Clinic Policies

Our goal at Ohana Medical Centre is to provide quality primary care and we hope to see patients in a timely and respectful manner. Our clinic policies are described below. It is important to note that these policies have been implemented in order to enable us to provide great care for you and your family. Ohana Medical Centre is currently not a walk-in clinic; all patients must have a scheduled appointment to be seen. Please call the clinic to book your appointment.

Same Day Appointments

If you have an acute concern, we will make every effort to schedule an appointment on the same day of your call. This accommodation exists for patients experiencing urgent health concerns such as pregnancy complications, sick children, acute infection, etc.  Please keep in mind that accessing same day appointments, or squeezing into our schedule, may disrupt our daily schedule and lead to longer wait times for other patients. We ask that you be considerate of this possibility when deciding whether to request a same day appointment.

Confidentiality

The confidentiality of your health information is very important to us. For the release of any of your medical information to family members or other healthcare professionals, patients will be asked to sign a form authorizing its release.

Results & Secure Communication

We generally try to inform patients that 'no news is good news' with respect to bloodwork or imaging results. However, if you are concerned about your results, please feel free to book a follow up appointment to discuss results. Unfortunately, we have very limited availability for disclosing these results by other means. We are hoping to change this in the near future. Please do not email us sensitive health information as our clinic is unable to encrypt or certify your confidentiality via e-mail.

Cancellation & No Shows

If you are unable to attend your appointment, please try to notify the clinic with at least 24 hours notice. After the first no show, a warning will be issued. If a subsequent incident is documented, a fee may be charged and your care will be suspended until that fee is paid. After the third no show, we reserve the right to request that your care be provided at a different clinic because of the disruption to our scheduling and the inhibition of access for other patients. We also ask that communication and appointments with specialists be attended to with due diligence as missing these appointments may require your family doctor to make a new referral on your behalf.

Our Staff & Zero Tolerance For Abuse

We expect that all patients will treat our staff with respect and courtesy. In our family-oriented and patient-centered practice, both our staff and patients deserve a respectful environment. We as physicians have a zero tolerance policy for abuse of our staff as well as other patients in our clinic. If you feel the need to voice any concerns or feedback about the service you receive in the clinic, please bring it to the attention of our physicians. We reserve the right to terminate a physician-patient relationship in service of maintaining a respectful work environment for our staff.

Patient Assessment

We understand that appointments can be disruptive to your day and you often have more than one question to ask us. If you have several concerns to discuss, we ask that you notify the front desk when booking your appointment so we can lengthen your appointment slot and minimize disruptions to the flow of the clinic.

Patient Responsibilities

As much as we endeavor to run on time, there are often circumstances that inhibit our ability to do so. We appreciate your taking every effort in spite of this to arrive to the clinic on time so we can see you in a timely fashion. We ask that you please phone the clinic to notify us if you are running late so we can accommodate accordingly.

If you are requesting refills of medications that have been prescribed by other physicians, we request that you bring the medication in with you to ensure that we maintain correct dosing and formulations.

We firmly believe that it is vital for patients to own their health. We want to help educate and inform you so you can make the best decisions for your health and well-being. Therefore, we hope that you would be involved in your care process, asking questions and ensuring you understand what we are recommending and why.

Health Record Policy

The health information that we are collecting is needed to provide you with diagnostic treatment and care services. It is collected under the authority of the section 20(b) of the Health Information Act - directly related to and necessary to carry out an authorized purpose under section 27. The confidentiality of this health information and your privacy are protected by the provisions of the Health Information Act. If you have any questions about this collection and use of your health information, please talk to one of our staff

Termination

Termination of the physician-patient relationship may be done at any time and can be initiated by either patient or physician. If a patient feels that the relationship is not productive, the fit in communication is not right, or they have a breach in trust, they have the right to seek care from a different physician. As a courtesy to the clinic, please notify us if you have decided to find a different physician. We are always open to learn if there is something we need to improve upon. On the other side, our physicians can also decide if they feel the relationship is not therapeutic, and he or she will notify the patient, giving adequate time for the patient to find a new family physician and for any necessary chart transfer.