Gateway Policies

Doctor-Patient Agreement: Partners in Health

As your family doctor, I (and my practice team) strive to provide you care that is:

• Compassionate – We aim to provide you with care that reflects compassion which includes the items below.
• Competent – We work hard to stay current with the best medical knowledge and skills.
• Transparent – We aim to communicate with you honestly, openly, and respectfully.
• Accepting – Regardless of who you are, you are welcome here.
• Personalized – We seek to collaborate with you to find health solutions that fit your unique needs and preferences. This means we want to get to know you and your family, and to help you understand your health issues so you can participate in getting and staying healthy.
• Proactive – Our goal is to keep you healthy by screening for early disease detection and helping you implement life choices that promote optimal health.
• Timely – We aim to offer you care when you need it, to the best of our ability (acknowledging that often the need is greater than our supply).
• On Time – We aim to stay on schedule as much as possible, understanding that sometimes urgent matters arise (see below on how you can help).
• Team-based – As your medical home, we work together with other doctors, residents, and staff in our clinic as well as consultant physicians and other types of practitioners in the community as needed, to help provide you with the best care possible.

As my patient, I ask that you:

• Seek your health care first from me and my team whenever possible.
• Name me as your family doctor if you visit an emergency facility or another provider.
• Communicate with me honestly and openly so we can best address your health care needs.
• Communicate respectfully with my staff and me even if you feel frustrated. Verbal abuse may result in dismissal from our practice.
• Become actively engaged in your care as the best healthcare is done with you, not to you.
• A written list can help make the most of your appointment time (typically 10 minutes) and don’t save up multiple concerns for one appointment.
• Plan ahead for prescription refills – when you take medication regularly, book well in advance of running out so that urgent appointment spots can be used for acutely ill patients.
• Book follow-up appointments when requested.
• Understand that fees are charged for uninsured services that are not covered by MSP (Medical Services Plan). Failure to pay your account may result in dismissal from our practice (we will consider economic hardship).

Appointments, Missed Appointments and Cancellation Policy:

Appointments are only available for patients of physicians at Gateway Healthcare.

As appointments are in high demand, 24 hours’ notice is required to cancel appointments. This notification allows Gateway Healthcare to offer available time to other patients needing care.

A missed appointment fee is charged for all missed appointments for all providers including the LPNs.

Uninsured Services, Outstanding Accounts & Payment Policy:

 A number of services are not covered by the BC Medical Services Plan. These uninsured services include the completion of forms and various medical procedures such as injections and cryotreatment. Fees vary dependent upon the service and payment is expected before/at the time of the appointment in which the service is rendered.

 If an outstanding account has been incurred by a patient, payment is expected upon arrival at the next appointment. Visa, Mastercard, Debit, Cash or Cheque are accepted, with a receipt issued at the time of payment. If preferred, payment may be made over the phone via credit card and a receipt will then be mailed to you.

Dependent upon the type of appointment, Gateway may not be able to schedule future appointments until the balance has been paid.