- Clinic Responsibilities
- Patient Responsibilities
- Confidentiality
- Emergencies
- Appointments
- Cancellation
- Missed Appointments
- Telephone
- Prescriptions Refills
- Lab Test Results & X-Ray Findings
- Complaints
- House Calls
- Student Doctors
- Hospital
- Obstetrics
- Third Party Services
- Visiting Specialists
Clinic Responsibilities
- To provide high quality medical care to our patients
- To have available at all times medical care for our patients who are in need
- To answer any questions or solve any problems the patient may present, whenever possible.
Patient Responsibilities
- To follow the course of treatment and medication prescribed by the physician.
- To present fully all information and facts pertinent to the patient’s health-care picture.
- To arrive on time for appointments or cancel them if unable to keep them.
- To conduct routine business during routine office hours
- To arrange their own transportation and accommodation, also, for an interpreter where necessary.
Confidentiality
We would like our patients to be assured that no information from a patient’s medical records will be released to anyone without his/her signed authorization. We adhere to the privacy policies set forth under PIPEDA and information brochures are available on request.
Emergencies
One of our medical staff is always readily available for emergencies. If The Clinic is closed, please call or attend the emergency department at the Meno-Ya-Win Health Centre.
Appointments
We realize that many of you desire to have a specific physician responsible for your care. This is our desire as well. One of the advantages of having several Doctors available to you is that, if your doctor is unable to see you on a given day, you may choose to see another Doctor. When your Doctor indicates that they wish for you to return at a later time for an additional examination or conference, be sure to make arrangements at the appointment desk at that time for that visit.
Please do not drop in and expect to be seen immediately without an appointment. It is only fair to others to allow them their regular time. Our Walk-In Policy indicates that this office is an appointment clinic. Patients who walk in without an appointment will be seen when there is a free time slot. If you feel you need urgent attention, please inform us. We will make every effort to keep your wait as short as possible; however those patients who have a booked appointment will be seen first.
Please make separate appointments for individual members of your family.
If we discover that your Doctor will be delayed, we may find it necessary to reschedule your appointment. Every attempt will be made to notify you. Please give a telephone number where you may be reached when you make your appointment.
We will try to honor your appointment time, for we firmly believe in the value of your time and will try to avoid long waiting periods in our office. Please try to understand, however, that in our practice, surgical delays, emergency patients, etc may occasionally cause unforeseen delays, and we request your indulgence.
Because certain procedures require additional time, please try and allot enough time for your office visit so that it does not conflict with any other obligations you may have. When you call our office for any appointment, please let the Receptionist know briefly what your problem is so that she will know how much time to set aside.
NOTE: Clinic being only a few hours on Wednesday (from 8:00 to 11:30p.m.) that day will primarily be for emergencies and problems arising on that day.
Cancellation
If you cannot keep an appointment, please notify the office to cancel it. This courtesy on your part makes it possible to give an appointment to another patient who desires to see the Doctor.
Except in an emergency, please do not expect the physician to leave a patient being examined to answer the phone each time the office is called, as this is unfair to the patients under treatment.
Telephone calls should be made to our office during our regular office hours. Please try to make your calls In the late morning or early afternoon, rather than towards evening.
Missed Appointments
In order to improve access to health care for all our patients and to reduce the waiting time for an appointment, we ask your cooperation with the following:
- 24 hour cancellation notice required for all appointments.
- $25 charge for three missed 15 minute appts,
- $50 charge for one missed 30 minute appt
Telephone
In general, we feel it is not possible to practice the best medicine over the telephone. When a telephone call is necessary, please give our Receptionist as much information as possible about the problem and explain your needs as accurately as possible. When you believe a call rather than an appointment is indicated for a particular problem, do not feel reluctant to call the office. An inquiry not best handled by an office visit will be referred to the Doctor for evaluation and recommendation.
Prescriptions Refills
- For patients requiring prescription refills, an appointment with the physician is necessary.
- In prescribing medication, the physician allows enough to do you until follow up is necessary.
- In most cases, if your medication is running out, the pharmacist will supply you with enough to last you until your appointment date.
- Prescriptions will not be renewed by telephone unless there are exceptional circumstances. Please ensure that you are prescribed adequate medication until your next appointment.
Lab Test Results & X-Ray Findings
The Doctor will directly contact the patient with any abnormal laboratory test results and X-rays, or will have the Receptionist call and arrange another appointment for the patient. Not hearing from the Doctor’s office is an indication that test results are normal. If your problem persists, another appointment may be indicated.
Complaints
Please feel free to report to our Clinic Manager or to the Doctors any complaint that you may have; we will do our best to correct it. We welcome any suggestions you may have.
House Calls
We do make house calls for people who are unable to attend the clinic or hospital easily. Because we can provide a more comprehensive assessment in hospital or clinic and because home visits are expensive for the OHIP system, we try to do them only when you feel they are indicated
Student Doctors
We often have medical students or residents (doctors-in-training) working with us in the office and hospital. After being seen by a student or resident, your care will be reviewed by one of the regular doctors. This provides an invaluable part of their training and helps create better doctors for tomorrow. If you have any objection to seeing a student, please let the nurse, office staff, or doctor know at the beginning of your appointment.
Hospital
To ensure continuous coverage for hospital patients, there is a Doctor available through the Meno Ya Win Health Centre at all times.
The Doctors are part of a larger group of physicians who provide “on call” coverage on a daily basis for the Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre. The doctor you see in the emergency department will arrange the transfer of your care to another doctor who will assume your hospital care.
Through the hospital the Doctor is available for all emergencies but the Doctor does not stay at the hospital. If you have an emergency please call or attend the hospital immediately. If you aren’t sure but feel you may need to be seen, call and talk to a nurse who will then contact the Doctor or tell you when the Doctor will be in to see patients. Alternately, you may speak to a registered nurse through the Telephone Health Advisory Service (T.H.A.S.) 1-866-553-7205. They are available from 5pm to 9am on weekdays and 24hrs on weekend and regulatory holidays to answer your questions.
**PLEASE DO NOT USE THE HOSPITAL FOR CONVENIENCE OR ELECTIVE REASONS; THIS IS ABUSE OF THE O.H.I.P. SYSTEM AND YOUR TAX DOLLARS. AND IS NOT THE BEST WAY TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE**
Obstetrics
Each delivery is special! Because of this, we will try to accommodate your desires and interests. Please be sure to speak to the Doctor of your choice to ensure he/she can attend.
Third Party Services
Various services: such as work notes, insurance forms, pre-employment and pilot medicals, are not covered by OHIP and are the patient’s responsibility.
For further information, please speak to a staff member or call the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care at 1-807-475-1353 and ask for the Claims Department
Visiting Specialists
At present, the following specialist visit Sioux Lookout on a regular basis and are available for consultation on referral by one of our doctors:
- Dr. Hoffman, Orthopedic
- Dr. J. Rutka, Ears, Nose, Throat
The following services are also available through referral:
- Homecare
- Dietician
- Audiologist
- Public Health Nurse
- Community Counseling Services
- Patricia Centre
- Physiotherapy
- Speech Pathologist
- Diabetic Counseling