Frequently Asked Questions
The frequently asked questions below, and their answers, are meant to give you some basic insight about our Family Health Team. These questions and answers do not cover every aspect of our operations. You can find more current information and answers to specific questions by calling us.
Primary care is your main point of entry into the health care system. It is where your health care needs or concerns are initially assessed. Your family doctor or Nurse Practitioner acts as the leader of this care. The focus of activities is on health care services, including health promotion, illness and injury prevention, the diagnosis and treatment of illness and injury and the ongoing assistance in the management of chronic disease(s).
A family health team is an approach to primary health care that brings together different health care providers to coordinate the highest possible quality of care for the patients in the community.
Designed to improve and expand access to primary care, most Family Health Teams consist of doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, dietitians and other health care professionals who work collaboratively, each utilizing their experience and skills so that you receive the very best care, when you need it, as close to home as possible.
When you enrol with a physician, you agree to contact that physician when you need primary care medical advice or treatment. You are making promise to do that unless there is an emergency or you are travelling away from home. Your enrolment to a physician in a Family Health Team is voluntary.
If you are not a patient enrolled at the OakMed Family Health Team and are interested in a program or service offered by OakMed please contact us by phone or by email at info@oakmed.ca
OakMed is open to see patients by appointment Monday through Saturday except for statutory holidays. Our Urgent Care Clinic Hours are on Monday – Thursday from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm and on Saturdays from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. If you require urgent medical need please go to the nearest emergency department, or call 911.
If you think it is an emergency, you should go to the nearest emergency room, or call 911. Otherwise, we offer Urgent Care Clinic hours for the patients of OakMed Family Health Team who need to be seen the same day and cannot be booked in regular office hours. This service is intended to treat non-life threatening urgent medical problems and extend access for our patients.
You should ALWAYS try to contact your family physician first to book an appointment. There may be appointments available for urgent medical problems during regular office hours with your family physician.
Our programs and services operate by appointment only. OakMed is not a walk in medical facility.
Medication renewals are best managed by your own health care provider during regular office hours. Please call your doctor’s assistant. Also, this service is not for routine office visits and you will not be seen for the following:
Our office is wheelchair accessible. We strive to provide access to programs and services for patients with disabilities in a way that respects their rights to dignity, independence and integration.
It’s necessary that you present your health card to the front desk at every appointment in order to receive care. You must also ensure that your health card is not expired. You will be asked to pay the OHIP equivalent if you attend your appointment with an expired or canceled card.
There is no fee for many of the programs and services offered at OakMed. Please bring your health card to your appointment. A resident of Ontario must have a health card to show that he or she is entitled to health care services paid for by OHIP. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care pays for a wide range of services, however, it does not pay for services that are not medically necessary, such as cosmetic surgery, sick notes, reference letters, physiotherapist notes, travel consultation and immunization, copy and transfer of medical records etc. Uninsured services that are not covered by OHIP require separate billing processes. We charge patients a fee for providing those uninsured services. Please check the uninsured services section for the fees.
Telehealth Ontario also provides free access to a registered nurse 24/7 at 1-866-797-0000. A nurse can provide both health advice on a specific problem or general health information. They do not diagnose and do not replace your physician or 911. The Telehealth nurse can advise of home care treatment, or how long you should wait, and where to seek treatment.
Choosing Wisely Canada is a campaign to help physicians and patients engage in conversations about unnecessary tests, treatments and procedures and to help physicians and patients make smart and effective choices to ensure high quality care. Unnecessary tests, treatments and procedures do not add value to care. In fact, they expose patients to harm, leading to more testing to investigate false positive tests, and contributing to stress and costs for patients. For more information visit choosing wisely Canada.
If you still have very specific questions that need clarification or need additional assistance, please call us or send us a quick message at info@oakmed.ca. Please do not use this email to communicate any confidential information or obtaining medical advice.
For most of our programs and services a referral is required by your Family Physician. When you enroll as a patient with the OakMed Family Health Team, you are taking a step to ensure that you always have ready access to various services and programs we offer.
OHIP covers a wide range of health services, however there are services not covered by OHIP, and therefore require separate billing processes. We charge patients a fee for providing uninsured services.
