Who can use the walk-in service?

The walk-in service is for same day or semi-urgent issues only for the following people:

• Anybody without a family doctor in Kingston.

• Any rostered CDK patient with urgent issues that arise who cannot wait for the next scheduled appointment.

 

Patients with family doctors should utilize their regular GP's office or after-hours clinic. 

Students who have access to healthcare at school should ideally utilize their Student Health Services.

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How does the walk-in service work?

We have two locations providing walk-in services.

 

1) CDK Princess:  Patients simply walk into the clinic without an appointment on a first-come first-served basis. Depending on the number of walk in patients, wait times may vary. Wait-times usually range from 15 minutes to 4 hours.  

 

Please note, Dr. Kozanitis and Dr. Yen also see their scheduled appointments for their rostered patients at CDK Princess. These patients are not part of the walk-in queue and register before their appointment times to be seen by the doctor.  In addition, there are some walk-in patients who have been scheduled follow-up appointments based on the previous walk-in visit.  These patients also are not part of the first-come first-served walk-in queue.  Therefore, please be understanding when a patient who just arrives or registers at the front desk are called into the exam room before you when you have waited for a longer time in the walk-in queue, as these are scheduled appointments and not patients of the walk-in queue.

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2) CDK Sutherland Drive:  Patients without a doctor, with acute but not emergent issues, can use the online booking tab to book their appointments online, same day or up to 2 weeks in advance.  We only offer available spots for up to 2 weeks as these services are meant to address acute care needs.

When to proceed to the Emergency?

If you are visiting our clinic and feel that your issue is so pressing that you cannot wait in line or should be seen by the doctor right away ahead of others, you should proceed to the ER.  Remember, our clinic receptionists are not Triage Nurses and are not expected to put one patient ahead of another based on priority. Rather, they will call you on a first come- first served basis.

Who can book appointments?

Those who have been accepted to our practice can book an appointment at any time.

Walk-in patients can book appointments in the following circumstances:

• Doctor requests a specific follow up visit

• Minor procedures (usually requires an assessment by a doctor prior to booking)

• Pap smears

• Baby checks (only for those without a regular doctor - please bring all vaccine records)

• Pregnancy care

• Third party physicals or in-depth general assessments requiring more time

• Certain paperwork or applications to be completed by the doctor that require more time and a thorough health history

• Those who meet criteria to book online using the booking links

Please note: If you have a regular GP, you should try to book all of your physicals, pap smears, and pregnancy visits with your family doctor.

Do I get a call back for test results?

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The doctor or healthcare provider you see will arrange appropriate notification of results.  Due to high volumes, you may be told that we will only call you back for abnormal results. However, we will notify you about normal results, or bring you back to review results in detail, when indicated by your doctor or PA.  If you are interested in following up for a result at any time, you can call us or return to the clinic to discuss it at any time (you may have to wait in the walk-in queue if not pre-booked at Sutherland Drive CDK location). If you are a rostered patient, please book an appointment to review your results.

Can I get my test results over the phone?

Results may be provided over the phone by your healthcare provider depending on the circumstance and whether it is safe to do so.

In general, most test results will require a follow up in-person visit to discuss them in the context of your medical condition. Sometimes the doctor needs to re-evaluate your symptoms.  The receptionists are not trained to interpret lab findings, but they can sometimes help by telling you whether the results are back yet or not.  

Do you refill controlled substances?

Generally, walk-in providers are not expected to refill controlled substances through the walk-in service. Controlled substances including benzodiazepines, stimulants, and narcotics should only be prescribed by the patient's regular doctor.   However, due to the high number of patients without a family doctor, the doctor you see through the CDK walk-in service may decide to prescribe you a short course or refill your controlled medication, based on the clinical situation, at his or her discretion.

If you have a family doctor, it is your responsibility to plan ahead and book appointments with your regular doctor so that you do not run out of your controlled substances. In cases where your regular doctor is away and no replacement physician is available, or you are going away, we strongly advise that you make arrangements with him/her ahead of time regarding refills.  

 

If you are rostered to a doctor at CDK, controlled substances will only be prescribed via booked appointments when clinically indicated, and only by your own regular doctor or by his/her locum physician. This is after reviewing and signing a controlled substances contract. PLEASE DO NOT WALK IN TO GET REFILLS. Strict rules regarding the prescription and use of these controlled substances will apply. Your CDK doctor will go over the controlled substances contract in detail with you.

 

If you are a new patient here, please bring any available documentation that you have to support the use of these medications at your initial visit.

What is considered "valid health coverage"?

This usually means a valid OHIP card with future expiry date. When a card is missing, it may be reported as lost or stolen, therefore deemed invalid. We ask that patients bring in their health card each time, so that it can be validated each visit. With the exception of Quebec, out of province health cards are also accepted, as long as it has not expired. UHIP and Blue cross are also valid with appropriate documentation.  Quebec patients will have to pay a fee for their medical services and be reimbursed by the Ministry of Health in the Province of Quebec at a later date.

What happens when I forget my health card?

Unfortunately without a valid health card or documentation of valid coverage, there will be a $50 charge for the doctor's visit. The cost is higher for a full physical or counseling session (please refer to uninsured services). This will be reimbursed to you if you bring in your valid health card within 1 month of the visit or call in your new version code, so that we can validate your health card. Reimbursements are not possible if you present your health card after 1 month from the initial visit date.

Can I become a rostered patient at CDK?

Family doctors can only accept permanent residents of Ontario, ie: those with a valid OHIP health card.  Only those patients who have not been rostered to another doctor in Kingston (unless the doctor has retired, changed practices, or relocated) will be considered. Our goal is to alleviate the burden of orphan patients without access to any doctor in Kingston. You must have a valid Ontario health card to be rostered. Out of province patients must apply for and have their valid OHIP card first.

I don't have a family doctor in Kingston. Can I sign up with a doctor at CDK?

Dr. Hina Atif, Dr. Teresa O'Brien, Dr. Ziny Yen, and Dr. Shofia Akhtar will be accepting new patients in March 2024. We will update our website once we have the details about the process of rostering and to inform if more doctors become available for rostering. Please refrain from inquiring at our front desk or by phone for updates regarding this as we do not have the details yet. You will not be formally accepted until the doctor sees you and there is mutual agreement for acceptance. When this happens, you must complete a roster form and patient declaration to formalize the process. If you are an accepted patient and have not yet completed the roster form, please call to arrange this as soon as possible.

If I have a family doctor already at CDK, may I still request to see a female doctor for my pap smear?

Yes. If you are female, you may request the pap smear component of your physical exam to be booked with a female doctor or PA at CDK (wait-times may vary). However, if you have a regular doctor at CDK, the rest of your annual physical (period health exam) may be booked with your regular doctor for continuity of care. Seeing the female doctor for your pap smear does not mean transfer of care to this doctor. All of your other visits will still be seen by your regular CDK physician.

How often do I need a pap smear?

As of 2012,  cervical screening guidelines are in place and the recommended screening interval for sexually active women ages 21 -70 is every 3 years. Your OHIP card will only cover for 1 pap smear every 3 yrs, unless you have had abnormal or inadequate results. If you desire more frequent pap smears for screening purposes, you are directly responsible for payment. Please visit https://www.cancercare.on.ca/pcs/screening/cervscreening/ for more details on cervical cancer screening in Ontario.  If you desire HPV testing, it is also a self payment, not insured by your provincial health card.

How do I cancel an appointment?  (MISSED APPOINTMENT POLICY)

Please be considerate of other patients by notifying us when you cannot attend an appointment at least 48 hours in advance. Simply call us about your cancellation, or leave a message with your full name, appointment time and need for cancellation at least 48 hours in advance. If you do not do this, you will be charged the missed appointment fee. The fee is higher for a missed full physical, specialist appointment, or counseling session. Please refer to the uninsured services tab for details of costs.

What does "direct billing" mean?

Some services are not insured by the government (Ontario Health Insurance Plan/OHIP) or provincial health card. Some examples include cosmetic procedures, sick notes, 3rd party physicals required by work, TB testing for volunteering and employment, where the patient is responsible for payment of these services out of pocket. Please see the front desk for a full list of non-insured services..

Can I get a sick note?

We provide sick notes only when the patient is legitimately sick with objective findings. We must feel that he/she is too ill to participate in school or work. We do not write sick notes retrospectively, as we cannot confirm the illness. We do not provide notes for missed exams, unless it is the doctor's decision that the patient should not attend. Do not report to the doctor's office when you have already missed your exam or assignment, especially if you are no longer sick. We do not tolerate malingering. There is a $30 charge for all doctor's notes.

Do you offer TB skin tests?

Yes, we provide 1 and 2-step Mantoux testing. There is $30 charge for each of the TB injection and TB reading visits unless this is for school or medical reason where TB testing is OHIP insured. Please see our updated list of non-insured services. We also provide all routine immunizations and boosters when necessary (most our insured by your health card). It is helpful for patients to bring any vaccination records and necessary forms to each visit.