Hybrid Virtual Care Integration in the Canadian Health System: Designing Sustainable Models for Post-Pandemic Primary Care Delivery

Canada's publicly funded health system is undergoing a fundamental transformation as hybrid care, the intentional combination of virtual and in-person services, has become a permanent feature of primary care delivery following the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper synthesizes secondary evidence to examine four interconnected dimensions of hybrid virtual care: the design of care pathways and criteria for selecting virtual versus in-person visits; patient and provider experiences and outcomes; impacts on access, utilization, and equity; and organizational and policy supports required for sustainability. The central research question guiding this analysis is: How can Canadian healthcare organizations design and sustain hybrid care models that are clinically appropriate, equitable, and acceptable in the post-pandemic period? Drawing on evidence from Canadian programs including Ontario's Integrated Virtual Care, the Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre, and Nova Scotia's VirtualCareNS, the study identifies key success factors including structured triage protocols, team-based care integration, and multimodal access options. Findings indicate that hybrid models can improve access, reduce unnecessary emergency department visits, and achieve high patient satisfaction when deliberately designed with attention to digital equity and workforce sustainability. The paper provides six evidence-based recommendations for healthcare managers and policymakers seeking to implement sustainable hybrid care models across Canadian jurisdictions (Pirouzi, 2026).

Keywords: hybrid care, virtual care, telemedicine, primary care, Canadian healthcare, digital health equity, post-pandemic healthcare delivery