Policies

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 Effective Date: February 3, 2025 

At Casselman Medical Centre, we strive to provide timely and high-quality care to all patients. To maintain efficient scheduling and ensure access to care, the following policy applies to missed appointments: 

 A "no-show" is defined as: Failure to attend a scheduled appointment without providing at least 24 hours notice for cancellation or rescheduling.  

First No-Show: 

A $40 no-show fee will be charged.    

The patient will receive a reminder of the clinic's no-show policy.    

Second No-Show: 

A $40 no-show fee will be charged.    

The patient will be reminded that  an additional no-show may result in removal from the clinic roster.   

Third No-Show (within two years): 

A $40 no-show fee will be charged.    

The patient may be subject to removal from the clinic roster.    

A written notice of removal will be sent to the patient, along with instructions for transferring care to another provider if necessary.     

Appeals and Exceptions

 The clinic will consider exceptions for emergencies or unavoidable situations on a case-by-case basis.    

This policy is intended to promote respect for appointment availability and ensure better access to care for all patients.

The physicians at CMC see many patients during a clinical day. Therefore, if you are more than five minutes late for a scheduled appointment, please be aware that your appointment may need to be rescheduled. Being seen for your appointment will be left to the discretion of your physician based on the nature of your concern and the doctor's schedule that particular day. 

  Starting September 1st, 2024, there will be a $20 fee for all prescription renewals requested without a visit to the clinic. This fee will not apply if prescriptions are requested during an appointment. We understand that this may be a departure from our previous practice and want to provide clarity on the reasons behind this decision and what it means for you going forward.  
 How to Request a Prescription Renewal Without a Visit:  Beginning September 1st, 2024, we will no longer accept prescription renewal requests from your pharmacy. Instead, please call our office or send a message on Health Myself (HMS/Pomelo) with the list of medications you need refilled, including the name and dose. Once payment is received, your request will be forwarded to your physician for review and response within 5 business days. Payment can be made by phone (Visa, Mastercard or Amex) or e-transfer to cassrenewal@gmail.com(with name and date of birth in the message).  
 Reason for Implementing a Fee:  We have introduced this fee to cover the costs associated with prescription renewal requests made without a visit. Your Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) covers the cost of most medical services, but there are uninsured services such as sick notes, insurance forms, and prescription renewals without a visit that are not covered. These requests require our physicians to spend several hours per week reviewing patient histories, monitoring requirements, and recent health status changes, which is no longer sustainable without compensation.  
 Options to Avoid the Fee: To avoid the $20 fee, we encourage patients to schedule appointments for medication reviews when prescriptions are due for renewal. Please ensure you do not run out of medications and book appointments accordingly. Remember to bring all your medications to each appointment and check for existing refills before requesting a renewal. We will NOT be using same-day or “urgent” appointment spots for chronic prescription renewals,  
 Handling Multiple Medications:  The $20 fee is charged per request, regardless of the number of medications. Please include all necessary medications in a single request to avoid multiple charges.  
 Duration of Medication Renewals:  The duration of prescription renewals will vary depending on the medication and your individual circumstances. Your physician will determine the appropriate duration based on your medical needs during the review process.  
  We understand that these changes may raise questions, and we are here to address any concerns you may have. Our goal is to continue providing excellent medical care while managing the administrative demands of our practice effectively. 

Confidentiality is paramount and will be rigorously upheld. Your medical information will NOT be disclosed to anyone (including family members) without your written consent. If we cannot reach you directly by phone, we will leave a message asking you to contact us.

Patients can consent to the release of information to specific individuals; however, we require written consent from the patient before disclosing their personal health information. Parents or legal guardians may handle these tasks for minors, and by default, a parent or guardian is assumed to have authorization for a minor. Children sixteen (16) years or older MUST also provide authorization for a parent or guardian. Click here for a printable authorization form.

As per Ontario Ministry of Health requirements, patients must bring and present a valid OHIP card for ALL medical visits (ie no photocopies or pictures of the card). Patients are required to present their OHIP card at each visit with up to date personal information. If invalid or expired patients are responsible for the cost of the visit at the time of service. Once your OHIP card is renewed, our office will refund the cost of the visit minus a $10 administration fee.

Have questions or need to schedule an appointment? Our team is here to help. Give us a call, send us an email, or stop by our office to speak with one of our friendly staff members.