WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government is working to add more clinics to its Medinav online booking system, which helps patients get same-day or next-day appointments for non-emergency care. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said the province is considering adding independent physician-run clinics to the platform. The government wants clinics on Medinav that have access to diagnostics and lab services, Asagwara said. The system was launched two years ago to reduce wait times in emergency departments and walk-in clinics.
Doctors Manitoba, the physician advocacy organization, supports opening Medinav to doctor-run clinics. The group said doctors are eager to fill available appointments and patients would benefit from hundreds more locations on the online platform. Doctors Manitoba met with government officials in spring 2025 about the idea but has not received an update in over a year, the organization said in a statement. A spokesperson said the group is eager to resume discussions with the government.
Asagwara did not provide a specific timeline for the expansion. The clinics currently on Medinav are all publicly run, including four extended hours primary care clinics in Winnipeg, two minor injury and illness clinics, five walk-in connected care options and two QuickCare Clinics. Since launching, Medinav has facilitated more than 91,000 appointments. Monthly bookings have grown steadily, surpassing 1,000 in January 2025, climbing above 3,000 by that summer and topping 5,000 by early 2026, according to government figures.
Bookings have since ranged between 5,000 and 7,000 each month. "It's a Manitoba-made success," Asagwara said. "It's a model that is based on convenience and it's working for Manitobans." The minister said the province will continue to raise awareness about Medinav but noted patients can still walk into clinics or book by phone if they prefer. Some doctor offices allow online bookings independently but are not part of the centralized provincial system.
Kelly Harris, an education and training co-ordinator with Indigenous Health, has recommended Medinav to family and friends for its convenience. She values the short wait times and the attention she receives from health-care providers. "I've never felt rushed," Harris said. "They've taken the time to really talk to me, talk about what's going on." She said this contrasted with her past experiences at walk-in clinics, where physicians moved quickly to the next patient due to long queues. Nearly 89 percent of Manitobans report having access to a regular primary care provider, the highest rate in the country, according to a 2025 OurCare survey from University of Toronto researchers. That same study found nearly 29 percent of Manitobans with a primary care provider could see that person for urgent care on the same or next day, which is below the national average of 37 percent.