• All referrals are triaged according to the nature of the condition. Wait-time may vary.

• Standard appointments are 15-30 minutes, depending on the complexity of the consult.

• Consultation is limited to the issue as indicated by your referring clinician. If you have additional ENT-related medical issues, you may be asked to schedule a separate appointment or request for a new referral from your referring clinician.

• Prescription refills requested by pharmacies without an appointment may not be accepted.

• Please cancel or reschedule appointments at least 48 hours in advance.

• Notify the clinic by phone/text if you anticipate being late for your appointment. While we will make efforts to accommodate you, tardiness may result in a missed appointment, especially if exceeding 20 minutes.

• Missed appointments, no-shows, or late cancellations will be suggest to an out-of-pocket fee.

• Your doctor may initiate a telemedicine consultation to help triage and expedite treatment.

• For virtual visits, your doctor may contact you within ± 2 hours window of the scheduled appointment time.

• Your doctor will attempt to reach you no more than 3 times for virtual appointments. Please adjust your phone settings to accommodate calls from unknown numbers.

Due to a high volume of inquiries, we ask for your patience. To help our assistants, please LEAVE A MESSAGE if the call is unanswered. DO NOT call repeatedly, send multiple emails or messages.

• Communication with the clinic may occur via phone, email, or secure messages. By consenting, you acknowledge the potential risks and limitations of electronic communication.

• Please note the purpose of this e-mail address is solely for administrative staff to communicate scheduling information to our patients. Please do not send your personal health information or photographs unless requested by one of our physicians/staff. The physician(s) at our office DO NOT monitor this e-mail address, and no medical advice will be provided electronically. You may request an in-person appointment or telehealth appointment to communicate directly with our physician(s), if you have clinical concerns or questions. Please allow up to 5 business days for an email response.

• If this is an emergency, please proceed to the nearest Emergency Room. 

• Some services are not covered by the provincial Medical Services Plan (MSP). Service fees will be disclosed prior to service delivery

• Common uninsured services include sick notes, chart transfers, non-MSP covered procedures, and others

• Payment for uninsured services is expected upon arrival at the next appointment

• Repeated failure to pay may result in dismissal from the practice

• For security purposes, a security system is installed in the waiting area only

• Patients recording encounters without prior consent is prohibited and may lead to immediate dismissal from the practice.

• Recordings may be created as part of your medical care to assist in your assessment, investigation, treatment and/or for purpose of teaching, training, or research. Your doctors will ask for your consent prior to any recording. If you are a minor, and unable to consent on your own behalf, the consent of a parent, guardian or representative must be obtained. Refusal to consent to a recording will not affect the quality of the care being offered.

• Our clinic is powered by artificial intelligence - to assist with note-taking and reception tasks. By scheduling and attending the visit, you (the patient) consents to the use of AI technology.

• Your information is safe and complies with all Canadian data and privacy laws.

• Your medical records are securely stored in compliance with BC’s Personal Health Information Act, with your doctors serving as the custodians

• You may request a copy of your medical records at any time, with applicable fees

• Medical information will not be shared with third parties without your explicit written consent

• Records are retained for 16 years from the date of last entry or from the age of majority whichever is later

• While your doctors may be fluent in another spoken language(s), they may be proficient medicolegally in English only. Please arrange for your interpreter if needed

• Patients are responsible for arranging their own interpreters or translators (must be at least 18 years of age)

• All our doctors are affiliated with the UBC Faculty of Medicine. We provide educational opportunities for medical students, resident physicians and post-graduate fellows. By agreeing to be a patient at our clinic, you understand that you may be seen by trainees who are supervised our doctors.

We strive to treat our patients with kindness, dignity, courtesy and respect, and without discrimination.

However, patient-doctor relationship may end due to various reasons. CPSBC lists examples of situations where ending the patient-registrant relationship are warranted:

• Patient exhibits threatening or abusive behaviour towards the registrant or their medical office staff, including behaviour or comments of a sexualized or racist nature; as employers, registrants have a legal obligation to make reasonable efforts to ensure that their employees are afforded a harassment-free workplace

• Patient poses a risk of harm to the registrant or their medical office staff

• Patient makes an unambiguous declaration of non-confidence in the registrant; where a patient’s behaviour makes it clear that the practice is not being utilized as a primary care home by (for example) repeatedly attending at other clinics unnecessarily

• Patient has repeatedly failed to pay for services after multiple discussions

• Patient moves to another community making required in-person assessments impracticable

Your doctor will provide a 90-day advance notice in compliance with CPSBC requirements. After termination, emergency care may be provided for up to 30 days, unless dismissal is due to safety concerns.