It’s 7 p.m. on a Tuesday. Your child has a fever, you have a wound that’s worrying you, or you’re experiencing symptoms that are keeping you awake. Your family doctor—if you have one—is closed. The hospital emergency room means hours of waiting. Super-clinics are packed. Hundreds of thousands of Quebecers face this scenario every week. Yet solutions exist for seeing a doctor in the evening, on Saturdays, or from home—without waiting in the emergency room and without having to go anywhere unless it’s necessary.
Why Access to Healthcare Outside of Business Hours Is a Real Challenge
The vast majority of medical clinics in Quebec are open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. This schedule aligns with office hours—not with patients’ daily lives. People get sick in the evening. Children run fevers on the weekend. Pain doesn’t follow business hours. And workers, parents with irregular schedules, or those without a family doctor often can’t see a doctor during regular hours without taking a day off.
The direct consequence: emergency room visits for problems that could have been treated at a clinic, illnesses that worsen due to a lack of prompt care, and patients who forgo care because the process is too burdensome. This is a systemic problem—but there are now solutions available to address it on an individual basis.
Options for consulting outside office hours in Quebec
Super-clinics and walk-in clinics
The public healthcare system operates super-clinics in several regions of Quebec, some of which are open into the evening or on weekends. Access is free for RAMQ-insured individuals, but wait times can be long, and continuity of care with the same provider is not guaranteed. These resources are useful for minor emergencies but are not a substitute for structured medical care.
Info-Santé 811
The provincial Info-Santé hotline (811) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It allows you to get advice from a nurse to assess the severity of a symptom and decide whether urgent medical attention is needed. This service is free and covered by the RAMQ. It does not prescribe medications or provide a comprehensive clinical evaluation, but it is a useful first step in determining whether a medical consultation is necessary.
Private medical teleconsultation - the game-changing solution
For patients who need a real consultation—clinical evaluation, prescription, lab order, medical notes, or follow-up on test results—private telemedicine consultations offer what the public healthcare system does not yet consistently provide: evening access, from the comfort of your own home, to a qualified healthcare professional, within a reasonable timeframe. Clinique Omicron offers telemedicine consultations generally available Monday through Friday until 8 p.m., with time slots that vary depending on the professionals available. Appointments can be booked directly online at cliniqueomicron.ca.
Clinic service points - including Saturdays
Some Clinique Omicron locations are open on Saturdays, in addition to their regular weekday hours. This is the option for patients who prefer or need an in-person consultation—especially when a physical exam is required. Exact hours vary by location: visit the “Contact Us” section on cliniqueomicron.ca or call 514-606-3350 for the most up-to-date availability information.
Evening Telemedicine — What It Really Offers
A telemedicine consultation is not an information hotline—it is a real consultation with a qualified healthcare professional. The doctor or nurse practitioner can assess your symptoms, make a diagnosis, write a prescription, order lab tests or imaging studies, issue a medical note or a sick leave note, and provide clinical follow-up. Everything a doctor does in a clinic—except for a physical exam—can be done remotely. And in many cases, a physical exam isn’t necessary.
What Can Be Treated in the Evening via Teleconsultation
Respiratory infections—colds, the flu, sinusitis, bronchitis—are particularly well-suited for telemedicine consultations, as are urinary tract infections, uncomplicated skin rashes, eye infections, prescription renewals, follow-up on lab results, the initial evaluation of musculoskeletal pain, medical notes, or the assessment of symptoms of anxiety or depression. During the consultation, the healthcare professional will determine whether the issue can be managed remotely or if an in-person visit is necessary—in which case they will refer you to the appropriate level of care.
What teleconsultation does not replace
Certain situations require an in-person visit: serious injuries, severe chest or abdominal pain, acute neurological symptoms, or any situation where a physical examination is clinically essential. In these cases, the teleconsultation provider will refer you to an in-person clinic visit or the emergency room, depending on the severity. In the event of a medical emergency, call 911.
The Extended Hours Allowance — What You Need to Know
Private clinics that offer services in the evening, on weekends, or on holidays may charge an additional fee for appointments scheduled outside regular hours. This is the case at Clinique Omicron, which charges this additional fee for services provided outside normal business hours. This is clearly communicated when you make your appointment—so there are no unpleasant surprises on your bill. Like all private medical services, this type of consultation is tax-exempt and eligible as a medical expense on your tax return. Visit cliniqueomicron.ca/tarifs/ for pricing details.
Which recourse to choose depending on your evening or weekend situation
Non-urgent symptom — requires a prescription or a doctor's note
This is the perfect situation for a telemedicine consultation. Whether it’s a urinary tract infection, a prescription refill, the early stages of a respiratory infection, test results that need interpreting, or a sick leave request: Clinique Omicron lets you get an answer the very same evening, without having to leave home and without waiting in the emergency room. Book an appointment directly at cliniqueomicron.ca.
Physical examination required - non-emergency situation
If your situation requires a physical exam but is not an emergency, schedule an appointment at one of Clinique Omicron’s locations. Several locations on the South Shore are open on weekdays and Saturdays. Check availability and book an appointment online to avoid waiting.
Unsure of severity - new or worrying symptom
If you’re not sure whether your situation requires urgent care, start by calling 811 (Info-Santé). The nurse will work with you to determine whether an appointment is necessary and will refer you to the appropriate level of care. You can also start a teleconsultation with Clinique Omicron—the healthcare professional will let you know if an in-person appointment or a visit to the emergency room is necessary.
Medical emergencies
Chest pain, severe difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, stroke, or serious injury: call 911 or go immediately to the nearest emergency room. Telemedicine and private clinics are not a substitute for emergency care.
Clinique Omicron - accessible care when you need it
Omicron Clinic is a network of medical clinics with multiple locations on Quebec’s South Shore, offering telemedicine services that cover the entire province. The multidisciplinary team includes family physicians, specialized nurse practitioners, clinical nurses, nutritionists, kinesiologists, and social workers—all available in-person at the clinics and, for the most part, via teleconsultation.
For patients who visit regularly or who want structured care throughout the year, subscription plans offer easier access and a lower cost per visit. For patients seeking one-time care, à la carte visits are available with no commitment. New locations are also planned for Montreal and Laval in 2026, which will further expand the network’s geographic coverage.
FAQ - Evening and weekend consultations in Quebec
Les réponses aux questions les plus fréquentes sur ce sujet.
A: Yes. Omicron Clinic accepts patients who do not have a family doctor. You can choose an available time slot from the options listed online—including evening hours—without needing a referral. Appointments can be made at cliniqueomicron.ca.
A: Yes. A doctor or specialized nurse practitioner can write a prescription during a telemedicine consultation and send it electronically to the pharmacy of your choice. You can pick it up as soon as the pharmacy opens, or—depending on your pharmacy’s services—within a few hours.
A: Yes, Clinique Omicron applies a surcharge for services performed outside regular hours - evenings, weekends and holidays. This surcharge is communicated at the time of appointment. See cliniqueomicron.ca/prices/ for details.
A: In many cases, yes. Group insurance plans and many individual policies cover medical consultations, including telemedicine. Clinique Omicron submits claims directly to most of its partner insurers. Check your policy or contact your insurer to confirm your coverage.
A: Schedules vary by branch and type of service. Consult the Contact us section of cliniqueomicron.ca or call 514-606-3350. Availability can also be viewed directly in the online appointment calendar.
Omicron Clinic
Need to consult a doctor?
In-person or via telemedicine, anywhere in Quebec.
We accept insurance. Telemedicine consultations available 7 days a week. No family doctor required.
