General policies

---

Transparency about the reason for booking stated the time of booking with the receptionist assists with optimizing your appointment (this may enable us to collect non-forwarded documentation prior, book non-standard lengths of appointment, connect you with resources, etc.). Specific relevant examples include: mental health concerns, suicidality, developmental and behavioural concerns, school difficulties, documents to be completed

Scheduling well is necessary to optimize our availability to our patients and to optimize encounter. Plan your clinic visit and scheduling accordingly. We only service families/ children so plan/schedule accordingly. Please ensure to factor in school schedules/trips/ examinations, other appointments elsewhere, travel time from distant home address,... Being on time is the best way to ensure optimization and predictability of your appointment end-time, your appointment may have to be delayed if you are significantly late in order for  fair and equitable care to be given to other families who are on time for that day.

No shows (no notification that you will be absent for your scheduled appointment, or notification with < 24 hours for non-emergent reason) will incur documentation on the chart and repeated occurrences may incur a $50 non-refundable rebooking fee payable prior to further appointments.

This is to: (i) enable adequate phone triage, (ii) decrease wait-room occupancy, (iii)  separate patients for sick vs healthy visits, (iv) keep on time for appointmnets, (v) streamline infrastructural logistics. Same day appointment may be available, but a phone booking is MANDATORY. We will usually NOT be able to add-on well (or sick) siblings at the last minute when you arrive for the booked child's appointment; each child must have clear indications for visit and their own individual bookings.

Be aware that in any clinical setting, some patients (or caregivers) may have contagious illnesses whereas others may have decreased immunity or susceptibility to illness. We use a number of strategies in the office to mitigate risk to families and to optimize safety of our patients. We still depend on families to follow a few practices to align with this:

(i) please practice social distancing with the other patients

(ii) do not bring unwell caregivers with known or suspected contagious illness to an appointment without disclosing the illness to us prior and being counselled accordingly

(iii) bring minimum number of caregivers to an encounter

(iv) avoid intermingling in the office and be mindful of proximity of your child with others

MEDICATIONS: please ensure to have names, doses, and duration of usage of prior medications.

DIAGNOSTIC TEST RESULTS: please walk with copies of relevant lab results (if possible) especially if performed out of province   

DOCUMENTS: please bring/ provide printed copies of relevant documentation/ forms as early as possible in or prior to an appointment