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Coronavirus Disease (CoVID-19)

Coronavirus Disease (CoVID-19)
June 2, 2020News

Dear Patients,

 

We would like to provide you with an another update regarding our CoVID-19 strategy.

This replaces the policy previously communicated on March 17, 2020.

 

Before coming to our clinics, read this…

Please do not come to our clinic if you have:

  • Cold Symptoms (fever, chills, cough, sneezing, throat, fatigue, runny nose, taste and voice change) OR
  • Digestive/Stomach Symptoms OR
  • Travelled in the last 14 days OR
  • Been in contact with someone with any of the above

If you are experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, and/or suspect having COVID-19 we recommend you call TeleHealth Ontario open 24/7 at 1-866-797-0000 or going to a COVID-19 Assessment Centre for testing.

If you have no respiratory symptoms but have traveled outside of Canada or have potentially been in contact with a person exposed to the coronavirus, please quarantine yourself for 14 days before coming to our clinic.

Telephone consultations in lieu of in-person appointments are being made to continue caring for our patients while promoting everyone’s safety.

 

Policy changes

  1. Screening. As you are aware, we share facilities with other healthcare professionals. Patients seen by these services are being screened before via virtual visits before seeing a doctor/health care practitioner.
  2. Missed appointment fees. These have not been enforced for the last 12 weeks. In light of recent developments, we will be reintroducing our missed appointments fees effective June 16, 2020.  These will apply to all telephone, OTN, and in-person appointments. This will not apply to group counselling appointments.
    • If you cancel an in-person appointment because you have come down with respiratory symptoms or have potentially exposed to CoVID, there will be no fee but you will not be able to return to clinic until at least 2 weeks of quarantine past your last day of symptoms and you must be cleared by your GP or public health, and give us notification of the same in writing from the doctor that cleared you, in order to attend an in-person appointment at our facility.
  3. Platform for providing care. We will be providing more of our services over the phone and over OTN. The government has consented to funding care over the phone given the circumstances.
  4. Schedule changes. Please note that for many of our providers, schedules have changed. Please check them so you can better plan your appointments.
  5. Health card. With the call and virtual visits, staff will be asking you to provide your health card number when you are booking appointments. When you come in, you don’t need to give your card to swipe. You can just show it over the plexiglass at reception.
  6. PPE. Every patient attending in-patient appointments is now required to don a mask.
  7. Chaperones/Family/Friends. For minors, only one person can accompany you for appointments. You can always connect with another parent over the phone. For all other patients, please arrange for your rides/friends/family to wait outside the clinic.

 

Assessment Centres in the Community

  1. North York General Hospital: Has an assessment centre. The patient needs to go to the telehealth website and register first, they will assist the pt with further info. There is no referral form.
  2. Southlake Hospital:  Has an assessment centre. Pt needs to go to the telehealth website and register with them and they assist the pt with further info. There is no referral form.
  3. St. Joseph:  Has a walk-in assessment centre. There is no referral form.
  4. Markham Stouffville: Has a walk-in assessment centre. There is no referral form.
  5. Mackenzie Health: Has an assessment centre, need a referral. Referral form uploaded on all EMR systems. Referrals can be faxed to MH 905 883-0772.  Patients will be called to come in, directly.

 

For accurate information on how to protect yourself and your family, please visit the Ministry of Health website: https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus.