Everything You Need to Know When Visiting Our Office

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In the interest of keeping our immunocompromised patients and staff safe, we will not be dropping our mask requirement in this office. We have a staff member actively undergoing chemotherapy treatments, so this is non-negotiable. Masks are provided and readily available for your use in the glass vestibule before you enter the office. Whether you are there for an appointment or just stopping by to speak with reception, masks are required for everyone every time they enter the office.

If you are experiencing symptoms that could be related to COVID - any cold, cough, flu, fever, sinus or ear infection, we request proof of a negative COVID test before the doctors assess you. The day of your appointment, please do a Rapid Antigen Test at home, and either bring the test with you or take a picture of it. We do not provide testing in office, and are not equipped to see COVID positive patients.

We understand COVID tests are hard to come by unless you have some left over from public distribution or you have purchased some of your own accord. If you are not able to access tests, just let reception know when booking.

This is a scent-free office - please do not wear perfume or cologne to your appointment.

Please put your phone on silent or turn it off when you are in the office. Whether you are waiting in the lobby or in the appointment room, please turn off the volume on your phone so as not to disturb those around you.

We ask that all patients remove their shoes when entering the office - whether you are here for an appointment or stopping by to speak with reception, we do not wear shoes in our office. You are welcome to bring slippers or indoor shoes, but blue booties/covers will be provided on your way in.

We allow for a 5 minute grace period to arrive for your appointment, whether for family practice or walk-in clinic. If you arrive after this time, we will have to ask if your appointment can still be accommodated - often we will need to rebook, out of respect for the physicians and other scheduled patient appointments. Arriving too late to accommodate your appointment is equivalent to a no-show and can be billed as such. Please keep this in mind.

We require 24hrs notice for any cancellations. Please be advised we do bill for missed appointments - this fee can range from $40-90 depending on the type of appointment booked, as per the OMA. Exceptions will be made for certain circumstances. For example, if you wake up the morning of your appointment and are unwell, or if you have a personal emergency and are unable to make it, please call reception ASAP to let us know, and we may be able to waive the fee. This is always at the discretion of your doctor. If you receive a bill in the mail, and believe it was by mistake, please speak with your doctor about it at your next visit. Only your doctor can waive a bill after it has been sent.

As the doctors prefer to do everything by appointment, we generally do not accept prescription renewal requests via fax from your pharmacy, unless you are a blister pack patient or a patient through Options Northwest. If you are a blister pack patient, please have your pharmacy indicate specifically when faxing us. Faxes will not make it through the filter system without this identifier.

We ask that you treat the Health Care Providers and all other Practice Staff courteously without violence, abuse, or harassment.

Family Doctors and their staff have the right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused. Any behaviour whether that be VERBAL, PHYSICAL or in WRITING, which causes staff to feel uncomfortable, embarrassed or threatened, is totally unacceptable.

The Zero Tolerance policy includes abuse, aggression or threats made in person, over the telephone, or in written communication, including on social media. The Practice considers threatening behaviour to be:

• Attempted or actual aggressive, threatening, or physical actions made towards any member of staff.
• The use of aggressive, threatening or abusive language (including raising of the voice, swearing, shouting, or in writing), which threatens or intimidates staff.
• Any instance or threat of physical abuse will be reported to police and the offender will be removed from the premises by police. The patient will also be removed from the patient list, no exceptions.
• All instances can be subject to immediate removal from the practice patient list per the discretion of the medical staff.

This policy applies throughout the premises, as well as to any employee or partner outside of the office.

Instances of abusive/threatening behaviour will be reported to the Clinic Manager and a warning letter will be issued to the patient. That patient may contact the Clinic Manager to discuss the warning letter if they wish to do so. If there is any further incident, the patient will be sent a Final Warning letter informing them of their breach of the Zero Tolerance policy and their removal from the practice patient list.

We hope you understand the reason for this policy - which is designed to keep our staff and other patients safe at all times.