Any family doctor leads right now?

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Correct the prescription model is very insane. Like, obtusely idiotic.

I understand the concern for addiction (on SOME drugs...) or the desire for some doctors to follow up with patients and try to catch issues early on. That makes sense. But we have to make a decision, do we want this system? Yes? Make more people doctors. Do we instead want tighter restrictions for entry into med school so therefore theoretically better doctors? Then ease up on the prescription model or other things.

The nature of many prescriptions these days is life long.

As I'm writing this, I looked it up and pharmacists in BC have been given expanded powers as of June 1, 2023:

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/h...tiatives/ppmac

A step in the right direction.

[DoubleF]

The next best thing to do IMO is go frequently to a doctor group (ie: MCI, Medicentres) etc. Just do "walk in" but request the doctor that actually sees you to respond. Keep asking them if they have a doctor in their group willing to take you on as a family doctor.

The only thing useful I've found for family doctors is certain long term prescriptions. For sharing information and notes, I've found that the doctors groups are relatively good for sharing basic info, so that aspect is resolved that way.

There are inside tracks for these groups. Medicentre allows you to start booking online "fast track" appointments which is a useful bridge between no family doctor and "walk in". Go there a few times and request the ability to set it up (they have to give you a special activation code and will only do so if they notice you've been there a few times). It uses a platform called Telus Pomelo which is kinda archaic looking, but at least it's an option.

MCI does not have a fast track option. However, I've sorta discovered that they have an expansive network, and on occasion, even if they have a thing saying they aren't taking walk ins, sometimes (not always, perhaps a 1 in 3 chance) they'll let you in as the "last one" if you tell them you'd go to the other MCI, but it was just conveniently closer. Sometimes they call another location on your behalf so that they'll take you there to address something the location you are at isn't capable of doing as efficiently. I've often seen my family and my parents bounced around between Beacon, Beddington and Ranchlands locations. But making the extra 15-20 minute trip vs not having availability for a few days/weeks at a specific location is worth it. I finally got a family doctor with the MCI group a few months ago after asking around, but I admit that afterwards, I still use the medicentre fast track option to bridge walk-in/appointments, for things I want looked at ASAP. Family doctors are still often quite busy and booking an appointment could still be a few days out. Useful for generic things or longer term things, but frustrating for things that are immediate (ie: fracture/sprain considerations, illness within 24 hours etc.).

Originally Posted by Fuzz

They have done good work on this, pharmacists can do some prescribing, and I'd think something like a steroid cream is well within their abilities. I think a lot of people aren't aware you can get stuff like that without seeing a doctor.

From what I understand, for certain things like creams and prescriptions. Non-family (walk-in) and pharmacists can prescribe 1-2 weeks max. If you have a prescription that is long term, this is a pain in the ass. A family doctor can prescribe up to 3-4 months of prescriptions.

Getting 1-2 weeks to tide you over before you get the long prescription from your family doctor is useful, but I wouldn't want to go to walk in doctors 20+ times a year. That'd be annoying.

I don't know if this is true across the board, but I've run into this issue quite a few times. So I assume it's relatively accurate.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

The next best thing to do IMO is go frequently to a doctor group (ie: MCI, Medicentres) etc. Just do "walk in" but request the doctor that actually sees you to respond. Keep asking them if they have a doctor in their group willing to take you on as a family doctor.

The only thing useful I've found for family doctors is certain long term prescriptions. For sharing information and notes, I've found that the doctors groups are relatively good for sharing basic info, so that aspect is resolved that way.

There are inside tracks for these groups. Medicentre allows you to start booking online "fast track" appointments which is a useful bridge between no family doctor and "walk in". Go there a few times and request the ability to set it up (they have to give you a special activation code and will only do so if they notice you've been there a few times). It uses a platform called Telus Pomelo which is kinda archaic looking, but at least it's an option.

MCI does not have a fast track option. However, I've sorta discovered that they have an expansive network, and on occasion, even if they have a thing saying they aren't taking walk ins, sometimes (not always, perhaps a 1 in 3 chance) they'll let you in as the "last one" if you tell them you'd go to the other MCI, but it was just conveniently closer. Sometimes they call another location on your behalf so that they'll take you there to address something the location you are at isn't capable of doing as efficiently. I've often seen my family and my parents bounced around between Beacon, Beddington and Ranchlands locations. But making the extra 15-20 minute trip vs not having availability for a few days/weeks at a specific location is worth it. I finally got a family doctor with the MCI group a few months ago after asking around, but I admit that afterwards, I still use the medicentre fast track option to bridge walk-in/appointments, for things I want looked at ASAP. Family doctors are still often quite busy and booking an appointment could still be a few days out. Useful for generic things or longer term things, but frustrating for things that are immediate (ie: fracture/sprain considerations, illness within 24 hours etc.).



From what I understand, for certain things like creams and prescriptions. Non-family (walk-in) and pharmacists can prescribe 1-2 weeks max. If you have a prescription that is long term, this is a pain in the ass. A family doctor can prescribe up to 3-4 months of prescriptions.

Getting 1-2 weeks to tide you over before you get the long prescription from your family doctor is useful, but I wouldn't want to go to walk in doctors 20+ times a year. That'd be annoying.

I don't know if this is true across the board, but I've run into this issue quite a few times. So I assume it's relatively accurate.

Doctors at walk in clinics can definitely prescribe long-term prescription. Some may be hesitant, as they don't know your medical history and won't want to give you conflicting or too much medication.

I don't believe having a "Family Doctor" is an official relationship where the doctors power change. Isn't it just an implied agreement that the doctor will see you reguarly?

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by blankall

Doctors at walk in clinics can definitely prescribe long-term prescription. Some may be hesitant, as they don't know your medical history and won't want to give you conflicting or too much medication.

I don't believe having a "Family Doctor" is an official relationship where the doctors power change. Isn't it just an implied agreement that the doctor will see you reguarly?

I think if the walk in doctor has only ever seen you once, that's all they can do. However, if you see certain walk in doctors more than once, I think they might be able to extend that.

Relationship wise, no I don't think that's fully accurate. The family doctor moniker still has a policy and procedural attribute associated with it. A family doctor accumulates the most medical information on you and regularly aims to tracks your long term medical history and builds certain recommendations on baselines they have spent time establishing.

Obviously with more digital sharing of information in the medical system, the reliance of a specific doctor with hand written notes is being reduced drastically, but you also need someone who has spent more than 5-10 minutes looking at summary notes before diagnosing something more complex. I believe this is loosely procedurally done to avoid an accidental misdiagnosis if follow ups or a stronger baseline had been established. Like if you need something, after 1-2 weeks the walk in doctor asks you back to ensure it was correct, appropriate, no issues with side effects etc. as a follow up. This is especially important and useful for walk in doctors who often deal with high volume.

I believe this is why there's often a 1-2 week max for someone you've never met. They want to to go back for a follow up to make sure that there is a window of catching the rare error. I asked for a prescription refill and the MCI group's "walk in" doctor refused more than a 2 week refill. I needed to contact my specific family doctor for longer.

[you&me]

Originally Posted by blankall

There should definitely be a way to renew certain prescriptions without having to see a doctor every few months. I recently got a prescription for finasteride (for hair loss). If I want to get it renewed I have to return every few months and have a physical inspection.

.....strangely enough, it took me weeks to get an in person appointment for my respiratory issues, but only a few days for to inspect my hair loss?

FWIW, a prescription for finasteride (and lots of similar drugs) is readily available from a number of telehealth practitioners... It's on my radar ( ) and the idea of going to my family doc wouldn't even cross my mind, mostly from a time efficiency perspective.

[blankall]

Originally Posted by you&me

FWIW, a prescription for finasteride (and lots of similar drugs) is readily available from a number of telehealth practitioners... It's on my radar ( ) and the idea of going to my family doc wouldn't even cross my mind, mostly from a time efficiency perspective.

I called a walk in clinic, for a telephone appointment, who told me that I had to be examined in person.

[you&me]

Originally Posted by blankall

I called a walk in clinic, for a telephone appointment, who told me that I had to be examined in person.

Well yes, of course they would tell you this...

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by blankall

I called a walk in clinic, for a telephone appointment, who told me that I had to be examined in person.

They've never seen you before, so I assume this is what a walk in would do.

A family doctor who had examined your head before might just ask, "Is it the same as before with no significant changes?" with an answer of "Yup" they can extend it because they had inspected it before. Visits aren't in isolation when it comes to family doctors and sometimes they ask other questions on other visits that they can add to your baseline when making a decision on how to approach your care.

[Trojan97]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

We use a family doctor in the McKenzie Lake Clinic as of last year. It was pretty easy to get on the patient list, so maybe try them? The only issue is that the doctor we got assigned to , to put it bluntly, is a jackass and my wife absolutely despises going to him. Very condescending in tone, not helpful with his advice, and quite unprofessional when getting into debates with him. Had a few instances where I thought we were going to start chucking fists with each other and we almost walked out the most recent visit. Unfortunately we have no choice, as my family physician retired a while back and apparently I missed the window to get on his replacement's list. Definitely an adventure going to see him, but hey, he might have a few slots open .

I appreciate the thoughts! we're in Chaparral so this clinic is/was on the radar. I'm in a similar boat where my longtime doc retired and was up in the NW where I lived previously and his replacement was very uninspiring.

[Minnie]

Our GP here in Airdrie retired, he was finished on Sept 21. We had already been thinking of finding a new doc in the spring when he mailed all his patients with his retirement date - he was a total turd the last couple of years. He'd already checked out in July when we saw him last and I've never been physically violent with anyone but I wanted to deck him so badly during that last appointment. He was rude and flippant and barely helpful.

We absolutely lucked out in finding a new GP at the end of last month. No docs in Airdrie are taking new patients, they just have massively long waiting lists. We had a meet & greet at a clinic across from the PLC and landed a great new doc, for all 4 of us. I'd phoned a few clinics but few docs are willing to take on a patient like my daughter, who is a very complex case and who has a host of diagnoses and a veritable raft of specialists attached as well. She's also on a huge list of medications, including a mile long list of vits and supplements prescribed by her geneticist, commonly referred to as a "mito cocktail." Toss in an opiate and even fewer docs will take her a patient - there's a movement afoot, or something, where GPs just refuse to prescribe opiates, even in cases like hers, where there's a diagnosis with a reason for an opiate.

Anyway, as far as I know, the clinic has docs taking on new patients, if anyone is looking - it's called SantiMed Family and Walk-In Clinic. If there are any Airdronians on here who used to have Dr Botha when he was in Airdrie, he's coming back to the area and setting up shop at Santimed, in November I believe. They're also expanding the size of the clinic, into the space next door, I just haven't heard when.

[Street Pharmacist]

Originally Posted by Shazam

Ah the usual I-Hate-Conservatives posters.

Hey what's happening in BC?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...tage-1.6427395

There's not a lack of doctors so much as a different population. All your old people move here and suck up the healthcare

[Amethyst]

I recently got a new doctor I really like, in NE Calgary. She works out of a clinic that also does walk-ins, which is nice because if I can't get an appointment for an issue right away, I just walk in. She was the first of three doctors I've seen to correctly diagnose a recurring issue I have. I've sent a few people her way and they all like her. And I've never had a desire to punch her, which really, is not a doctor I'd recommend.... lol.

Anyway, Dr. Kim Arora at Mediplus 2.

[CMPunk]

Morning Folks,

Any updates on family doctors accepting new patients? I'm starting to get desperate here. My body is really starting to not like me and I'd prefer to not do a walk in.

Thanks

[Locke]

Um. Maybe...but yeah, I know its tough.

Whereabouts in the City are you?