Your eReferral: safe, secure, and tracked every step of the way

Your family doctor, nurse practitioner, or specialist can now send your referral electronically instead of on paper. This is called an electronic referral (eReferral). eReferrals make the referral process more efficient, reduce mistakes, and make sure your referral gets to the right place — so you can get the care you need sooner. 

Currently available for: Surgical services, Gastroenterology, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Ultrasound (US), and Bone Mineral Density (BMD). More will be added over time. 

How eReferrals work

1. During your appointment, your referring provider (family physician, nurse practitioner or specialist) will send your referral electronically 
   
   Communicate travel preferences 
   Your provider will ask about your preferred location and whether you're willing to travel to other sites, including anywhere in Nova Scotia. While we always strive to provide care as close to home as possible, being open to travel may help get you an appointment sooner. 

   Please note, some services are only available at select locations across the province. Travel may be required depending on the service or test.
       
   Receive status updates – straight to your inbox.
   Share your email with your provider and consent to receive automatic email updates about the status of your referral.

   Please note: automatic email updates are currently available for surgery and gastroenterology referrals only. For diagnostic imaging appointments, patients will be contacted by the diagnostic imaging site by phone and mail.

2. Nova Scotia Health or IWK Health reviews and tracks your referral  
   
   Your eReferral is submitted and our teams work to ensure your referral is complete and doesn’t get lost or misplaced. 
      

3. You’ll be contacted for your appointment  
   Once your referral reaches the booking stage, you’ll be notified:

   For surgery and gastroenterology referrals: by email (from OceanMD, Nova Scotia’s trusted referral partner, if you provided your email and consent), phone, or mail.

   For diagnostic imaging appointments: by phone or mail from the diagnostic imaging site.

Benefits for patients

• More efficient referral process – Reduce delays and avoid lost paperwork.

• Stay informed – Share your email and consent and receive status updates on your referral – straight to your inbox!

  Please note: automatic email updates are currently available for surgery and gastroenterology referrals only. For diagnostic imaging appointments, our diagnostic imaging teams will contact you by phone and mail and work to keep you informed as best as possible.

• Care that fits your needs – Your travel and scheduling preferences are considered.
   
• Secure handling of your information – Your data is protected by provincial privacy laws and advanced encryption.
   
• Faster access to care - Your provider will ask about your preferred location and whether you're willing to travel to other sites, including anywhere in Nova Scotia. Being open to travel may help you get an appointment sooner.

News and Stories

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"My family doctor told me about a new eReferral service where I would receive notifications about my son’s referral status. I got an email confirming my son’s appointment the same day my doctor sent it. Within a couple of days, we had an appointment time. It was all very quick and gave me peace of mind that it was being handled. It worked like a charm. "

Read more

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an eReferral? 
An electronic referral (eReferral) is sent digitally instead of on paper. In Nova Scotia, we use a system called OceanMD, a trusted partner of Nova Scotia Health.

What services use eReferrals? 
Surgery, Gastroenterology, Ultrasound, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) & Bone Mineral Density testing. More services will be added over time.

Do I need to provide my email?
If you choose to share your email for a surgery or gastroenterology referral, you'll receive automatic updates about the status of your referral from OceanMD. If you don't provide your email, you'll receive updates by phone or mail.

For diagnostic imaging appointment, the diagnostic imaging site will contact you by phone and mail with updates.
 

Will my information be kept private and secure with eReferrals? 
Yes. Your information is stored securely by Nova Scotia Health and IWK, protected by provincial privacy laws, and only used to support your care. eReferrals use strong encryption, help prevent errors, and let you track updates to your referral.

Need help or have questions about your eReferral? 
Contact your referring provider.