Quebec Cochlear Implant Program - FAQ

The opening of a new point of service in the western part of the province allows for cochlear implant services to be offered in close proximity to the population. This reduce the distance to care and services clients residing in the western part of the province.

• For both children and adults, the medical component (evaluation, surgery and medical follow-ups), the initial intensive programming and the programming controls during the first twelve months will be provided by the cochlear implant team of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). Specifically, children are cared for at the Montreal Children's Hospital, and adults are cared for at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

• Early activation will not be part of the MUHC's clinical practice at the outset of service delivery. However, the intention is to integrate this practice as soon as possible. In this context, users will have a two-week recovery period before activation and the start of initial intensive programming. 

• After the first year, programming controls will be provided by the Lethbridge-Layton-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre of the CIUSSS Centre-Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal or by the Centre de réadaptation en déficience physique Raymond-Dewar of the CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal.

• There is no change for intensive functional rehabilitation following surgery. It is provided by the rehabilitation center in the user's region or by one of the CIUSSS mentioned above, if the regional rehabilitation center does not offer this service.

There are no changes.

• The medical component (evaluation, surgery and medical follow-ups), early activation, initial intensive programming as well as programming controls are provided by the cochlear implant team of the CHU de Québec-Université Laval and the CIUSSS de la Capitale Nationale.

• Intensive functional rehabilitation following surgery is provided by the rehabilitation center in the user's region or by the Centre de réadaptationendéficience physique de Québec of the CIUSSS de la CapitaleNationale.

The territorial distribution established by the MSSS for the cochlear implant is as follows: 

All applications must be sent to the provincial registry of the Quebec Cochlear Implant Program which is located at the CHU de Québec-Université Laval. Depending on where the user resides, it will be determined if the appointments will be done at the point of service located in the east or west of the province. No action by the user is required.

Important: It is recommended to have a referral from a hearing specialist (e.g., audiologist, otolaryngologist, audioprosthesist) when applying for a cochlear implant.

• If the user has not started the evaluation process, a file transfer is planned. The user will receive a letter informing them of the new service offer in the West as well as a consent form that they will have to sign to authorize the transfer.

• If the user has begun the evaluation process, he/she is expected to continue the process at CHU de Québec-Université Laval. The following steps will be done in Quebec City: surgery, early activation, initial intensive programming. At the rehabilitation and programming control stage, the user may continue his follow-ups in Montreal if he wishes. In this case, he/she must contact the CHU de Québec-Université Laval: 
• Phone: 418-691-5420
• E-mail: [email protected]

No, there is no change. The user must send his or her application to the provincial registry located at the CHU de Québec-Université Laval where it will be evaluated. 

CHU de Québec-Université Laval / Hôtel-Dieu de Québec 

Service d’audiologie (Implant cochléaire) 

11 Côte du Palais, Québec (Québec) G1R 2J6 

Fax : 418-691-5377 

E-mail : [email protected] 

Important: It is recommended to have a referral from a hearing specialist (e.g., audiologist, otolaryngologist, audioprosthesist) when applying for a cochlear implant. 

No, there is no change.

No. Once the user's application is received at the provincial registry of the Quebec cochlear implant program, it will be sorted according to their place of residence.

Yes, the selection criteria are the same since it is a single provincial program with two points of service (east and west). 

Not at this time. It is planned that early activation of the cochlear implant will be implemented as soon as possible at the MUHC. For the moment, the user returns 2 weeks after surgery for activation and programming of the cochlear implant. 

In the Eastern Point of Care (Quebec City area), the activation of the cochlear implant is performed the day after the surgery and the user usually returns 2 weeks later for the initial intensive programming. 

There is no impact on the position on the waiting list. 

The order on the waiting list will be respected. It is expected that the first users will be seen during the month of October 2022. 

The order on the waiting list will be respected. The first surgery will be scheduled for early 2023.