The Clinic | The Christie Clinic

CODE OF CONDUCT

It is important to us that all patients of The Christie Clinic are treated with politeness and respect.

We have a zero-tolerance policy for inappropriate conduct. If any member of The Christie Clinic observes disrespectful, abusive, or threatening behavior or language; or if the patient poses a risk of harm to a physician, other patients, or staff, that patient will be discharged from the practice and the patient-physician relationship will be ended.

APPOINTMENTS

All visits are by appointment only. During a standard appointment, we are able to cover one issue comprehensively or two small issues. If you have multiple issues, please book another appointment.

We appreciate your patience on occasions where you are waiting to see the doctor. This means that we are giving extra time to another patient who needs it unexpectedly, the same as we would do for you. If you are accompanying a child/relative to their appointment and also have questions for your doctor, please book an appointment time for yourself. Timeliness is important for us, too!

NO-SHOWS and LATE CANCELLATIONS

You will be charged if you miss an appointment ('no-show'). The fee for a missed appointment is $80 for a standard appointment and $160 for an extended-length appointment. Recurrent no-shows are very disruptive to our practice. After three no-shows or late cancellations, you may be dismissed from the practice.

FEES AND CHARGES

Some services are not covered by OHIP. Please refer to our Uninsured Services list for further details and pricing.

HEALTH CARDS

It is your responsibility to ensure your health card is valid at all times. You MUST present a valid provincial health card at every visit. Expired cards are not accepted. If you do not have your valid health card at the time of your appointment, you will be charged a non-refundable fee for the visit, or a missed appointment fee.

TEST RESULTS

Due to the volume of results we receive, it is not possible to communicate normal results to each patient. If we receive any abnormal results that require medical follow-up, we will make every effort to contact you. It is the patient's responsibility to ensure their contact information is up to date with our clinic at all times.

However, no news does not always equal good news. Results can sometimes get lost, misfiled, or never arrive. The patient is responsible for following up on results either by setting up a follow-up appointment or by contacting our office to confirm results have been received. You may also use one of the methods listed in the View My Results section to access your results. Request for results to be emailed or printed by our office will incur an administrative fee - please refer to our Uninsured Services list for pricing details.

FORMS or THIRD PARTY REPORTS - HEALTH REPORTS FOR OTHERS (INSURANCE COMPANIES, SCHOOLS, EMPLOYERS, ETC)

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario mandates physicians to complete these types of reports within 45 days of receiving them. At The Christie Clinic, our own goal is to have them completed within 30 days. Forms are generally not completed during an appointment unless the visit is booked specifically for this reason. Fees are associated with the completion of these reports and payment is required in advance. We may require you to come in to help us in completing these forms.

REFERRALS

After a referral is made, the specialist's office is responsible for contacting you to book an appointment. If you have not heard about the status of your appointment within 3 weeks of the referral, please contact the specialist's office directly to inquire about the status of your referral. If you do not have the contact details for the specialist office, please contact our office.

PRESCRIPTION RENEWALS

Prescription requests without an appointment will incur a fee of $30. This service requires administrative and physician time to review the chart and is not covered by OHIP.

How can you avoid a fee?

Keep track of your medications and book an appointment before you expect to run out. Your doctor gives you enough medication and refills until your next appointment is due.
Ask your pharmacy NOT to send us prescription renewal requests without your permission.

OFFICE POLICY