May 28, 2021
Vaccine appointments:
Vaccinations are available for everyone aged 12 and older. We encourage everyone to register to receive the COVID vaccine.
Second appointments have now been shortened to 8 weeks unless you have received the AZ vaccine. More information will be available regarding second appointments for people who had he AZ vaccine next week.
To book a COVID vaccine, please register at https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/register. Once registered, you will be notified as to when you can book your appointment.
If you have questions regarding the COVID vaccine, please book an appointment to discuss your concerns with your physician.
Virtual/Phone Appointments:
WE TAKE OUR APPOINTMENTS WITH YOU SERIOUSLY AND IT IS OUR EXPECTATION THAT YOU DO AS WELL. Please be available 10 minutes before your appointment time, in a PRIVATE SPACE with your BP/ Blood sugar readings available, the prescription you are requesting and the name of the pharmacy you like to use.
We have had patients receiving our phone calls while walking the dog, driving, shopping or in the garden and this is not appropriate. As usual, we sometimes run late so please DO NOT call the office and ask if we forgot about you unless we are more than 30 minutes late.
In Office Appointments:
All in office appointments will be prescreened. If we see it is necessary to bring you into the office, please come with a mask, NO GLOVES and NO EXTRA PEOPLE. We space live appointments so there is as little contact with others as possible. Please use the hand sanitizer at the door and touch as few things as possible as we clean everything you touch after you leave.
Running of the office:
UPDATED JANUARY 11, 2021
Dear Patients,
We are hoping your are all maintaining your health through this very difficult and trying time!
We would like to request your help with making the office run more efficiently. Since COVID, there has been an unprecedented increase in the number of phone calls the office receives.. We would greatly appreciate your help to make this less frustrating for you and less overwhelming for the staff and physicians.
1. If you are able, please use our website for all bookings. It is www.sgmc.ca.
2. Please do not call the office to ask if the doctor has missed your appointment. Due to the unpredictable nature of medical needs, doctors often run late. Please be available with your ringer on or in the virtual waiting room (if doing a virtual appointment) 5 minutes before your appointment time; we will be with you as soon as possible. If you miss our phone call, we will circle back to you but please do not call into the office as it ties up the phone lines and urgent matters cannot get through.
3. We only do prescription renewals through an appointment. Please do not email, phone or have the pharmacy fax the office to ask for a prescription renewal. Book an appointment with your physician to review your prescription and have it renewed.
4. Results will only be reviewed through an appointment with your physician. Please do not call the office to ask about your results. Wait a few days after you have done your tests and then book an appointment with your physician to go over the results.
5. Our email address is only to be used to send us information we have requested. Please put “Dr. (Penner, Roeck, Moric or Robinson) requested this information” in the subject line and the email will be linked to your chart and forwarded to the appropriate physician. All other emails will be returned unread due to the large number of emails we are receiving requesting things of the staff. Any requests for information, reports etc need to be made through an appointment with your physician.
6. In order for personal medical information to remain confidential, we have been using hushmail.com which is an encrypted email service. This requires you to set the password and remember it for all future encrypted emails through hushmail. If you forget your password, the email will disappear for safety reasons. If you would rather not receive the information through hushmail, please let your physician know you are willing to accept non encrypted emails with your medical information included.
Thank you for your help and consideration.
Drs. Penner, Roeck, Moric and Robinson
May 28, 2021
HEALTH CONCERN?
Call your family doctor or care provider first
Same-day urgent in-person or virtual appointments are often available
FAMILY DOCTOR NOT AVAILABLE?
For Urgent and Primary Care Centre locations and hours check out vch.ca/UPCC
Check medimap.ca for UPCC and walk-in clinic wait times
COVID-19 TESTING?
Visit vch.ca/COVIDtesting for locations and hours
TRUSTED HEALTH ADVICE?
Contact HealthLinkBC at 8-1-1, available 24/7 or go to healthlinkbc.ca
CRITICAL OR LIFE THREATENING CONDITION?
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department
Request that a copy of your medical reports be sent to your family doctor. To check average ED wait times for your nearest hospital, visit edwaittimes.ca
URGENT MEDICATION REFILL?
Speak with your pharmacist
They can often provide short-term refills and other advice
vch.ca/wintercare
Health care provided by the same family doctor over time, leads to more satisfied patients and better health care.
As your family doctor, it's my job to provide you with medical care, maintain your medical record and coordinate referrals to other health care providers when they are needed.
As my patient, your role in your own health care is to try to see me and my team first for your health care needs since we know your health history and goals. This helps avoid duplicate tests, medication errors and even hospitalizations. Ultimately, it helps me to provide you with better, safer care.
As your family doctor, I and my practice team agree to:
Provide you with the best care that I can
Coordinate any specialty care you may need
Offer you timely access to care, to the best of my ability
Maintain an ongoing record of your health
Keep you updated on any changes to services offered at my clinic
Communicate with you honestly and openly so we can best address your health care needs
As my patient, I ask that you:
Seek your health care from me and my team whenever possible and, in my absence, through my colleague(s):
Name me as your family doctor if you have to visit an emergency facility or another provider
Communicate with me honestly and openly so we can best address your health care needs
Drs. Penner, Roeck, Moric and Robinson