OFFICE POLICIES

NO-SHOW & SAME DAY CANCELLATION

If a patient cancels on the day of their appointment or does not show up for a scheduled appointment (in person at the clinic or telephone/virtual appointment) or is very late, the patient may be charged the full price of the visit (minimum $60, may be higher for other types of visits e.g. annual physical). Patients must provide at least 48 hours advance notice if not able to make it to an appointment and it must be done via the website or email.

We understand that, on occasion, unforeseen circumstances can occur (for example, a patient has gone into labor or has another genuine reason they were not able to attend an appointment and were not able to cancel at least 48 hours in advance), for genuine circumstances they will not be charged a no-show fee.

Please note, we do not send out appointment reminders, as an equal partner in your own healthcare we expect patients to be responsible in remembering their appointment date and time and if not able to make it, inform us via our website form or email at least 48 hours in advance so we can give the appointment spot to another patient.

This policy is in place out of respect to the physician's time lost not providing care to another patient and out of respect to other patients who are in need and may have needed to see the doctor during that time slot. We thank you for your understanding.

For repeated no-show to scheduled appointments your status may be changed to walk in only or file may be closed at the clinic and you will have to find another clinic & family doctor.

LATENESS

As courtesy to other patients, if you arrive late, your appointment will be shortened to the remainder of the original scheduled appointment. If you are more than 10 minutes late, it may be treated as a no-show or you may be asked to reschedule.

A physician may still choose to accommodate you if they are able, but this is decided on a case-by-case basis. You may have to wait while the physician sees the sickest patients first or those who have arrived on time for their appointment.

SCHEDULING

We encourage our patients to limit their walk-in visits with doctors to one or two issues to keep our wait times short. Follow up visits can be scheduled as regular family doctor visits for more complex medical issues or non-urgent matters.

UNINSURED SERVICES

Certain services medical offices provide patients are not covered by Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (your health card). These services include but are not limited to completion of insurance forms, driver’s medical, Employment related fitness forms, workplace physical, sick notes, other forms and letters, travel consultation etc. Patients are directly responsible for the cost of such uninsured services. We have a list of services and prices available in the clinic and we encourage you to discuss the price first with the doctor or office staff.

ABUSE

We do not tolerate any kind of abuse, either verbal or otherwise, towards staff, doctors or other patients. Anyone acting aggressively, abusively or in a threatening or harassing manner will be asked to leave the clinic and be removed as a patient of the clinic. This includes posting negative and/or disparaging online reviews or public statements about the clinic, its staff and/or doctors.

ARRIVAL AT THE CLINIC

Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment start time. This time allows you to fill out any appropriate forms, have the nurse complete any required vitals (for example blood pressure), and change clothing if necessary. Existing patients please ensure to let us know ASAP if any of your contact details have changed.

* Please bring your Alberta Health Care Card to all visits *

WAITING ROOM AND OFFICE ETIQUETTE

We welcome all patients to our clinic and want you to feel comfortable while you are waiting to be seen.

We kindly request patients to respect others by following some basic etiquette:

Please be respectful of other peoples space.
Please inform reception staff if you, or any one accompanying you into the clinic, has symptoms of an infection (e.g. cough, runny nose, fever, sore throat etc) so we can take appropriate steps for infection control including use of personal protective equipment, rooming etc.
Masks are required to be worn at all times for any patient who has symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection (e.g. sore throat, runny nose, cough, fever etc).
Please DO NOT leave your children unattended.
Please ensure your kids do not climb or jump on the furniture or touch equipment. You may be responsible for costs related to damage to clinic equipment.
Please kindly do not block or allow children to play by the entrance.
Please kindly turn off your electronic devices.
Please kindly keep your belongings with you.
Please be patient: at times the doctor may not be able to see you right away or there may be a wait even with a scheduled appointment - this is because the doctor is helping a patient who may have unexpectedly been found to need complex medical care or an emergency medical situation.

CONFIDENTIALITY

We protect your personal health information with great care. If a third party such as family, insurance companies or lawyers require your medical information, you will be asked to provide written authorization for the release of any of your relevant medical records. We do not discuss any medical or patient related information via email or other electronic communication unless previously agreed to between the doctor and the patient and the patient has provided authorization.

UPDATED PERSONAL INFORMATION

Please provide our clinic staff an update regarding any changes related to your contact information including address, phone number, email address and emergency contact information as soon as possible after it changes.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Please note we do not allow patients or third parties use of cellphones, cameras or any audio or video recording devices in the clinic or in examination rooms.

TEST REPORTS

We only discuss patient test results including consult reports with the patient or their legal guardian due to patient confidentiality. You may also call and request an appointment to discuss test results at any time.

PRESCRIPTION REFILLS

Our doctors are always accepting appointments, walk-in patients and virtual/phone visits. We encourage our patients to speak with the doctor directly for prescription renewals a week or two prior to running out of their medications. Maximum prescription length is 90 days unless you have longer travel plans. We do not prescribe narcotics and controlled medication, to non-clinic walk in patients. It is important to see your family doctor regularly even for refills to ensure your medical conditions and medications are being monitored to ensure your wellbeing and safety.

ON SITE CO LOCATED MEDICAL SERVICES

Other medical providers including but not limited to pharmacy, physiotherapy, sleep testing, eye exams and others are co-located on site at the clinic but are independent businesses and have no affiliation to the clinic. Patients may choose to use their services but are under no obligation to do so.
All doctors practicing at the clinic are independent and are independently contracted service providers, i.e. if one of the doctors provides a patient a certain service, other doctors are not obliged to do the same.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

Electronic communications, for example, telephone, email, text messages etc are subject to certain risks and conditions, please see the following link for details and our electronic communications policy which you accept if you communicate with us or any of our staff, doctors or other providers via electronic means:

Electronic Communications Policy

MISCELLANEOUS

Please note, being seen by any doctor at the clinic does not automatically make them your family doctor. If you need a family doctor please let staff know, if there is availability with any of the doctors you may be booked in for a meet & greet appointment first.

From time to time we may need to access your Netcare health record for medical/clinical purposes only as well as communicate with you via phone, text or email.

We work as a team, that means your medical file may be accessed and the information in it viewed by any member of the team at the clinic involved in your circle or care or for administrative purposes (e.g. reception staff, MOA, doctors). Doctors and staff are trained and adhere to privacy standards and legislation.

We do not allow transferring between different family doctors at our clinic. If you have any concerns please discuss with the manager. If you wish to no longer see your doctor and transfer your file to another doctor or have been discharged as a patient from any doctor at our clinic, your file will be closed at our clinic, please provide us with the name of your new doctor at another clinic to transfer your file to (charges may apply). To find a new doctor you can call HealthLink at 811 or refer to www.albertafindadoctor.ca

While phone calls are available, due to patient safety concerns we refer patients come to the clinic in person, especially if it has been a while since your last visit/checkup, We can make some exceptions on a case by case basis, please discuss with your doctor. NB for any phone/virtual appointments you must be located in Alberta at the time of the call/encounter.

If it has been more than 2 years since you have come to the office or seen your doctor, we will close your file and give the spot to another patient. There is no guarantee you can rejoin your doctor at that point unfortunately.

Abbeydale Medical Clinic Privacy Policy

Introduction Abbeydale Medical Clinic is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of our patients' personal health information. This Privacy Policy outlines our practices in handling patient information in compliance with Alberta's Health Information Act (HIA) and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

Applicability: This policy applies to all personal health information we hold. It demonstrates our commitment to privacy and details how we ensure patient privacy is protected.

Personal Health Information: This includes any identifying information about an individual's physical or mental health, medical history, health care provision, health care payments, and health number.

Principles of Privacy

Accountability: All staff and physicians at Abbeydale Medical Clinic are responsible for maintaining and protecting the personal information under their control.
Identifying Purposes: We collect information to establish a patient relationship and serve medical needs, primarily obtained directly from patients or other health practitioners.
Consent: Consent for collecting, using, and disclosing personal information is typically implied through your consent to treatment. In all circumstances, express consent must be written.
Limiting Collection: We collect only necessary information for medical care purposes.
Limiting Use, Disclosure, and Retention: Information is used only for the purposes defined. We do not sell patient lists to third parties. Information is retained as required and then securely destroyed.
Accuracy: We depend on patients to provide accurate information and to inform us of any changes.
Safeguards: Personal information is protected with appropriate security measures.
Openness: This policy is available on our website and through our office.
Access and Correction: Patients have rights to access and correct their information.
Challenging Compliance: Concerns about privacy can be addressed to our Privacy Officer.

Collection of Information: We collect information through website interactions, appointment requests, and other forms of communication.

Use of Cookies: Cookies are used on our site for enhancing user experience and site functionality.

Disclosure of Information We do not disclose personal information without consent, except as required by law or for medical care purposes.

Third-Party Links: We are not responsible for the content and activities of linked third-party sites.

Communication Consent By using our website, filling out forms, or communicating with Abbeydale Medical Clinic via any means including email, phone, fax, or in-person interactions, you agree to be contacted by us through various electronic means. These may include the website's chat function, SMS, email, phone, and other electronic methods.

Primary Purpose of Communication

The primary reason for contact will be for medical purposes, such as appointment scheduling, medical advice, treatment information, and health updates.

Secondary Purposes of Communication

From time to time, we may also use these communication methods for other purposes. These may include, but are not limited to, informing you about urgent matters like clinic closures, changes in service availability, or seeking feedback on our services.

Opting Out

While we prioritize communication for healthcare management, you have the option to opt-out of secondary communications, such as informational updates or feedback requests. You can do this by contacting our office and specifying your communication preferences.

Ensuring Your Contact Information is Current

To ensure effective communication, we request that you keep your contact information up to date and inform us of any changes.

Contact Information For privacy concerns, please contact: Privacy Officer Abbeydale Medical Clinic 814 68 St NE, Calgary, AB, T2A6X7 (587) 470-9333

Abbeydale Medical Clinic Terms and Conditions

Introduction: These terms govern the use of the Abbeydale Medical Clinic website and services.
Use of the Website: The website is provided "as is" for personal, non-commercial use. Content is believed to be accurate but is not guaranteed.
Security: Email and other electronic communications may not be secure. We recommend encrypting sensitive email and other electronic communications.
Limitation of Liability: Abbeydale Medical Clinic is not liable for damages arising from the use of this website or its content.
Copyright: Content on this website is owned by Abbeydale Medical Clinic and cannot be reproduced without permission.
Privacy: Our detailed privacy policy is available on our website.
Linking: Links to our website should only be to our homepage. Third-party links on our site are not endorsed by Abbeydale Medical Clinic.
Jurisdiction: These terms are governed by the laws of Alberta, Canada. Any disputes will be resolved under these laws.
Amendment of Terms: These terms may be updated without notice.
Contact Information: For questions regarding these terms, please contact us through our website.

AI Scribe notification:

What is an AI scribe?

We are using AI (artificial intelligence) scribe software that records the conversation between you and your doctor to help them take notes so they can pay more attention to you during your visit.

Once your visit is over, the AI scribe software uses the recorded conversation to write a short summary of what was talked about. Your doctor can then review and add this note into your chart.

The purpose of this is to help your doctor keep track of all the information and details you provide them and write high quality notes to better their service to you as a patient.

Where does the recording go?

The AI scribe software converts the audio collected directly into into a transcript which is then used to make the note summary. Because this process is direct, no record of the audio recording is stored anywhere.

Where does the transcript go?

The transcript created is stored on secure Canadian servers. This transcript is kept so your doctor will have access to it for their reference in taking care of you as a patient.

Where does the summarized note go?

To create the summarized note, the AI scribe software uses another program based out of the United States. Before the transcript is sent anywhere, the AI scribe software makes sure to remove any personal identifying information to maintain your privacy as a patient. When we send them the transcript, edited to maintain your privacy, they will keep it for 30 days or less. After that, the records will be deleted and they will not have anything.

How do I consent to AI scribe software?

Let your doctor know if you give your consent for them to use AI scribe software or if you would like for the software not to be used during your visit.

By accessing or utilizing any service(s) provided by Abbeydale Medical Clinic, you acknowledge and affirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the terms and conditions, as well as the privacy policy and other policies outlined on our website above.