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This section includes who to contact in an emergency, Manitoba Health
Insurance, and various medical services in Manitoba, such as doctors, dentists, eye care and the Provincial Drug Program.
For more information on health services in Manitoba, see the Health Info Guide
web site at: http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/guide/index.html.
Emergencies
You can reach emergency services 24 hours a day in Manitoba. Winnipeg and
Brandon have Fire and Ambulance (called Emergency Response Services) and Police
services. In smaller rural communities, Police Services are provided by the
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Ambulances and Fire department services in
rural communities are often provided by volunteers.
IN WINNIPEG OR BRANDON, Call 911 for the FIRE DEPARTMENT, AMBULANCE
SERVICE, POLICE, OR POISON TREATMENT. Tell the operator the nature and exact location of the
emergency.
Outside of Brandon or Winnipeg, check with your local municipal office for the telephone numbers of the nearest emergency services. Calls to emergency lines are toll free. You do not have to pay for them.
Note: Ambulance service is NOT free. It is not covered by Manitoba
Health Services. It is very expensive. In Winnipeg, for example, an ambulance can cost
more than $300. Call an ambulance ONLY if your emergency is very serious or
life threatening.
Non Life-Threatening Emergencies
In Winnipeg, the Urgent Care Centre is open 24 hours a day, seven days a
week. They deal with non life-threatening illnesses and emergencies for people
of all ages. They also give referrals to nutrition counselling, mental health
services, and physical and occupational therapy, as needed. They are located at:
Urgent Care
Misericordia Health Centre
99 Cornish Avenue
Winnipeg MB
Phone: 788-8188
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Manitoba Health Insurance
All permanent residents of Manitoba can receive free medical and hospital services. Call
or visit Manitoba Health as soon as possible to get a Manitoba Health Insurance Certificate (health card). As a new immigrant to Canada, you are eligible to receive
free health care benefits (except personal care homes, dental work , eyeglasses
or medications) from the first day you arrive. If you need medical services before you receive your card, you must show proof of permanent resident status. See Your First Few Weeks in Manitoba
section for information about applying for a Manitoba Health
Registration Certificate, or contact:
Manitoba Health
100 – 300 Carlton Street
Winnipeg MB R3B 3M9
Phone: (204) 786-7101 or 1-800-392-1207
Web Site: www.gov.mb.ca/health/
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Medical Services
Many medical services in Manitoba, such as a visit to a doctor's office, are
available free of charge to all residents of Manitoba. They are paid for by
taxes. However, some doctors charge extra fees for some services. Ask your physician whether they do "separate billing".
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Doctors
The common types of medical services in Manitoba are Health Links, family
doctors (family physicians), walk-in clinics, community health centres, the
Urgent Care Centre, and hospital emergency care. People visit these services for
different reasons.
If you or a family member get sick, and are not sure whether to see a doctor
or go to a walk-in clinic or the Emergency Department of a hospital, call Health
Links at (204) 788-8200 or outside Winnipeg call 1-888-315-9257. You can
call 24 hours a day. A Registered Nurse will answer your questions or tell you
where to get service. You may have to leave a message, but someone will call you
back. They offer services in more than 100 languages. If you ask, you may be able to speak with someone in your language.
Family doctors (physicians) give medical check-ups and take care of non-emergency medical problems. Your family doctor becomes familiar with your medical condition and has a chart of your medical history. Children can get regular vaccinations
from their family doctor. Pregnant women can receive care during their pregnancy. You must make an appointment to see your family doctor. You may have to wait a few days, a week or a few weeks for the appointment. If you need immediate medical attention, for things such as an ear ache, bad cough or fever, tell the receptionist. You may be able to get an appointment the same day.
If you do not have a family doctor, ask your friends, neighbours or settlement
counselor to recommend a doctor to you, or call Manitoba Health at (204) 786-7111. It has a list of family physicians who are accepting new patients.
Doctors who are specialists may only accept new patients if they are referred by another
doctor, usually your family doctor.
Sometimes you need to see a doctor immediately, outside of your doctor's regular work hours. If your problem is urgent but not dangerous, call your doctor's office. They may have "on-call" service. Another doctor may be "on-call" to take care of patients when your doctor is unavailable. If your doctor does not have this service, go to a walk-in
clinic. Be sure to take your Manitoba Registration Certificate (health card) with you. You do not need an appointment at a walk-in clinic. If you have a problem that requires ongoing care, you should go back to your family doctor for your next appointment.
See the following site for a list of questions to ask your doctor or
pharmacist: http://www.gov.mb.ca/shas/pdf/questions_05.pdf
. Although the site is intended for seniors, it contains useful
information for all residents of Manitoba.
Community Health Centres
Community Health Centres provide several types of care and services. They vary
according to the needs of the community in which they operate. There are 13
Community Health Centres in Winnipeg. All of the Centres offer some type of
primary health care, and have doctors and nurse practitioners. Some of the other
services available at specific clinics are: nutritional counselling, mental
health counselling, laboratory, pharmacy, family planning, dental care, sexually
transmitted disease (STD) and AIDS information and testing, and help with abuse
issues. Community Health Centres are generally open during weekdays, but some
are open in the evening and weekend too. Some require appointments, but you can
just "walk-in" to others. You can consider these clinics to be the
same as having a family doctor.
You can find Community Health Centres in the phone book, under Winnipeg
Regional Health Authority – Community Area Offices and Services. The others are listed
individually by name in the phone book or can be identified by calling Health Link at
788-8200 (in Winnipeg) or 1-888-315-9257 (outside Winnipeg).
Urgent Care
The Urgent Care is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They treat non-life
threatening illnesses and injuries to people of all ages. They have a lab (for
examining blood work) and x-ray facilities. They also offer referrals to
nutrition, mental and physical health resources, and occupational health
services, as needed. The Urgent Care Centre is at the Misericordia Health Centre
at 99 Cornish Avenue in Winnipeg.
Sometimes a medical problem or injury is serious or life threatening. In this situation, go to the
emergency department of your local hospital. You do not need an appointment. You can go at any time. You may have to wait a long time to see a doctor at the emergency department. They treat the most serious problems first.
Do NOT go to an emergency department just because it is more convenient than going to your family doctor. Emergency care is very expensive, and the doctors are very busy with emergencies.
Go only if your emergency is urgent and you have no other choice.
Mental Health Services
A wide range of mental health services are available in Manitoba. They include
individual counseling, group support, “safe” homes, crisis centres, and in-patient care
in hospitals or mental health centres.
Services are not available in all regions of Manitoba. Find out about the mental health
services in your area by contacting the Regional Health Authority (RHA) in your area at
http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/rha/contact.html.
Health Links may also be able to assist you in finding the mental care you need.
This phone line is answered by registered nurses and is available 24 hours/day,
7 days/week at 788-8200 in Winnipeg and 1-888-315-9257 outside Winnipeg.
There is a 24 hour Crisis Line in Winnipeg. The number is 786-8686. Outside Winnipeg,
call 1-888-322-3019.
There are also non-profit mental health groups that provide information, education,
advocacy and self-help to people with a wide range of mental health problems. Several of
them have offices in different parts of the province. Contact your local Regional Health
Authority’s mental health program for details (above) or call Manitoba Health at
1-204-788-6675.
Visit the mental health web site at http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/mh.
The site has all the numbers of self-help and regions, and more extensive information on
mental health services and supports available in Manitoba.
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Dentists
The cost of dental care is not covered under Manitoba Health Insurance. The cost of dental care is paid by the patient or privately purchased dental insurance. Some workplaces give their employees dental coverage. Dentists are listed in the Yellow Pages under Dentists.
Dental work can be very expensive. If your income is low, you can contact these clinics for services that are less
expensive:
Dental Clinic
Faculty of Dentistry
University of Manitoba
777 McDermot Avenue
Winnipeg MB R3E 0T6
Phone: (204) 789-3505
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Mount Carmel Clinic
886 Main Street
Winnipeg MB R2W 5L4
Phone: (204) 586-1659
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Children's Dentistry Clinic
Phone: (204) 789-3662
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Eye Care
Eye care is only partially covered by Manitoba Health Insurance. People up to the age
of 18 and over the age of 65 can receive a free eye examination from an optometrist every
two years. If you are between 19 and 64, you have to pay for most eye care services.
Manitoba Health Insurance only covers eye care that is necessary for certain medical
problems. It covers an eye examination only if your prescription changes significantly.
You can buy more coverage if you have Blue Cross insurance.
If you are over 65 years of age, you may qualify for partial reimbursement
for your eyeglass purchase. Your optician can give you more information and help
you fill out the Eyeglass Claim Form.
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Manitoba Pharmacare Program
The Manitoba Pharmacare Program is a government program that helps some Manitobans to pay the cost of some prescription drugs. You must first pay a deductible in order to qualify. A deductible is an amount of money a person must pay, based on their income, before they can be reimbursed for certain costs. As a resident of Manitoba, you can be reimbursed for the cost of any eligible prescription drugs which cost you more than the basic deductible amount you are allowed each year. For further information contact:
Manitoba Pharmacare Program
Manitoba Health
100 – 300 Carlton Street
Winnipeg MB R3B 3M9
Phone: (204) 786-7141 Toll free: 1-800-297-8099
Web Site: http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/pharmacare
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Resources
Brandon SERC
719 Rosser Avenue
Brandon MB R7A 0K8
Phone: 727-0417
Email: Brandon@serc.mb.ca
Visit the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) at
http://www.wrha.mb.ca/ for information on:
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Finding a family doctor
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Health Links
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Hospitals
- Long-term health care
- Travel health care
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Health Information
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Preventing Illness
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