June 2023 – New EMR and 211=Community Resources
Summer 2023 Newsletter
Welcome to summer! The hot days have been sprinkled between overcast and cool days, but forecasters predict some blazing days this summer. The signs of heat exhaustion can be subtle in older individuals, so please check out the link Infographic Staying Healthy Heat | Canada.ca about ways to stay cool when heat domes strike.
An exciting change for all of us is transitioning to a new electronic medical record (EMR). What this means for patients is connecting to a new web portal to make appointments online and do virtual appointments. Yes, I know that this is a pain, but in the long run, it will allow us to communicate with you better (less emails!); more reliability with the virtual health (no more, “I waited in the virtual waiting room, but nothing happened!); and improved patient care with decreased chances of errors and better ways to track results.
It also means that staff and I will be adjusting to a new software system so be patient with us if it takes a bit longer to do things for you. For those who have emails on file with us (you will know because you are receiving these regular email updates!), we will send you an email with more details and a link on how to set up your new profile.
Also, navigating the healthcare system is hard on the best of days (even for us in the system!). Here is a new resource that might help you wayfind: 211 connects patients with community resources. 211 British Columbia is operated by United Way BC Helpline Services, supported by the Province of British Columbia, accredited by the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS), and is part of a network of 211 services across North America.
It’s a free, confidential service that connects people to community, government, and social services that assist with:
- Basic needs like food and shelter
- Mental health and addictions support
- Legal and financial assistance
- Supports for seniors and newcomers
Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and offering interpretation services in more than 240 languages and dialects, 211 can be accessed by:
- Visiting bc.211.ca.
- Calling or texting 2-1-1.
CKM Clinic Updates:
Please take note of the following days Dr. Ali will not be available in the upcoming Summer months. As a reminder, Dr. Ali does require appointments for prescription refills, so please keep track of your medication refills. In the case where you are completely out of a prescription and are unable to make an appointment, please ask your pharmacist for an emergency refill until you can have an appointment.
Dr. Ali will be away from July 17 to July 28, inclusive. Dr. Guruge is available in the clinic on July 19 and 20 from 10-4 as well as July 26 and 27 from 1-4.
You can book an appointment with Dr. Guruge by phoning the clinic, emailing the clinic, or selecting him as the practitioner on your My Health Access app. Please contact the office if you have any questions or concerns about this.
If anything urgent arises while there are no physicians in the clinic, please proceed to a walk-in clinic or your nearest emergency department. We will still have some office coverage during the week, but we will not be open as consistently as we usually are. Please allow 1-2 business days for responses to messages before attempting to contact us again. Email messages will be the best method of contacting the clinic. Our email is md@catalystkinetics.com. Again, please DO NOT leave urgent voicemail messages as they may not be answered on the same day.
Updated Clinic Hours:
July 3 – Canada Day Statutory holiday, clinic closed
July 17-July 28 – Dr.Ali away (Dr.Guruge partial covering)
August 7 – BC Day. Statutory holiday, clinic closed.
As a reminder, our clinic hours are as following
Monday 10:00 am – 5:00pm (Lunch from 1:00-2:00)
Tuesday 1:00pm – 5:00 pm
Wednesday 9:30am – 1:00pm
Thursday 8:00am – 3:00pm (Lunch from 12:00-1:00)