Appointments
Appointments can be booked in person or over the phone. We are working on a system to allow for online booking.
If you can, please let the receptionist know the reason that you wish to see the doctor as this will help us prepare for your visit and provide adequate time for you. In particular, if you are requesting a complete physical or Pap test then please tell the receptionist as these services require a longer a booking period.
If you are unable to make your appointment please give the staff 24 hours cancellation notice. There will be a charge for all missed appointments. This must be paid prior to seeing another doctor at our clinic.
Results
All patients are expected to come back to follow-up on test results. At the end of your visit, the doctor will let you know when to come back when you see him or her; sometimes they will tell you that they will call you when the results are ready. If you have not heard of a time to come back, then come in.
For privacy reasons, we cannot give test results over the phone nor inform you if test results have arrived. Please find out before leaving the clinic how long it will take for the results to come in.
Phone and fax prescriptions and refills
We cannot renew any prescriptions by phone. The responsibility is both yours and your doctor’s to assess at the time of your visit the appropriate quantity and dose of medication as well as the appropriate follow-up interval. So, please take a moment during each visit with the doctor to ensure that the quantity of medication is enough and that you understand why certain medications or conditions have to be monitored on a regular basis. You should report any changes to your doctor.
Referrals
If a referral to a specialist is being made for you by our office, either our office or the specialist’s office will contact you with an appointment time. Our goal is to request an appointment for you within two business days of your visit to our clinic; however, due to wait lists at the specialist office, you may not be contacted right away. We will make every attempt to let you know prior to leaving the clinic how long the wait list is for the referring specialist.
Forms
MSP does not pay for form completion. (If in doubt, please ask our staff what MSP covers and what it does not.) Therefore, it is the patient’s responsibility to pay in advance for any form that needs to be filled out by the doctor. Please inform the receptionist of any forms needing to be filled out prior to seeing the doctor.
Contact Information
Please ensure that your file is kept up to date with the best phone numbers, email and home addresses, and emergency contact information. Please inform the receptionist of any changes to your personal information upon arrival at the clinic or call after any of the above have changed.
Controlled Medications
Some medications, such as opioids (“narcotics”) require special prescribing rules. This is for your safety as they help you to minimize the risks of overuse and side effects and ensure proper use.
We do not prescribe controlled substances to patients who are not known to our clinic. We do not provide refills at times earlier that those decided at the last visit. As per provincial rules, we ask that all patients receiving these medications receive prescriptions from one doctor and fill those prescriptions at one pharmacy. Any irregularities may lead to the end of the prescription.
Behaviour
Our front staff are specially chosen and trained to help patients. We understand that there are many reasons why you may need to visit our office and we make every effort to make your visit as pleasant and comfortable as possible. In turn, we ask that your behavior is respectful of our staff. There is a zero tolerance for abuse of any kind and may lead to dismissal from the practice.
If you have any problems associated with your visit, please contact our managers in writing.
In order to provide you with the best possible care, a satisfactory doctor-patient relationship is necessary. If for any reason, this relationship becomes compromised, then it may be best for both parties to end the relationship. If this occurs then we will provide emergency medical care for one month or when the patient finds a new family doctor, whichever comes first.