Halifax residents can use secure online intake for short-term illness documentation when accessing a clinic is difficult. A CPSNS-registered physician independently reviews each request, and documentation is issued only when clinically appropriate.
Employment standards and workplace policies are not the same thing. Follow your employer’s reporting process, check the current Nova Scotia rules and any collective agreement, and ask how documentation should be submitted when it is requested.
A marine electrician at Halifax Shipyard working on AOPS vessels who develops flu symptoms. Irving's strict attendance policy requires documentation for any unscheduled absence, but the nearest walk-in has a 4-hour wait and the employee would lose a full day's pay ($350+) waiting.
A software developer at one of Halifax's growing tech companies who needs to take a mental health day. The company's progressive sick leave policy still requires documentation for absences over 2 days, but their family doctor left NS last year.
A student at Dalhousie University who misses a midterm exam due to illness. Dalhousie's Academic Regulations require a Student Declaration of Absence or medical documentation for missed assessments. Campus health has a 2-week wait for appointments.
A respiratory therapist at the QEII who develops a cough. Infection control requires medical clearance before returning to patient care areas. Staff health services are booked solid for 3 weeks.
A civilian employee at HMC Dockyard who cannot report for duty. DND civilian attendance management requires medical documentation for absences over 24 hours. The base clinic only serves military members, not civilian staff.
A part-time retail worker at Halifax Shopping Centre who wakes up with a stomach bug before an opening shift at 9 AM. No walk-in clinic opens before 8:30 AM, and the manager requires a note for any missed shift during the holiday season.
Our reviewing physicians maintain active registration with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia (CPSNS) and hold valid licences to practise medicine in Nova Scotia. Their registration can be verified through the CPSNS public register at cpsns.ns.ca.
MedLetter processes all personal health information in compliance with Nova Scotia's Personal Health Information Act (PHIA). Your intake form is transmitted via 256-bit TLS encryption. Health information is stored in Canadian data centres and is never shared with employers, schools, or third parties without your explicit written consent.
A recipient, such as an employer, school, insurer, or benefits administrator, decides whether documentation meets its own process. A clinician-issued document does not guarantee a workplace, academic, insurance, or benefits outcome.
MedLetter provides medical documentation services only. Sick notes are issued only when medically appropriate based on the reviewing physician's independent clinical judgment. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or visit the QEII Health Sciences Centre, Dartmouth General Hospital, or your nearest emergency department.
A CPSNS-registered physician may provide documentation through an appropriate virtual-care assessment when clinically appropriate. The employer, school, insurer, or other recipient applies its own policy and process.
Check the employer’s current attendance and documentation process. MedLetter cannot guarantee any particular employer’s decision; a clinician independently decides whether short-term documentation is appropriate.
Start with Dalhousie’s current course and Faculty process. A clinician may provide short-term documentation when appropriate, but the University decides whether and how academic consideration is provided. See the Dalhousie workflow guide below.
Review timing varies by clinical circumstances, request volume, and whether follow-up is needed. No fixed delivery time is promised.
No. MedLetter does not bill MSI. Our flat $49 fee covers the physician review and documentation. You do not need a valid NS Health card, making this ideal for new residents, temporary workers, and those between coverage.
Follow the school or workplace’s current process first. MedLetter’s service is limited to short-term illness documentation and does not promise an employer, school, insurer, or benefits outcome.
For those without MSI coverage, yes. Walk-in clinics that accept uninsured patients charge $50-80+ per visit. MedLetter's flat $49 fee includes the physician review and documentation. For those with MSI, the walk-in visit itself is free but costs 3-5 hours of your time (worth $75-150+ in lost wages).
Yes. MedLetter accepts submissions 7 days a week, including weekends and holidays. This is particularly valuable in Halifax where most walk-in clinics are closed on Sundays and have reduced Saturday hours.
Eligible Halifax Regional Municipality residents can submit a short-term illness documentation request online. Physician review and any documentation issued remain subject to clinical appropriateness and variable timing.
Nova Scotia Health employees can use MedLetter for sick notes. Our documentation meets the requirements of NSH's attendance management policy. For infection control clearance, additional in-person assessment may be required depending on your role.
New sick-note requests are temporarily paused while we review our service. We are not accepting new orders at this time.