Q & A ALLERGY OFFICE POLICIES
Please familiarize yourself with our Office Policies.
PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL TO OTHERS. WE HAVE A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY ON ANY VERBAL OR PHYSICAL ABUSE
(i.e. yelling, using inappropriate language, etc).
You will be asked to leave the clinic and it may result in your dismissal from the practice.
CURRENT OFFICE HOURS AS OF NOVEMBER 12, 2023:
Monday to Thursday: 8am to 3pm
Fridays: open on select fridays
**Our office is closed from December 22, 2023 to January 1, 2024. **
EMAIL USE: CONTACT@QANDAALLERGY.CA
Please note that privacy and security of email communication cannot be guaranteed. By contacting the office by email, you acknowledge and accept this risk.
This email is for administrative purposes eg booking, moving, or confirming/reminding patients of their appointments
Appointments can be made using email or telephone.
You are not required to use the email for communication and can opt to use the telephone instead.
Email should not be used for medical questions, emergencies or time sensitive matters.
Please allow at least 2 business days for a response to your email.
Any medical concerns should be addressed during an appointment with your specialist doctor.
Each patient or their guardian/parent/family are responsible to keep their booked appointment time and date. Reminders are primarily done through email. There is no guarantee of a telephone reminder.
This office cannot be held responsible if there is any security breech, or lost information during correspondence with this office via email.
APPOINTMENTS
ALL new patients must referred to see a specialist in Ontario. So you will need a referral from your primary care doctor (or NP), or another physician in your care team.
All visits are by appointment only. We do not accept Walk In patients.
Appointments can be made using email or telephone.
On receiving a referral our office will call the patient and/or family to make an appointment.
When you schedule an appointment we reserve that time for you or your child, and we expect you to be present for that time.
You are expected to be present at the time of your appointment, otherwise you will need to be rescheduled as we cannot take time away from other patient’s appointment times to accommodate you. This will be considered a missed appointment and will be subject to fees outlined below.
There is a cancellation fee for missed appointment or appointments not cancelled 2 business days prior to the appointment time. New consultations will be charged $100 and Follow up appointments $50. These prices are subject to change.
APPOINTMENTS: COVID-19 CHANGES:
Some appointments will be Virtual either by telephone or video visit. At this time the specialist doctor will review your history, review any photos or areas of body on video, and offer an opinion. Some appointments may be offered only as in person due to the nature of the visit.
Patients who are 12 or older MUST be present for the virtual appointments. We encourage the presence of those between 6-11 years for their virtual appointments.
When appropriate, follow up appointments may also be Virtual, either by telephone or video visit.
If you have an IN PERSON appointment, you will be specifically told of this and given preparation instructions. Please arrive 3-5 minutes early. Patients arriving after the time of their scheduled appointment will not be seen in order to maintain proper infection control protocols.
Patients should attend their in person appointments alone. For patients under 14 years of age, one parent or guardian can be present. If you feel that you require a support person present for your appointment, please inform the clinic upon booking for consideration by your consulting physician.
MASKs continue to be required in our office as we do provide services to those who are at high risk. All individuals above 2 years will be required to bring their own mask to wear at all times when in the office. The office does NOT provide masks for patients.
OHIP CARD AND INSURED SERVICES:
Your health card, OHIP card, is your health credit card. You are required to bring a valid health card with you at every appointment
If you do not have a valid non-expired health card you will be charged directly for your appointment. You can pay using cash or your regular credit card. If you chose not to attend the appointment due to lack of coverage, you will be considered a no show if sufficient notification is not provided. Fees will apply as outlined above.
Consultations and most in-clinic ancillary tests are covered by your OHIP health card.
NON-INSURED SERVICES:
Some medical services are not covered under OHIP (uninsured services), such as missed appointment fees, work/school forms, and sick notes. In addition, some bloodwork is not covered under OHIP.
Fees for uninsured services are charged per Ontario Medical Association Guidelines
SCENT FREE AND ANIMAL POLICY:
To ensure that we create a healthy and safe environment for our patients and employees, this clinic maintains a scent free policy.
Patients, visitors, employees and medical staff are requested to refrain from the use of scented perfumes, deodorants, after-shave lotions and other scented personal hygiene products.
Scented products contain certain irritant chemicals that trigger symptoms in people with migraine headaches, asthma and other respiratory disorders - sometimes requiring emergency treatment.
Please refrain from using scented products when coming to our office.
No pets are allowed in the office. Service animals are allowed, we do ask you inform our clinic that you have a service animal PRIOR to your appointment.
LEARNERS:
Q&A Allergy is proud to provide a learning environment for medical trainees from McMaster University and other teaching institutions. In addition to your Attending Physician who is in charge of your care, you may also see a Resident Physician, Fellow or Medical Student.
Resident physician: a physician with advanced training in patient care. The resident reports to the attending physician.
Fellow: a physician who has completed residency training and is undertaking additional training in a specialty area.
Medical students: students participate as part of the medical team during their medical school training.