HAND BOOK
It is our greatest desire to ensure that you are provided with the best possible care. Please help us accomplish this goal.
Subjects:
1) Annual Physicals 10) Lost Rx/Referrals
2) Appointment lines 11) Rx Renewals
3) Cancellation Policy 12) Messages
4) Confirmation Policy 13) Transfer Policy
5) Change of Information 14) Walk - In
6) Emergency 15) Non-OHIP Costs
7) FHG 16) Inactive Files
Health Cards 17) Visit with your Dr
9) Outstanding fees 18) Telephone/results
19) Office Hours 20) Zero Tolerance
1) Annual Physicals (CPX)
You are entitled to one complete physical examination annually. For example: if you had your CPX on January 1, 2011, the next one should be booked no earlier than January 2, 2012. Once you have had your CPX, stop by the receptionist to book for the next year. This way you will stay within the same time frame for your annual physicals.
2) Appointment Lines
Please do not call the appointment lines for anything other than to book an appointment. Listen to the options carefully and choose accordingly. Receptionists are not allowed to take messages, therefore, please leave a message with your doctor’s secretary. The appointment lines will not be answered between 1pm and 2 pm Monday to Friday. Non-Urgent appointments can be requested by E-mail at appt.cfp@rogers.com (consent form required). emailconsentform
3) Cancellation Policy
We require at least 24 hours notice for cancellation of appointments. If you are calling to cancel an appointment, please press “0”or “7” and leave a message. Leave the time of your appointment, the doctor with whom it is booked, and don’t forget your name. Failure to give the required notice or if you do not show up for your appointment, will result in an administrative fee based on the OMA guidelines. If you are booking within the 24 hour period, you are expected to show up for your appointment or the administrative fee will apply.
4) Confirmation Policy
We do not guarantee that you will receive a call to confirm your appointments. We do try to confirm annual physicals and long appointments but this is not always possible, therefore you must take responsibility for remembering your appointments.
5) Change of Information
Please inform the receptionist of any change of information (address, telephone #, health card # etc).
6) Emergency
In the event of an emergency and our office is closed, please go to the nearest emergency department or call Tele-Health Ontario, or if you have signed your FHG enrollment form, you may call THAS. See telephone numbers below.
Telehealth Ontario - 1-866-797-0000 or THAS - 1-866-553-7205
7) Family Health Group (FHG)
This clinic is part of the Unionville Family Health Group. Please acquire an enrollment form from the receptionist for completion if you have not already done so. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to speak with your doctor.
Health Cards
Before your visit with the doctor, (if you have a green card) please check the effective and expiry dates on your card to ensure validity. Please ensure that you present your health card at every visit. If you show up without a valid health card or if your card is lost or stolen, you will be asked to make a deposit of $50.00. This is an administrative fee and not payment for the visit, which is refundable if you present a valid health card within the time requested.
9) Outstanding Fees
All outstanding fees are to be paid prior to seeing a doctor. If this is not possible, please speak with our Office Manager.
10) Lost Prescriptions or Referrals
If you have misplaced your prescription/referral notes and need to have a replacement, you will be charged an administrative fee.
11) Prescription Renewals
Prescription renewals will not be done over the telephone. You will be given a prescription for enough medication to last you until your next visit, at which time you should book an appointment for reassessment. Please do not wait until you have run out of your medication. Book an appointment about one (1) week before it runs out.
12) Messages
When you are leaving messages for the doctors, please leave complete details. Messages should only be left with the secretary, (not the receptionist) in the secretary’s voice mailbox or the general mailbox. If you feel you cannot leave the details, please book an appointment to see your doctor. Your doctor will not respond to vague messages. Don’t forget to leave your name and telephone number.
13) Transfer Policy
Patients will not be allowed to transfer from one doctor to the next within this clinic. This is a unanimous agreement between all doctors at Cachet. If you feel the need to transfer to another physician, a written request must be made and your files will be transferred (charges apply) to the physician of your choice. Once you have transferred to another doctor, your file will be closed and you will not be permitted to return to this clinic.
14) Walk-Ins
This is not a walk-in clinic. We do operate an Urgent Care Clinic – Saturdays 9am-12pm or 9am-1pm for our FHG enrolled patients.
Commonly Used Non-OHIP Costs
Please note OHIP does not cover everything. Please request a copy of the uninsured fees from our receptionist. You may also sign up for extended coverage. Please speak with our office manager for more information.
16) Inactive Files
If you have not been to the clinic for at least 3 years, your file will be put in storage. In order to be seen by a doctor again, your chart will be reviewed and a decision will be made whether to reinstate you as a patient if space permits. We are not suggesting that you should see a doctor if you are not sick. However, an annual physical is recommended for your own health and this will keep your file active.
17) Visit with your Doctor
You are only allotted a certain time for each visit, please ensure that you only discuss one (the most important) problem at this visit. It is not fair to other patients to have to wait for extended periods because patients have come with a multitude of problems. Stop by the receptionist to set up an appointment as early as you can to discuss the next problem.
18) Telephone/Results
Please do not call the clinic to get results (only exceptions are at your doctor’s request). Any questions regarding symptoms, medications, vaccine reactions or illnesses should be addressed in your doctor’s office. The staff is not qualified to give advice or information unless authorized by a doctor. If you need to know your results: whether normal or not, please book an appointment with your doctor two to four weeks after the completion of your test. A call will only be placed if your physician requests the secretary to do so.
19) Office Hours
Monday to Thursday 9am - 8pm Friday 9am – 3 pm Saturday 9am – 12pm/9am-1pm
20) Zero Tolerance
Aggressive and abusive behavior, (verbally or physically) towards staff, physicians or other patients will not be tolerated. If any patient decides to act in the above manner, he or she will be asked to find a new family physician immediately as the safety of our doctors, staff and patients are paramount.
Compliance with our protocol will ensure your needs are met.
