MUHC ends use of plastic hospital cards starting Thursday

As of Thursday, the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) will officially stop using plastic hospital cards for patients at its facilities, namely the Montreal General Hospital, The Neuro, Montreal Children’s Hospital, Royal Victoria Hospital, and Lachine Hospital.

The MUHC said that this change aligns with a province-wide initiative aimed at streamlining the registration process, enhancing security, improving information sharing across the healthcare network, and reducing administrative duplication.

The transition will also contribute to environmental sustainability by cutting down on the production and disposal of plastic cards.

What patients need to know

New patients must go to the Admitting Office to create a file linked to their RAMQ (Quebec health insurance) card.

Returning patients should update their personal information at the Admitting Office, especially if they visit more than one MUHC site.

“Updates to patient files must be made at the Admitting Office for each site if care is received at multiple locations,” explained Annie-Claire Fournier, media relations advisor for the MUHC.

“Always bring a valid Quebec health insurance card (RAMQ card) when visiting,” she added.

If a RAMQ card is not available, patients should bring:

• A health insurance card from another Canadian province or territory
• A government-issued photo ID (e.g. driver’s license, passport)
• Proof of private insurance or refugee status

For newborns without a RAMQ card, the MUHC said that registration will be temporarily linked to the mother’s card. Parents should update this information once a name and card are assigned.