Digital health cards ready for download

The provincial government has launched an online application that allows Manitobans to access a digital version of their health card on their cellphones.

The move is intended to modernize access to health care, alleviate administrative burdens and provide added convenience to patients and parents, Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said Monday.

“This is a big deal,” Asagwara said. “This is about removing small barriers that cause pretty big stress. It’s about making sure that you can access care no matter where you are.”

Manitobans who are registered in the provincial health system can request a digital version of their health cards, provided they have access to a Manitoba health card account and have installed the MB Wallet app on their mobile device.

The MB Wallet app is available free of charge through Apple’s App Store and Google Play.

Manitobans can present the digital health card when receiving care, regardless of whether they have a physical card.

The announcement comes one year after the province moved to replace paper health cards with plastic versions.

“For everyone else who was thinking it’s time to move Manitoba into the 1980s technology-wise, hey, we brought forward the plastic health cards,” Premier Wab Kinew said.

“Now some could argue we’re moving into the 2000s, maybe even the 2020s.”

Ensuring the security of digital health information required the government to spend about $1.9 million developing the app. It is separate from other digital wallets commonly found on mobile devices, Kinew said.

The wallet could be expanded to include digital versions of hunting and fishing licences, and other forms of documentation in the future, he added.

The premier stressed Manitobans are not required to use digital versions of their health cards.

“It’s about making sure that you can access care no matter where you are.”

“For all the conspiracy-minded folks who are running to their YouTube channel, stop. This is not mandatory. We’re not making you get a digital ID,” he said.

“If this is going to make your life easier, get a digital health card.”

The digital card will ensure Manitobans can access health care in the event of emergencies, Asagwara said.

The minister pointed to the recent wildfire season, which saw many Manitobans evacuated from their homes.

“People often had to leave their homes or their settings very quickly without that moment, that opportunity to grab and gather all of their documents,” Asagwara said.

“Having access to your health card on your phone makes one small part of an already difficult situation or a health emergency just a little bit easier.”

Asagwara said the card will be more convenient for parents, who can store their children’s cards in their MB Wallet app. The app will also allow Manitobans to schedule clinic appointments through the MediNav online booking system.

The digital cards feature a QR code. In the future, the province hopes Manitoba health-care staff will be able to scan the digital cards and automatically transfer health information, saving them the trouble of manually typing it into forms, Asagwara said.

“It’s faster, it reduces errors, and it means more time doing what health-care workers want to do and what they do best, and that’s focusing on patient care.”

“If this is going to make your life easier, get a digital health card.”

Kinew said five Manitoba health-care facilities, including in Dauphin and Selkirk, are currently participating in a pilot project to test QR code scanners.

“The idea is we will keep rolling this out,” he said.

Meanwhile, efforts are underway to introduce a system that would allow Manitobans full access to their electronic health records. The next step in the process will involve allowing patients to access the medical lab work results online. The government hopes to digitize all medical records by 2027, Asagwara said.

For more information, or to apply, go to wfp.to/digitalcard.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca