WFHT Clinic Update – January 26th

With the ongoing COVID pandemic, and now Omicron, we want to update our patients and community about how the Wawa Family Health Team is operating. We know the uncertainty of the pandemic is causing additional stress for everyone, and we appreciate your patience.

 

First, we are still open for you! We are trying to limit traffic in and out of the clinic, so the preference is for phone appointments when possible. However, we know that some patients and issues require in-person assessment, so office appointments remain available for patients who need them. To limit trips into the clinic for paperwork, we are mailing requisitions to patients. The hospital is also trying to limit labs and xray/ultrasounds to only those that are essential at this time; if you are uncertain if you should come in for your tests now, please call the office for advice (705-856-1313).

 

Second, we continue to be short two full-time doctors. Patients whose family doctors have moved away, or who don’t have a family doctor in town, can still access primary care through the clinic. We have appointments available with visiting family doctors (we call them “locum doctors”), nurse practitioners, and our nurses who often are able to see patients for same-day appointments. You might also meet our locums in the emergency department where they are helping to cover ER shifts.

 

Third, we will experience periodic disruptions to clinic activities, and apologize in advance. When locums experience travel and weather delays, there will be last minute changes to the doctors’ schedules as we have to cancel clinics in order to be on-call for the ER and keep the emergency department open. WFHT staff will try their best to rebook you for another appointment. Similarly, when staff members have potential COVID exposures, they may unexpectedly be unable to work or have to work from home; this too may require appointments to be adjusted.

 

We want to thank everyone for doing their part to keep our community safe and taking care of each other. For the most up-to-date information about the WFHT, please check out our Facebook page.

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