What to Expect When Seeking Care in Our Clinic
Thank you for allowing us to take part in your medical care! An important part of the doctor-patient (or provider-client) interaction is the relationship we build based on honest communication and working together toward improving your health.
In order to begin, we would like to clarify the expectations we have regarding our future interactions:
- We will provide you with high-quality medical care to the extent of our training, experience and usual practice.
- Please be fair to other patients waiting to be seen: keep the purpose of each visit to a maximum of 2 concerns.
- You may always request to be accompanied by a family member or clinic staff for sensitive physical exams such as: vaginal, breast, rectal, or genital exams.
- We do encourage the practice of seeing teenagers individually and apart from their parents to improve adolescent care. Due to confidential nature of patient visits, we are unable to disclose details without the teenager's consent.
- We do NOT make referrals to specialists simply upon your request. We need to assess your situation first, and if we are unable to manage your condition, then we may or may not refer you (depending on if it is medically necessary).
- No double-doctoring: You must choose one person to be your family doctor. If your family doctor is unavailable, please try to see one of the other doctors at your doctor's office who is covering, as the same clinic can properly track your health history better. If you family doctor is not at Get Well Clinic, you may come use our Walk-In Clinic for brief episodic care, however, please be aware that your care is limited and may pertain only to your specific current medical issue. For any other regular matters, please see your usual family doctor for followup care.
- Please choose one pharmacy location for all your prescription drugs. This helps prevent drug errors and provide you extra continuity of care.
- Please respect our secretaries. We do not tolerate patients yelling, scolding, foul or threatening language or behaviour with our support staff. Feel free to raise your concerns with the clinic manager who will assist you. Although patient satisfaction is important to us, we are not a resort. We work within the Ontario health system and our clinic does not have quality control over the entire service chain. However, most dissatisfaction usually comes from miscommunication and misunderstanding, so please come talk with us first before getting angry.
- There are extra fees for some services not covered under OHIP, such as: missed appointments, phone advice, prescription renewals by fax or phone, work/school forms, sick/massage/orthotics notes, and travel advice.
- When you have tests, imaging, or specialist referrals, please return for a follow-up appointment to discuss results. If you do not hear from us, it does NOT mean everything is normal. Sometimes, results are lost in the mail, and it is for your double-protection for you to return and ask us if we received your results.
- Unfortunately, we are unable to continue narcotic, sedative, or stimulant prescriptions given by another doctor, except for very specific confirmed diagnosis. The Walk-In-Clinic is also unable to refill any of these controlled substances.
- We also discourage the use of Email, Text or other insecure forms of electronic communication when discussing your private health matters with us. Please call us instead and make an appointment to meet with your doctor or health provider in person.
- If you are dissatisfied with the care we are providing you, please discuss your concerns openly with your doctor or health care provider as soon as issues arise, so we can try to work things out. If we are unable to work things out, then you are not obligated to stay and may find a different doctor, clinic or health care provider who can suit your needs better.
Again, we restate the importance of honesty and openness in the doctor-patient (or provider-client) relationship. If the situation ever arises in the future where this relationship is broken because of manipulation, deception, threatening behaviour, or abuse, then we may need to terminate the relationship. In those rare situations, we can only provide emergency care for a short temporary duration while you find another doctor and clinic. We are hopeful that we will not need to come to this unfortunate circumstance.
If you have any questions regarding the above, please don't hesitate to ask us at Get Well Clinic!
