Virtual care options for patients and doctors in Nova Scotia, like telephone and videoconferencing, are set to expire at the end of the year and there’s no word from the province if the e-health programming will be extended.

The province needs to commit to funding virtual health care beyond the end of December, making it a permanent option for doctors and patients, says the president of Doctors Nova Scotia.

“What we do know is that there is a path forward and this is something that has to happen, said Dr. Robyn MacQuarrie at Tuesday’s standing committee on health. “We need to find a way to make it work.”

Nova Scotia announced Friday that it’s extending access to virtual care options, like telephone and videoconferencing, which are available for doctors to connect with patients.

The province implemented a non-face-to-face billing code since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March, and that will now be available until Dec. 31, 2020.