FAQ

How to access the clinic in daytime and after hours.

We have set aside a number of “urgent” appointment slots each day, in an effort to be available to you on a same-day basis when you have an urgent health concern.

(Please note that patients calling to book routine visits, follow-ups, prescription renewals, and physicals, will be offered the next available regular appointment, as usual.)

If you believe you have an urgent health concern and need to see your doctor the same day, please inform our receptionist when you call. She will ask you the reason for the urgency and will do her best to give you a same-day appointment if appropriate.

On weekdays after 8pm and all day and night on weekends and holidays, our patients can access Telehealth Ontario by phoning 1-8XX-XXX-XXX to access medical information from nurse or the doctor-on-call.

Because of these initiatives, we ask that you call our office first (or TeleHealth Ontario after hours) before seeking help at a walk-in clinic. As your family doctors, we endeavour to provide you with comprehensive medical care and hope that you will give us a chance to meet your needs first before attending a walk-in.

What if my regular doctor is away?

Being part of a Family Health Organization means that we can cover for each other during absences and can communicate information about our encounters with each others patients.

This communication enables us to keep abreast of the health needs and concerns of our patients, providing continuity of care, which is an essential component of quality of care.

When attending any physician in the Holland-Davis FHO or at the clinic; we will be able to access your past medical history and current treatment records.

What can YOU do to make your appointment more efficient?

Bring your health card with you to every appointment.
Make sure all information we have on file for you and your family is correct and up-to-date, especially phone number(s), so we can quickly reach you if necessary.
Please arrive on time and keep the scheduled appointments that are reserved for you.

Important note: We must be notified 24 hours in advance if you need to cancel your appointment or you will be charged a no-show fee.

How to enroll with Holland-Davis Family Health Organization

Most of our patients have already enrolled with us. During one of your first visits to our office, you were asked to sign a Ministry of Health form that identified you as enrolling with your new physician. If you have not signed that form in the past, you may be asked by one of receptionists on your next visit to fill out a new one.

An important note:

You cannot be signed up with more than one family physician at a time so please do not sign any similar form if for some reason you choose to attend a walk-in clinic or see another doctor. That would remove you from our FHO and you would no longer be registered as our patient. Finally, there are restrictions that may prevent us from registering you back as our patient and Ministry of Health restrictions may mean that we would not be able to continue providing care to you.

What happens if I miss an appointment?

The office policy we require at least 24 hours notice for cancellation of appointments. This allows us to fit in other patients into that time slot. For missed standard appointments; a fee will be collected .

Patients that routine no-show may be asked to leave the practice.

Of course, we do make exceptions to this policy and please let us know if you believe that there are exceptional circumstances.

Finally, in the case of inclement weather, please contact us if you cannot make it as we understand that we all must suffer the whims of our Canadian weather.

Do you provide phone consultations; how about phone prescription renewals by phone?

Phone consultations– As a patient registered with us in our Family Health Group; you will have access to our nursing telephone service (Telephone Health Advisory Service – THAS) after hours for questions/concerns.

Here is the Telephone Health Advisory Service number for our patientsThe patient access number is:
1-866-553-7205

(this is for afterhours patient access from 5pm onwards & weekends )

During daytime hours, we ask that you contact our office for an appointment.

Phone Prescription Renewals – Our general policy is that we do not do renew medications over the phone. BUT, we will provide enough repeats on our prescriptions so that you can get refills directly from the pharmacy; by the time you run out of refills; there is generally a good reason why you should be coming back to the clinic for a recheck.

Do you have hospital privileges?

The physicians are on staff in the Department of Famiy Medicine at Southlake Hospital. Generally, any hospitalization will be under the care of specialist physicians at southlake but we are in communication with them and do have access to the hospital medical records system.

I forgot / don’t have my OHIP health card; what happens now?

Well, we always ask that patients bring in their health card for appointments and visits.

This allows us to register you more quickly as it is scanned into our computer system.

In the case where an OHIP health card is not available or expired; it is office policy that a visit fee be collected (usually $40) that is refunded when you have the chance to bring in your health card and it is checked to be valid for the date of your visit.

Please be aware that your OHIP health coverage may expire if you spend an extended period of time out of country.