Clinic Policies

Appointments:

Please contact the clinic to make appointments to see the doctor.
Please briefly tell the secretary the reason for the appointment, ie. annual physical, followup, acute illness (cough, fever, pain) so we can schedule you appropriately.
If you are unable to attend your appointment, please call to cancel 24 hr prior, otherwise, a cancellation fee may be charged to you.
If you believe your medical concern is an emergency (ie, chest pain, fainting, dizziness, one-sided weakness, or severe abdominal pain), please go to the nearest hospital Emergency Room (ER) or call 911.
If you are experiencing a new illness (that is not an emergency) please call to make an urgent appointment with your doctor. If your doctor is unavailable, please ask to see another available doctor as a walk-in patient at Get Well Clinic, as your medical record will be accessible by our other doctors in the same clinic.

Test Results:

Due to the large volume of calls, our clinic and physicians do NOT routinely call patients back for test results. We routinely ask and expect patients to call the clinic and make their own appointments to discuss test results at the appropriate times (such as 1 week after most test, or 1 month for some tests that take longer).
Please note that it is unsafe to give test results over the phone, please make an appointment to discuss the test results in person.
If you do not hear back from Dr. Lai or the clinic, it does NOT mean everything is okay. Please make an appointment to check and discuss results with the doctor, in person. Sometimes, the clinic never receives completed test results, so by coming in, you help us followup on missing test results.

Leaving Messages at the Clinic:

All our phone messages are logged and returned by our receptionist staff.
When leaving messages, please clearly leave your full name, phone number, and the reason for the call (what do you want) in order that we may properly address your concern.
If you would like to leave a specific message for the doctor, you may either leave a written note for the doctor at the front desk, fax a note to the clinic, or mail a letter by Canada Post.
Unfortunately, Email service is limited only to making appointments, as Email is considered insecure. Please make an appointment to discuss any personal or health matters in person. The receptionist cannot give out test results by email or by phone.

Requests to Speak with Doctor on the Phone:

In order to facilitate your care, please let our receptionist staff know the nature of your concern and any pertinent information in order that the Front Desk can assist you. They will consult the physician on your behalf and relay back any furthur instructions or clarifications to help you.
It may be easier if you make an appointment and speak with the physician directly face-to-face in privacy.
If you still require and request to speak with the doctor on the phone, please be aware that OHIP does NOT cover phone call conversations with physicians. Requests to discuss medical questions, clarifications, or consultations over the phone with a physician will require a fee.
We discourage patients from using the telephone to seek medical advice or consultation from the doctors or staff. We are unable to verify your identity. It is also unsafe to practice medicine over the telephone without the doctor visually/physically assessing the patient in his presence.
Please be assured that all our receptionist staff are considered part of your health care team, whom the doctors work with closely to manage your healthcare. They have been trained in privacy and confidentiality policies and procedures, and have signed a binding confidentiality agreement with our clinic.
If you would like to include phone call services with our physicians, please consider our annual membership fees (block fee), or agree to pay-per-use.

Emails, Text and other insecure forms Electronic Communication:

We discourage the use of Email or Text when communicating medical information or health concerns with our Clinic and doctors.
We reserve the right to use Email or Text only for the purpose of making or confirming appointments.
If you attempt to expand the discussion by Email or Text to other medical, personal, or health related matters, we will ask you to call our Clinic and make an appointment to discuss you matter more in detail.
Please do NOT use Email or Text to discuss you medical care with us or your doctor or health care provider.
Please call us and make an appointment to see you doctor or health care provider in person.
If you do not receive a satisfactory reply from Email or Text, please be aware that we are not being rude, but we are trying to encourage you to use proper channels when communicating important matters with us.

Extra Fees:

Pharmacy Refills:

Fax or phone refills are strongly discouraged. Please visit the doctor one (1) month before you run out of medication in order to followup on your medical condition and ask for refills. If you do need an urgent temporary refill (because the next booked appointment is after you run out), a fee may be charged for this service.
Some pharmacies may be trained and licensed to refill existing chronic medications without a doctor's prescription. Please check with you local pharmacist for more information. If you do ask your pharmacist to refill your prescriptions, please do see your doctor at least every 6 months.

Sidebar