MUHC Referral Portal reaches key milestone

The last step is done and Phase One of the MUHC Referral Portal project is now complete! As of today, the online platform is open to adult patients with referrals from healthcare providers outside of the MUHC for diagnostic tests, exams or procedures.  

Specialized scans and tests added to Referral Portal 

Adult patients can now submit referrals and request appointments via the portal for:  

• Medical Imaging
• Nuclear Medicine and PET scan
• Endoscopy
• Non-invasive Cardiology and Vascular Lab 

“A full list of the diagnostic tests, exams and procedures that we accept referrals for is available on our web page,” explains Shari Beharry, manager of the MUHC Appointment and Referral Centre (ARC). 

“We are thrilled that now even more patients with referrals can enjoy the benefits of the portal,” says Shari. “The whole submission process takes a matter of minutes and, once the request is in the platform, the patient receives an email and ticket number confirming it has been received by the MUHC.”  

Referral Portal looks to the future 

“We rolled out the first phase site-by-site this year over a period of months, beginning in January,” says Alain Biron, Director of Nursing at the MUHC. “This approach was very successful. We will proceed similarly with the next phase of the project, which will see the portal used internally by specialists to refer patients to other specialists within the MUHC.” 

Phase Two will start at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, with pediatric specialists there scheduled to start using the portal in December. The adult sites will be added one at a time through the first half of 2026. 

“This will streamline and make more secure the way referrals are sent and processed within the MUHC, and it will eliminate the need for faxing and reduce paper use,” explains Alain. “The request is sent electronically through the portal and is stored in a database.”    

Shari adds: “Once the patient’s request for a consultation is in the hands of the appropriate clinic, an administrative agent from the clinic will take over and follow-up as needed.” The wait time to receive a call from a clinic varies. 

MUHC Emergency Department physicians are already using the portal when referring patients to MUHC specialists. Alain expects the transition to MUHC specialists sending referrals internally through the portal to go smoothly as well. 

Portal replacing use of fax machines 

As mandated by the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the MUHC is gradually eliminating the use of faxes, so that patients no longer need to fax in requests for consultation. The change is part of a province-wide effort to modernize and simplify patient care. “The Referral Portal is fast and secure, and it is more reliable than faxing,” explains Shari. 

At a later stage in the project, a portal access will be created for healthcare providers in the community, such as those at partner clinics, family medicine centres (GMFs), CLSCs, etc. This means that, eventually, doctors and nurse practitioners who do not work at the MUHC but who want to submit referrals for patients to see MUHC specialists will do so using the Referral Portal. The start date for that part of Phase Two has not been announced yet.