Island Health brings virtual psychiatry to rural communities

VICTORIA – Island Health has launched the Virtual On-Demand Urgent Psychiatry service, an innovative program that provides adult emergency patients in five rural and remote community hospitals with evening and weekend access to psychiatric consultation through secure virtual technology, improving timely access to mental healthcare.

“This service allows us to provide timely psychiatric consultative assessments for patients in their own communities,” said Melanee Szafron, clinical services director for acute mental health and substance use. “It means patients can receive the right care at the right time, closer to home and their support networks.”

The service is referral based and operates from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. on weekdays and 24 hours on weekends and statutory holidays. It became fully operational at all five locations on March 31, 2025, serving West Coast General Hospital, Tofino General Hospital, Port Hardy Hospital, Port McNeill Hospital, and Lady Minto Hospital on Salt Spring Island.

Six regional psychiatrists rotate weekly to provide the service, bringing expertise from across Vancouver Island. The team includes specialists based in Nanaimo, Port Alberni, and various South Island locations.

Dr. Lonn Myronuk, one of six psychiatrists participating in the program and medical director at virtual care services, sees the initiative as an enhancement to patient-centered care.

“We’re bringing the service to where the patient is, rather than requiring them to travel to where services are located,” said Dr. Myronuk. “This approach allows us to better understand each person’s situation in their own environment and make more informed decisions about their care.”

The virtual service complements existing mental health resources by filling gaps during times when in-person psychiatric consultations may not be readily available. Emergency department staff use dedicated iPads equipped with the BC Virtual Visit application to facilitate these secure, confidential consultations.

“The virtual consultation works essentially the same way as an in-person visit,” said Dr. Myronuk. “We can assess the patient’s needs and collaborate with local care teams to develop the most appropriate plan for their situation.

The project is co-led by Dr. Hendri Eksteen (pictured), acute medical director at Royal Jubilee Hospital, who helped recruit psychiatrists for the program.

“The implementation of the virtual on-call Psychiatric consultation services to remote and rural areas has bridged a gap in acute mental health services, transforming isolation into access, and delay into timely support,” said Dr. Eksteen. “Our hope is not only a solution of convenience, but one of life-changing impact.”