There are many reasons that patients come in to see their physician. The more information we have going into the appointment, the better we are able to address your concerns in a timely manner. Please provide our receptionists with accurate information when you are booking so that they can book appropriately. If your appointment is work related, please let the receptionist know so we can get your forms ready. We ask that you refrain from asking to speak to the physician assistants to make appointments as this is the responsibility of our receptionists.
These appointments are the most common type of visit where patients discuss a variety of health concerns. If you have several concerns that you would like to address, please make the receptionist aware of this so the appropriate amount of time can be booked. If you have more issues than can be discussed in the time allotted, you may be asked to book another appointment so that other patients are not kept waiting to see the doctor.
Also known as the "annual physical", these appointments are typically booked once every one to five years depending on your age and medical conditions. The purpose of this exam is to address ongoing concerns and monitor current medical conditions, screen for conditions that if not caught early could be life-threatening if left untreated, refill longstanding prescriptions and if appropriate change doses of those medications and give patients a chance to show off photos of the new grandchildren! At this visit you may be asked to complete bloodwork and/or have additional tests done such as X-rays, ultrasounds, mammograms or bone densities. You will be given requisitions at the end of your appointment and your physician will identify any special instructions and where to call to book an appointment for these tests, if necessary. We ask that you bring all of your medications, both prescription and non-prescription, to this appointment.
These types of appointments include skin biopsies, mole and cyst removals, endometrial biopsies, IUD insertions and vasectomies. These appointments are usually booked for 20-30 minutes. You will be informed of the risks and benefits of these procedures before the procedure is performed and you may be asked to sign a consent form, indicating that the procedure has been explained to you and you agree to have the procedure done. After the procedure, you will be given instructions for wound care (if appropriate) and follow up if needed (i.e. suture removal).
The complex care plan is a new way of providing care to our patients with multiple complex medical conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma. The complex care plans are generally done on a yearly basis with your physician or our registered nurse. The purpose of the plan is to discuss your medical problems and develop a management plan that takes into consideration all of your ongoing medical conditions. The complex care plan is a discussion, with you as the patient making decisions and setting goals to improve your health. Once the care plan is completed, both you and your physician will sign and you will be provided with a copy of the care plan for your records. This is a fairly comprehensive summary of your medical conditions and is a good document to keep on hand should an emergency arise.
If you require medical care or advice after office hours, you have several options. If you have an emergency, please proceed to the nearest Emergency Department or call 911. You may call the Clinic at 780-455-3311 to speak to the doctor on call. You can also call HealthLink at 780-408-LINK (5465) or 811. Please note that the on call service is meant to assist patients with urgent problems and should not be used as a substitute for an office visit or to request prescription refills. If you choose to access care through a walk-in clinic, please be aware that most times the physicians of these clinics do not send us a visit note or copy of your test results to us.
You are generally given enough of your medications to last until your physician wants to see you again. This is to ensure that the medication is working properly and that there are not any unwanted side effects of the medication. You should make an appointment when your pharmacist indicates that there are no more refills on your medication.
Patients are encouraged to make an appointment to discuss health concerns as many conditions cannot be diagnosed over the phone. If you request to have your physician call you, a message will be sent to your physician and they will respond or have the staff call you back with instructions. If your physician returns your call personally, it will generally be during the lunch hour or at the end of the day when they are done seeing patients.
Many of the services physicians are asked to provide are not covered by Alberta Health Care. These services include completion of forms, cosmetic procedures, attending physician statements for insurance purposes, notes for work or school, etc. You will be advised if the service you require is not covered by Alberta Health Care and the cost of the service. A list of uninsured services is posted in each of the exam rooms or you can request a copy from the reception staff if you wish.
There are many different types of forms that physicians are required to complete. Many forms are not covered by Alberta Health Care and you may be asked to pay for your doctor to complete your form. You will be given an approximate cost for the completion of your form before it is filled out. The cost of the form will vary based on the length and complexity of the form. Please assist us by filling out the patient portion of your form prior to your visit.
On occasion, your doctor may need to refer you to a specialist for diagnosis or management of your medical conditions. The physicians and staff do their utmost to send referrals in a timely manner and contact you with the appointment information. If the appointment does not fit into your schedule, we may ask that you contact the specialist to change the date. Due to a shortage of resources, of physicians, facilities and support staff, these referrals can sometimes take months to arrange. We try to give you an idea of how long the waiting time might be but this can change based on the availability of the specialists. If you have not heard about your appointment in a month (unless we have indicated that the time will be shorter), please give us a call and we will inquire about the status of your appointment. If you cannot keep your appointment with the specialist, please cancel the appointment as other patients are waiting to see the specialists. If you do not cancel this appointment, a great deal of time is wasted by the physicians and staff in both offices and waiting times continue to grow.
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