Finding a Doctor

Look for Family Medical Clinics that are “taking new patients.” It is OK to look for a doctor before you have a problem. Sometimes a doctor will invite you to a “meet and greet” interview. This is a chance where you can meet the doctor to make sure that you are comfortable and he or she can ensure that they have the expertise to meet your needs. The following website will help you find where the clinics are in Lethbridge.

The advantage of having a family doctor is that he or she can get to know you and keep better track of your health needs. The doctor keeps records of your previous visits and can keep better track of medications, tests you have had and so on. Most family doctors are usually only available during the day 5 week days. They typically don’t have evening or weekend appointments. If your health concern is immediate but not critical, you can go to a Medical Walk-In Clinic (Walk – In means that you don’t require an appointment).

Walk-In clinics are medical clinics that are available in evenings and on weekends if you need to see a doctor for an immediate health concern. You just sign in at the receptionist and wait to see a doctor, no appointment is necessary. Go early as the spaces fill up quickly.

You will be required to book an appointment to see a family doctor. To make an appointment with a doctor, the receptionist will usually ask 3 questions:

1. They will confirm if the doctor is your family doctor.
2. What is your health concern? That is so that they can estimate the amount of time you require for your appointment.
3. When are you available? Or, an available appointment time maybe offered to you.

• Understand that you don’t need to take the first available appointment offered. It is not considered rude or disrespectful to ask for a different appointment time if the one offered is inconvenient.
• The receptionist will work with you to find an appointment time that will work well for your schedule.
• It is very important that you choose a time that will allow you to keep your appointment.
• Write the appointment time down, as it is easy to forget and you may or may not receive a reminder call.
• If you are unable to keep the appointment, call and cancel it or re-book so another patient can have the appointment.
• If you have forgotten or you are not sure of the appointment time, It is Ok to phone the clinic back to clarify.

• Plan to be at your appointment a few minutes early in case information is required from you. It is very important for you to go to the appointment and be on time. If you cannot attend the appointment, call the doctor’s office right away and either cancel the appointment or re-book, at least 24 hours before the appointment.
• If you are late for your doctor’s appointment it is not guaranteed that you will be seen that day. If you are very late, you may be required to re-book the appointment. If you miss the appointment, they can charge you a fee.
• Bring your Alberta Health Care Card with you to all health services such as the doctor, lab, a Walk-In Clinic and so on. If you have children, make sure you bring their cards to all health services as well.

If you have a medical concern that needs more expertise,  a family doctor can refer you to a specialist. Your family doctor may refer you to a specialist, a doctor that is considered an expert in a specific area. The wait to see a specialist may be weeks, months or even as long as a year.  Depending on the clinic they may or may not phone you to remind you of the appointment, so it is important to write it down. If you miss the appointment you may be required to go back to the bottom of the wait list.

In many countries around the world, people who are sick you just go to the Emergency Department of the hospital, and wait their turn until a doctor can see them. The doctor gives medication if it is required and the person leaves.

In Canada, the Emergency Department of the hospital is for people, who are very sick, or have had an accident and need immediate medical care. Patients that are presenting with the most serious symptoms are always seen first, not who arrived first. Waiting in Emergency can take many hours, and the wait will be longer if the issue is not serious.

If you need an ambulance, you can call 911 – Understand that this service is not free, and you will receive a bill in the mail. Some insurance may cover this cost.

When you dial 811 - you will be connected to a registered nurse. They can answer health questions and make appropriate health referrals. This service has access to the language line, where you can have interpretation services provided to you in your first language.

If you require medication, then the doctor will write a prescription. The prescription contains information such as what the medicine is, how to take it, when to take it and other important instructions. If you are required to take the medicine for an extended period of time, the doctor may indicate how many “refills” you may have. This means that you can have the medication again without having to go back to the doctor.