BILL NO. 66
(as introduced)
3rd Session, 63rd General Assembly
Nova Scotia
70 Elizabeth II, 2021
Private Member's Bill
Virtual Healthcare Act
Susan Leblanc
Dartmouth North
First Reading: March 26, 2021
Second Reading:
Third Reading:
An Act to Optimize Virtual Healthcare
AND WHEREAS both patients and physicians consider virtual healthcare to be valuable and viable;
AND WHEREAS it is important to develop and implement programmes to provide virtual healthcare to Nova Scotians;
THEREFORE be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:
1 This Act may be cited as the Virtual Healthcare Act.
2 In this Act,(a) "electronic communication" includes telephone, electronic mail, text, applications and facsimile communication;
(b) "Minister" means the Minister of Health and Wellness;
(c) "virtual healthcare" means the delivery of health-related services and information at a distance using electronic communication, video-conferencing and teleconference technology.
3 The Minister shall establish a policy respecting the provision of virtual healthcare, including under what circumstances a patient has the option to require virtual healthcare.
4 The Minister, in consultation with the Nova Scotia Health Authority, Doctors Nova Scotia, the members of the Nova Scotia Regulated Health Professions Network and the general public, shall develop the specifics respecting the provision of virtual healthcare.
5 (1) The Governor in Council may make regulations(a) respecting the coverage of services by the M.S.I. Plan, as defined in the Health Services and Insurance Act;
(b) respecting security and privacy measures;
(c) respecting the funding of technologies and platform services;
(c) defining any word or expression used but not defined in this Act;
(d) further defining any word or expression defined in this Act;
(e) respecting any matter that the Minister deems necessary or advisable to carry out the intent and purpose of this Act.
(2) The exercise by the Governor in Council of the power conferred under subsection (1) is a regulation within the meaning of the Regulations Act.
6 The money required for the purpose of this Act must be paid out of money appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.
This page and its contents published by the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and © 2021 Crown in right of Nova Scotia. Created March 26, 2021. Send comments to legc.office@novascotia.ca.
