Memo: Updates on Digital Initiatives

Thank you for your ongoing collaboration as we continue to leverage digital solutions to support the integration of the health system and improve wait times and reduce administrative burden on clinicians and administrators.

This memo provides an update on digital initiatives as part of the provincial digital strategy and builds on:

• Operational Direction: Local Delivery Group (LDG) Expansion to Support Spread and Scale of Digital Priorities, issued in October
• Operational Direction: Digital Planning and Procurements shared with hospitals in May

eReferral Ontario Now Available for Onboarding

eReferral Ontario is the updated provincial platform designed to streamline and optimize the referral process. It launched earlier this year with a limited rollout in August 2025, allowing select users and sites to onboard. Starting this month, onboarding is open to all clinicians and providers.

eReferral Ontario will work in conjunction with Central Intake to improve coordination and efficiency across the system. As per the Operational Direction: Local Delivery Group (LDG) Expansion to Support Spread and Scale of Digital Priorities, hospitals will be working with their local LDG Lead Organization and Ontario Health regional teams to onboard providers to eReferral. All other providers are requested to visit eReferral Ontario and follow the steps to get started. If you are on the referral network managed by Amplify Care, you will not experience any change.

A key feature of eReferral Ontario is Standardized Referral Forms (SRFs) – digital forms developed with clinician input to facilitate triaging and scheduling based on urgency, appropriateness and patient/clinician preference. SRFs ensure consistency in the information collected and include the right level of clinical detail to support timely care. These forms are built directly into the platform, making them accessible to all users and supporting smooth onboarding and adoption.

See Appendix for list of SRFs that are currently available. The next group of SRFs, as part of Phase 2, will become available in January.

Central Intake

Central Intake will serve as a single-entry point for referrals across primary care, and the availability of CI for all specialties is the mature future state we’re working towards, starting with MRI/CT, cataracts and orthopedics, and mental health and addictions.

Referrals will be distributed efficiently and transparently, balancing patient and provider preferences. This streamlined process reduces provider burden and offers clear referral information and wait-time visibility to support better care planning.

Hubs selection

As part of Ontario Health’s central intake expansion, the following organizations have been designated as central intake hubs for diagnostic imaging (MRI/CT) and surgery (cataract/orthopedics). These organizations will be working closely with the LDG lead organizations in their region and with Ontario Health to implement provincial strategic direction on central intake.

Sectors are asked to work with their hubs and Central Intake lead organizations to implement central intake across the province.

Note: Mental Health and Addictions hubs will be confirmed in January.

Central Intake Hubs for Diagnostic Imaging (MRI/CT) and Surgery (Cataract/Orthopedics)

*Information in columns marked with an asterisk has previously been shared.

Thank you for your ongoing support in advancing the province’s Digital First for Health strategy to enable connected and convenient health care for all Ontarians.

If you have any questions or for more information, contact your Ontario Health regional digital team.

Appendix

Currently available Standardized Referral Forms (SRFs):

• Cardiology
• Cataract
• Dermatology
• Gastroenterology
• Hematology
• Medical Imaging (including MRI, CT, Radiology, Ultrasound, Bone Mineral Density)
• Nephrology
• Neurology
• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Orthopedics
• Otolaryngology
• Respirology
• Rheumatology
• Urology
• Universal Template (provides a standardized option for referrals for any specialist)

Phase 2 SRFs (available in the forms library of eReferral Ontario in January)

• Bariatrics
• Endocrinology
• Infectious Disease
• Mental Health and Addictions
• Plastic Surgery
• Psychiatry