A Family Health Team is an approach to primary health care that brings together different health care providers to co-ordinate the highest possible quality of care for you – the patient. Designed to give doctors support from other complementary professionals, most Family Health Teams will consist of doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and other health care professionals who work collaboratively, each utilizing their experience and skills so that you receive the very best care, when you need it, as close as possible.

No, the Carefirst Family Health Team is not a walk-in clinic. It operates a regular doctor’s clinic, which means to see one of our doctors, you must be registered as a patient and book an appointment in advance.

The Family Health Team is able to provide primary care with not only a general practitioner, but by bringing together a dedicated team of specialists and other health professionals in order to best serve your needs. With several practitioners in one convenient location, you, as a patient, will not have to worry about external referrals and transfers.

Our clinic opens from 9 am to 8 pm from Monday to Thursday, from 9 am to 6 pm on Friday, and from 9 am to 2 pm on Saturday. Please check with the medical secretary for your family doctor’s clinic hours.

During the clinic’s closure hours, if you have a medical emergency, please go to the nearest hospital’s emergency department or dial 911 for assistance. If it is a non-medical emergency, you can call the telephone help advisory service (THAS) at 1-866-553-7205 for consultation.

Our physicians speak English, Cantonese, Mandarin and Tamil.

Patients with an OHIP card are welcome to enroll with one of our physicians, subject to their availability. We strongly advise prospective new patients to make an advance booking before coming to our clinic. New patients without a booking will be seen only if the physician is available at the time of the visits.

Patients without an OHIP card but are in dire need of medical care can make an appointment with one of our physicians, subject to their availability. A non-OHIP service fee will apply.

Refugees’ health care needs may be covered by the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP). Please call in advance of your visit and specify your status. Please bring your identity document when you come.

OHIP covers a wide range of health services. A brief description of insured services is available from http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/programs/ohip/ohipfaq_mn.aspx OHIP does not cover:

• treatment that is medically unnecessary
• health services that are rendered at a facility that is not a licensed hospital or licensed health facility
• treatment that is generally accepted by the medical profession in Ontario, as being experimental, or for research or for part of a study
• treatment rendered for an illness, disease condition or injury that arose inside Canada
• ambulance services or transportation costs
• other services specifically set out in the regulations as uninsured or otherwise not listed as insured.

Examples of uninsured services are sick notes, massage letters, physiotherapist notes, travel immunization, copy and transfer of medical records. We charge patients a fee for providing uninsured services.