FAQ
What's the difference between a walk-in clinic, an urgent care centre, and emergency room?
Can I go to a walk-in clinic if I already have a family doctor?
Can you help me find a family doctor?
Can I make an appointment to see a certain doctor?
Will the doctor refill my medication?
Does the clinic make referrals to specialists?
What?s the difference between a walk-in clinic, an urgent care centre, and emergency room?
A walk-in clinic is a non-hospital based clinic where care is provided for patients with uncomplicated and non-emergency needs. Clinic hours usually extend into the evenings and weekends and often do not require an appointment.
Urgent Care Centres provide services to patients without an appointment seeking treatment for non-life threatening conditions during the day, in the evening and on weekends. Urgent Care Centres are equipped to provide all types of treatment, with the exception of surgery.
The emergency room is the department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medical and surgical care to patients arriving at the hospital in need of immediate medical attention.
From ?Your Health Care Options?, MOHLTC 2007" http://www.health.gov.on.ca.
Can I go to a walk-in clinic if I already have a family doctor?
If possible, talk with your family doctor first. Many family doctors offer after-hours services.
Lists of family doctors accepting patients are available at the clinic, and through the Hamilton Academy of Medicine. http://www.hamiltondoctors.ca/find_a_doctor.php
As a walk-in clinic, we do not book appointments or release physician schedules. Patients registering at each visit are seen by the physician on-shift at that time. If you prefer a female/male physician, the front desk staff can tell you when a female/male physician will be available.
Medication refills require the doctor seeing you to assess why you have been prescribed that medication, and whether any changes are necessary to best manage the medical condition being treated. Some mediccations are not prescribed or refilled at the clinic, including narcotic/opioid, benzodiazepine, sedative, stimulant, or other medications with abuse potential. The James Street Medical Clinic has a no-narcotics policy.
Yes. When medically indicated, the physician you see at your visit to the clinic may refer you for a specialist appointment. If you receive an appointment with a specialist, it is important to attend the appointment or else cancel in advance. Missed specialist appointments are not rebooked, and the specialist?s office may charge a ?no show? fee.
We will populate this section with commonly asked questions as they arise. If you have a suggestion please let us know via email.
Recent Updates
Ontario Premier?s Office Promotes Health Care Options
?For the first time, information about local health services is available in a single place: www.ontario.ca/healthcareoptions" Using this site, people can find the nearest walk-in and after-hours clinics?" click here for more information