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I Need a New Doctor


Freeker

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In Ontario, patients now go to "Family Health Teams", not one individual physician, per se. [Technically, you still "sign up" with one team member.] Depending on where you are, there will be several of these "teams" in your area, each consisting of several physicians, sometimes actually located in different (nearby) offices. This way, if your doctor is away or booked, you can still book with one of the other docs on the team for all primary care issues. Each team is also required to set up after-hours access as well.

The odd thing is that all teams make you sign an exclusivity agreement, stating that you will not go to another doctor outside of the team, which would include any other after-hours, walk-in clinics. In other words, you agree to go to one set of doctors, and no-one else. It has its pluses and minuses, but the biggest advantages are that its easier to sign up with a member of a "team" than with one specific physician, and you can usually book an appointment quicker.

If you have identified one doc you particularly like, but they are not taking new patients, check to see who else is on their team and consider signing up with one of them. That way you will still have some access to the one doc that you initially wanted, if they happen to be available that day, etc.. Choosing a physician is actually a really important thing, I think, so its good that you are taking the time to ask. Cheers.

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Are you talking about 'AppleTree'? Thats what my doc joined and it blows...well not for him as he has way less paper work.

I hadn't heard of AppleTree, but having just looked at its website, Im guessing that its private specialized care in the Ottawa area, and not fully-public primary care. It seems to be a collective of various practitioners that specialize in dental, physio, eye, diagnostic, etc..

Is this your "regular" doctor? My guess is that they would probably be a specialist of some sort (perhaps in addition to their regular practice), but I have no idea.

What I was refering to is the new way that the delivery of primary health care (ie., physicals, sore throats, "my arm hurts when I do this") has been structurally reorganized in Ontario. I think that AppleTree is more in the new wave of private collectives of practitioners (whose services, quite confusingly, are paid for thru OHIP, your own employers' insurance plan, and possibly some out of pocket user fees - a $15 fee for a massage, sorta thing, maybe).

For sure, its starting to get quite messy in health care as to delivery and pay. Quite messy.

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ooooo my experiences with appletree have all been horrible! so impersonal - rushed, and not really into listening... not good qualities in a doctor.

anyway, i recently lucked out - i was told to try out the clinic upstairs at the giant grocery store on richmond at churchill (?)

i went, and the doctor i saw was AWESOME. not only did he listen and really seem to care and ask all kinds of questions - but he's the kind of doctor who seems to prefer to *not* prescribe drugs, but to pay good attention to your body and take care of yourself! at least, that was my experience with him. very thorough also - prescribing all kinds of diagnostic work (my case was a mysterious but ultimately simple one).

anyway, this is a walk-in/family practice and they are not technically accepting patients. but, i went as a walk-in, and had to go for some follow-up appointments, ended up asking if i could sign up as a patient and he said yes...

so, even if you can't become a regular patient, i would highly recommend going to this clinic as a drop-in if you need it.

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I really like my Dr., but you would have to take the bus to get there....Sheffard (sp) and Montreal Rd. area.

Dr. Anderson. He's a good listener and he is thorough. He rides a motorcyle too....he's cool. He's a larger man.....just ask Gateaux about his experience....hahaha...large man, large fingers......SQUEELLLLLL!!!!

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