Patient Education

In April 2019, the Government of Nova Scotia passed the new Human Organ and Tissue Donation Act. 

Starting Jan. 18, 2021, people who do not record a decision on their health card, and are eligible, will be seen as agreeing to be a donor after death. This is referred to as deemed consent. These changes will make it possible for more Nova Scotians to donate their organs and tissues at the time of their death. To learn more about organ and tissue donation, please visit Legacy of Life. 

If you have questions about organ donation, please contact LegacyofLife@nshealth.ca or call 902-473-5523 or (toll-free) 1-877-841-3929.

If you have questions about tissue donation, please contact the tissue bank at 902-473-4171 or (toll-free) 1-800-314-6515.

Here are some trustworthy places to look for health information. The blue COVID-19 flag COVID-19 means it also has up-to-date information on the COVID-19 pandemic.

• COVID-19 Nova Scotia Health - Find COVID-19 updates from Nova Scotia Health
• COVID-19 IWK Health - Find COVID-19 updates from IWK
• COVID-19 Government of Nova Scotia - Find COVID-19 updates from the Government of NS
• COVID-19 Healthy Canadians- Government of Canada - Health information on a variety of topics
• COVID-19 World Health Organization (WHO) - Latest world news and top stories on health topics
• COVID-19 Public Health Agency of Canada - Health information on a variety of topics
• COVID-19 Caring for Kids - Health information for parents from the Canadian Paediatric Society
• COVID-19 FamilyDoctor.org - Health information from the American Academy of Family Physicians
• COVID-19 Harvard Health Publishing - Health information from Harvard Medical School
• Medline Plus - Health information including over-the-counter and prescription drugs
• Mayo Clinic - Patient Care and Health Information - Health information on a variety of topics
• Health Information in Multiple Languages - Health info available in different languages

For more detailed health information you can trust, visit:

• COVID-19 Cochrane Summaries - Plain language look at all research studies on a specific health topic
• COVID-19 Healthy Debate - Find health information and discuss Canada's health care systems
• Health Evidence™ - Find systematic reviews on public health issues

How do you know what to look for when you search for good health information?

It can be tough to find information you can trust online. Asking yourself these questions can help you decide if you can trust the information or not:

• Where is the information is coming from? Who is sponsoring the website? Is it a paid ad?
• When was the website last updated?
• Does the website present facts or opinions?
• Who was the information written for?

Sometimes your health care team may use words or terms that you are not familiar with. These websites can help you learn what it is they mean.