Virtual Visits Verification Standard

The Virtual Visits Verification Standard helps health service providers make informed decisions about the procurement of virtual care solutions. Compliance with this standard ensures that virtual health care services use safe, secure and interoperable platforms for patient to provider video and secure messaging. Supporting Ontario's Digital First for Health strategy, the standard was developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and OntarioMD.

About Verified Virtual Visit Solutions

Verification is a review process to ensure that virtual care solutions meet the requirements outlined in the standard.

Solution providers can request a submission package and apply to become verified by emailing verification@ontariohealth.ca. Verified solutions are required to be validated against a set of mandatory requirements in the standard.

Once verified, solutions are published on the Verified Solutions List to help health service providers make an informed selection and to procure verified virtual care solutions to meet their practice needs.

Ontario Health does not endorse any virtual care solution and advises health care providers and organizations to conduct their own due diligence to determine that any solution procured meets their own needs and requirements.

To better understand the roles and responsibilities of solution providers, health service providers and organizations, please read the Terms and Conditions in full.

Health Service Providers

By verifying and validating that video and secure messaging solutions meet all mandatory requirements, Ontario Health supports health service providers in making informed procurement decisions based on a provincial standard for privacy, security, technology and functionality.

Using a solution from the Verified Solutions List ensures that privacy and data protection safeguards provided by the solution meet a minimum standard and have been validated by OntarioMD.

Talk to your solution provider

If you currently use a solution that is not on the Verified Solutions List, encourage your solution provider to become verified by sending an email to verification@ontariohealth.ca to discuss eligibility.

Verification of Your Own Solution

Virtual care solutions developed by, or in partnership with health service providers can become verified. If you have implemented or are planning to implement a solution that is unique to your environment and is not generally or commercially available in the marketplace, send an email to verification@ontariohealth.ca to discuss eligibility.

Virtual Care Solution Providers

To begin the verification process, request a submission package by sending email to verification@ontariohealth.ca.

The verification process

You will be required to:

1. Sign an Attestation Letter (included in the submission package) that affirms that your solution meets all mandatory requirements as detailed in the standard.
2. Submit up-to-date Privacy Impact Assessment and Threat Risk Assessment summaries. SOC 2 Type 2 audits may be submitted in place of Threat Risk Assessment.
3. Complete scenario-based validation testing of your implementation of the solution against mandatory requirements and submit substantiation materials within 12 months of the solution's verification date.

There is no time limit for completing the initial submission package. The process is voluntary and has no application or participation fees.

Submissions (steps 1 and 2) will be assessed for completeness and compliance on a first-come first-served basis. Compliant solutions will be published on the Verified Solutions List and verified solution provides will receive a Notice of Verification. Once the solution is validated (step 3), the Verified Solutions List will be updated to reflect the validated status.

Solution providers offering multiple solutions need to verify each solution independently and each solution will be separately listed on the Verified Solutions List.

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