The province of Quebec is moving forward with the expansion of an electronic prescription platform based on a federal initiative that was discontinued earlier this year due to low adoption rates. Quebec’s government will operate the system under the name Prescription Québec, using provincial funds, while maintaining technology support from Telus Health, the primary vendor involved in the original federal project.
The electronic prescription program, initially launched as PrescribeIT by Canada Health Infoway in 2017, was designed to replace fax machines with a digital platform for sending prescriptions between doctors and pharmacists. Despite a federal investment approaching $300 million, the program saw limited uptake, with fewer than 5 percent of prescriptions processed through the system nationally. As a result, the federal government ended the program’s coverage across most of Canada on May 29.
However, Quebec Health Minister Sonia Bélanger successfully negotiated to keep a pilot project running in the province. On July 17, Infoway and Québec’s health authority, Santé Québec, announced a formal agreement to continue and scale up Prescription Québec. The platform is currently used by 14 pharmacies and 138 physicians in eight clinics within the Estrie region southeast of Montreal. Since the pilot began in May 2024, Santé Québec reported the processing of around 283,000 electronic prescriptions as of early July.
The Quebec government will cover operating costs for the project under a four-year contract, although officials have not disclosed the specific budget or detailed plans for funding beyond that period. Santé Québec representatives have indicated that future decisions will be made when the current agreement ends.
Proponents of Prescription Québec include pharmacy associations that emphasize benefits such as reducing administrative tasks and improving communication. Unlike traditional fax methods, which are one-way, the digital platform allows two-way communication between doctors and pharmacists, easing challenges related to verifying prescription information. These groups have praised Quebec’s choice not to impose per-prescription fees on pharmacists—a factor that contributed to the program’s poor uptake elsewhere and prompted some pharmacies to discontinue its use.
Only four pharmacy chains—Groupe Jean Coutu, Brunet, Uniprix, and Proxim—are currently participating in the pilot. Some industry observers note that the provincial government has yet to clarify how the platform will be extended to additional chains or how related implementation costs will be managed.
Quebec’s commitment to Prescription Québec comes as the provincial government, led by Premier Christine Fréchette, prepares for an upcoming election amid scrutiny over other digital health projects, including the delayed rollout of an electronic health-record system called Dossier santé numérique.
At the federal level, Canada Health Infoway has faced criticism following revelations about the underperformance of PrescribeIT and questions raised during parliamentary hearings earlier this year. The organization’s longtime CEO was dismissed after failing to respond to lawmakers’ inquiries and amid disclosure of high executive salaries. In response, the federal government announced plans to commission an independent audit and strategic review of Infoway’s management and compliance with funding agreements, with a procurement process for an auditor due to begin shortly.