Doctors and Clinics

[Jonny]

I haven't seen a doctor in about three years but I've seen a couple of them in North Bay lately, at a clinic. I haven't had a family doctor for several years, since the time ours gave up his private practice and we moved to North Bay.

 

I must say, the clinic was OK. The first time I went was just to request some routine tests I hadn't had done for a while. Wait time --- 10 minutes from the time I registered. Office time with the doctor didn't take long, and it shouldn't have.

 

The second time was last week when I did something stupid and cracked a rib. (Boy, you don't think about ribs when everything is OK... different story when you crack one!) Wait time --- 30 minutes. The doctor gave me a crash course on rib injuries, then wrote me out a slip for x-rays, as a precaution. Office time... about 10 minutes.

 

I went to the x-ray lab and expected a long delay, as the doctor said that staff holidays were slowing them down. I hardly got a chance to read 2 pages in my book (I always bring a good book... no, not The Good Book), and I was called in to be irradiated.

 

All nice folks, and much faster than I thought. Way faster than some of the times I used to sit in the family doctor's office.

 

Still, my wife and I would like to find a family doctor. Anybody know of one taking patients in the North Bay/Sturgeon Falls area?

Edited July 28, 2009 by Jocko

[ravinerat]

Well with wait times like that I'll be North Bay bound. Can be any where from 2-10 hours down in Barrie to see a Doc in the E/R. Even with the drive to NB the time will be shorter.

 

 

RR

[TC1OZ]

Walk-in clinics are AMAZING if you already know whats wrong with you....

 

Don't expect a walk-in to find a problem you didn't know about, thats all I have to say.

[dheitzner]

This link to the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons should be helpful:

 

http://www.cpso.on.ca/docsearch/

 

Darcy

[Jonny]

This link to the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons should be helpful:

 

Thanks, Darcy, I'll check it out.

 

As far as word-of-mouth, I'd also still like to hear about anything anyone knows.

 

My wife had a bad allergic reaction about a month ago - extensive hives, etc - and went to emerg at the West Nipissing Hospital. It took 4 hours to see a doctor. Needless to say, next time she goes, she'll go to the same clinic I visited.

 

Clinics defintely have their place but there's some peace-of-mind associated with a family doctor. I hope we can find one.

[Fish4Eyes]

Your forgetting that you live in an area that is not populated. In 2006 there was 54000 people residing in North Bay. Makes a big difference.

[danc]

To see your doctors rating by patients, click HERE

[Canuck2fan]

+1 on using the website. I found a doctor using it in less than 3 months which for my area is excellent!!!

[Jonny]

Your forgetting that you live in an area that is not populated. In 2006 there was 54000 people residing in North Bay. Makes a big difference.

 

I don't quite understand... what am I forgetting?

[SBCregal]

i cant remember the last time i waited over half an hr at a walk-in clinic. for me its always been in and out within the hour.

im in a populated area (burlington now, oakville for the last 20 yrs) and it seems pretty consistent across the board. wait times for ER are obviously going to be longer. ive had to visit the ER quite a few times ( i break lots of bones and have asthma) and the average in/out time will be about 4 hrs, expect it and bring a good book.

[blue pickeral]

Usually being attended upon in a hospital ER is not determined by first come/first served. If a more serious case than yours arrives, you get bumped.

 

Try to find a family practice that has Nurse Practitioners on staff. An N.P. is a specially trained clinal nurse and must pass a professional board before being allowed to practise. They can handle most things a doctor can, with the exception of prescribing certain controlled drugs. Many family clinics are taking advantage of N.P.'s as there is special government funding available to use them more widely in the health care system.

 

As for those 'RateYour_______' sites, uncontrolled, un-moderated, unauthoritative.

[Jonny]

As for those 'RateYour_______' sites, uncontrolled, un-moderated, unauthoritative.

 

Good tip on the nurse-practitioners. They should become a standard feature of our medical landscape. There are so many things you shouldn't need to see a doctor for. Re-filling many kinds of prescriptions, for example.

 

As fot the 'rate your doctor' site, I looked up several and the opinions sure do range widely! If you kind of 'average out' the comments, it does give you some idea. Unauthoritative, yes, but probably still of some use if you don't put too much stock in it.

[wallyboss]

One of the big culprit in slow service in walkin clinics is people using the clinics instead of a Family Doctor. A family docotor will have a record of what is wrong with you what pills you are taking in case you forget because if you forget the name of your pills and the clinics Dr. prescribes you a drug that could very well react with another one you are already taking. Do yourself a favor and find a Family Doctor. There is times when you will need one of the clinics but I always call my Family doctor first to see if he can squeeze me in between 2 appointments and they will tell you if you should go to the clinic. Same thing with the Emergency Rooms a lot of people use those instead of family doctors and that is the main reason they are always full and long wait times

[Jonny]

If I had a family doctor, I would be sure to use him/her.