Virtual Health Care (Maple) for Islanders without a Family Doctor
If you do not have a family doctor or nurse practitioner (primary care provider), you may be able to see one online through the PEI Unaffiliated Virtual Care Program.
This program provides free access to doctors through an online health care platform called Maple.
You will need a computer, smartphone, or tablet to use this service.
You are not eligible for this program if you have a family doctor or nurse practitioner.
How to sign up | How to use Maple | Get help
How to sign up
1. Join the Provincial Patient Registry
The Provincial Patient Registry is a wait list to get a regular family doctor or nurse practitioner in PEI. To join this list, see Find a Family Doctor or Nurse Practitioner.
After you join, Health PEI will send you a letter or email confirming you are on the Patient Registry.
Being on the Patient Registry does not register you for Maple. To register for virtual care, you must follow the steps below.
2. Wait for an email from Health PEI Maple inviting you to register for the Virtual Care Program.
This may take up to three weeks. If you need to see a doctor during this time, see Find Health Care for other options.
Unless stated otherwise, you still need to join the Patient Registry to request a new family doctor but you can do this after registering for Maple.
3. When you get your email inviting you to register. follow these steps:
- Go to the PEI Virtual Care registration page. A Health PEI logo should appear at the top of this page. Do not register using the Maple-24/7 Online Doctors App.
- Enter your PEI Health Card number without any leading zeros. The page will accept up to nine digits; your health card number may be shorter.
- Enter your home address, postal code, and city or town. Select Continue. You will be brought to the account information page.
- Create your password.
- Follow the prompts to complete your registration. You may be required to confirm your account by email, text, or telephone.
What happens if I’m assigned to a family doctor?
If you get a family doctor, your Maple account will switch to the paid Maple version meaning you will need to pay Maple for any subsequent services. You will receive an email or letter from Health PEI informing you of this.
How to use Maple (after you register)
Under the Virtual Care program, you can request an appointment with a doctor through Maple during the following hours.
- Monday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Tuesday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Wednesday 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Thursday 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
- Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Log in to Maple or the Maple-24/7 Online Doctors App (available from Google Play or the Apple App Store) with the same email address and password you signed up with.
Click Get Care and follow the prompts to book your appointment. See an example of a how to book a consultation with Maple.
After booking your appointment, you will be put in the queue of patients waiting to see a doctor. Maple will contact you by email or text when a doctor is ready to see you.
If the wait list is too long for a doctor to see you that day, you will receive a message asking you to rebook at another time. You may need to make multiple attempts during high-volume periods before receiving an appointment.
Some situations require an in-person appointment. In those cases, the Maple physician will refer you to a program or location for in-person care.
Need more help?
See the Virtual Health Care for Islanders without a Primary Care Provider FAQ and/or
Contact the Virtual Care Technical Support Desk:
Phone: 1-855-506-3963 (toll-free)
Email: virtualcare@ihis.org
For in-person assistance registering for virtual care, please visit an Access PEI location (bring your PEI Health Card).
General Inquiries
Health PEI
PO Box 2000
Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8
Phone: 902-368-6130
Fax: 902-368-6136
Media Inquiries
Phone: 902-368-6135
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency department.
If you are unsure what to do about a health issue or if you need health information, call 8-1-1.
