaBAL service is part of the RTVS peer program administered by the Rural Coordination Centre of BC.
Mental Health Counselling
First Nations Health Benefits provides coverage for clients to attend virtual and in-person counselling sessions. See Mental Health in Health Benefits (or view a list of approved mental health providers).
Telehealth
Your appointment with your doctor or specialist is done through video conferencing. You do not need to travel away from your home. See Telehealth.
Virtual Doctor of the Day
Doctors are on call seven days a week to provide medical advice, prescriptions and referrals. See Virtual Doctor of the Day.
Virtual Substance Use & Psychiatry Services
Specialists in addictions medicine and psychiatry are on call weekdays to support individuals and their family members with more complex mental health needs. The service requires a referral from a health care provider such as a doctor, nurse, mental health counsellor or traditional healer, or through the First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day service. See Virtual Substance Use and Psychiatry Services.
