How Doctor House Calls Work in Winnipeg: A Complete Guide

What is a doctor house call?

A house call is a visit from a doctor at your home. House calls are useful when getting to a clinic is hard: you are too unwell, you have trouble walking, you have no ride, you have small children at home, or the weather is bad.

FINDMD.ca is the house-call service of White Cross Healthcare, a medical clinic at 647 Broadway, Winnipeg, MB R3C 0X2. White Cross Healthcare has been operating in Winnipeg for over 20 years. Our doctors visit patients of all ages, 7 days a week, anywhere inside Winnipeg's Perimeter Highway.

How to book

1. Call 204-582-2362 (58-22-DOC). Phone lines are open 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., 7 days a week.
2. Give us the patient's details. Have the patient's health card ready: a Manitoba Health card with their PHIN (Personal Health Identification Number), or a health card from another province or territory, plus the full address and a phone number where we can reach you today.
3. We book a same-day visit. Our office arranges for one of our doctors to come to your home that day.
4. Wait at home. Keep your phone close and on.

Ready? Book a house call.

Booking for a family member or someone you care for

Yes, you can book a house call for someone else. Adult children, spouses, parents, friends and caregivers can all call for the person they help. You will need the patient's PHIN, the Personal Health Identification Number printed on their Manitoba Health card.

Before you call, it helps to:

• find their Manitoba Health card;
• know the full address, apartment number and buzzer code;
• have a phone number where you, or they, can be reached today;
• plan for someone to open the door when the doctor arrives.

More tips: house calls for seniors and caregivers.

Who house calls are for

We see patients of all ages, from babies to seniors. There is no age limit. House calls are especially helpful for:

• Seniors who live at home
• People with limited mobility, such as people who use a walker or wheelchair
• People who find it very hard to leave home or to sit in a busy waiting room
• People who are too unwell to travel
• Parents with a sick child

You don't need to be a White Cross patient or have a family doctor. Anyone who needs a doctor at home, inside the Perimeter Highway, is welcome to call.

House calls are not for emergencies. In an emergency, call 911.

Where we visit

We visit homes anywhere inside the Perimeter Highway (Highways 100 and 101) that rings Winnipeg. That includes every neighbourhood from the North End to Waverley West and from Charleswood to Transcona. If you are not sure whether your address is inside the Perimeter, call us and we will check.

See the service area map.

What it costs

Our doctor house calls are 100% covered by Manitoba Health. You need valid Manitoba Health coverage. The Province of Manitoba says Manitoba Health pays doctors directly for insured services, including services provided in your home.

Visiting from another province or territory? We accept health coverage from other provinces and territories; call us and we'll confirm your details.

Read more: Manitoba Health coverage for house calls.

When the doctor comes

Visits are same-day. Because the doctor is travelling between homes across the city, we cannot give a specific arrival time. After you book, please plan to stay home for the rest of the day and keep your phone nearby.

Getting ready for the doctor

• Your health card (Manitoba, or another province or territory)
• Your medicines or a list of them, including vitamins, puffers and creams
• A list of your allergies and health problems
• Any hospital or specialist papers you have received lately
• Your glasses and hearing aids, if you use them
• Your questions, written down so you do not forget them
• Your phone, turned on and close by
• A way for the doctor to get in: someone to open the door, or your building buzzer number
• Outside lights on and the path cleared of snow and ice, if you can
• Pets in another room

During the visit

The doctor will talk with you about why you called. It helps to have your medicines, papers and written questions in one place, so nothing is missed.

You are welcome to have a family member, friend or caregiver at home with you. They can help you answer questions and remember what the doctor says.

After the visit

Follow the doctor's advice, and call 911 if you get worse quickly or think it is an emergency. If you are unsure what to do at any hour, Health Links - Info Santé can help (204-788-8200, 24 hours a day).

Looking for a family doctor for the long term? You can register with the Province's Family Doctor Finder by calling 204-786-7111 in Winnipeg.

Seniors' apartments and 55+ buildings

Yes, we visit you at home, including seniors' apartments and 55+ buildings. If you live in an apartment or building, tell us the building name, unit number and buzzer code when you book.

Our hours, and evenings and nights

Our house-call phone lines are open 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., 7 days a week, including weekends. Visits are same-day.

If you need help after 6:00 p.m., see after-hours options in Winnipeg.

House call, clinic, phone line or 911?

Your privacy

Your health information is protected by Manitoba's Personal Health Information Act (PHIA). Read our privacy policy.

Sources

• Province of Manitoba, Better Health: how to access care
• Province of Manitoba, Accessing health care (Health Links - Info Santé)
• Province of Manitoba, Family Doctor Finder