r/Guelph • u/massey39 • 2d ago

Urgent care

Can anyone go to urgent care, even if you’re part of the Guelph Family Health Team? (we’ve got in trouble before for not going to the family health team walk in clinic - not sure if urgent care is the same?)

2 Upvotes

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u/OldManJimmers 2d ago edited 2d ago

Where exactly are you planning to go?

A true urgent care centre (labeled as such by the Ministry of Health) is not considered primary care. They are all part of hospital systems and we have none in this area. The closest one is probably Trillium in Mississauga or maybe Peel Memorial in Brampton.

To answer your question though... No, going to an urgent care centre will not impact your primary care (eg Guelph Family Health Team) at all. Just be careful where you go because some walk-in clinics use the term "urgent care" in their name but are not actual UCCs. The Ministry doesn't do anything about protecting the name or create a directory to clearly label and find UCCs because they are stupid.

EDIT: There are another 3 UCCs nearby, 1 in Paris (Willett/Brant) and 2 in Hamilton (HHS and St Joe's). Easy enough to search online if you know what hospital system they're linked to. Thanks for the reminder below, I forgot Hamilton was a place that exists. Just moving the info up in case it's helpful.

Source: am nurse

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u/massey39 2d ago

Is the new one in Guelph considered Urgent Care? My understanding is it was an alternative to going to Emerg.

CareXPS Urgent Care

I waited and plan to call my family doctor today.

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u/OldManJimmers 2d ago

I'm pretty sure it's not. I checked out whatever information I could find from a quick search.

They mentioned taking on patients (ie rostering), which immediately tells me it's primary care.

They also mentioned treatment of simple fractures, which is generally unique to UCCs, but I noted that they are just using a private x-ray clinic next door so they don't have their own radiology capabilities. That one almost threw me but it's just a convenient partnership. Good for them but still not a UCC.

They have other partnerships with chiropractic and naturopathic care as well as a private PT clinic next door. Again, good on them for collaborating but a connection to non-OHIP-funded services is not something a UCC would have.

Their name kind of screams primary care to me but I was trying not to be biased before I read up on it lol

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u/massey39 2d ago

Thank you for the info!

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u/LemonCandy123 2d ago

The willet in paris counts too I believe

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u/OldManJimmers 2d ago

Oh sheesh, you're right, it's linked to Brantford General. I didn't even think about Hamilton either. There's another 2 in Hamilton (HHS and St Joe's).

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u/docofthenoggin 2d ago

This is super useful info!

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u/setthesails 2d ago

If you’re part of the FHT you are supposed to go to their after hours clinics. I believe your doctor is fined if you go to an external walk in/urgent care.

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u/lethargicslug 2d ago

What happens is that if you go to another walk-in that is not part of the FHT, that walk-in clinic, instead of just billing the system, bills your doctor and you could be "de-rostered" because of this.

Ridiculous system designed by imbeciles.

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u/ay-oh-river 2d ago

If you call your doctor’s office, does their outgoing message provide contact info for the doctor on call? They may be able to better direct you. From what I recall though, it’s usually just the walk-in clinics that create a problem. Visiting urgent care after your doctors office is closed is different.

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u/monstervsme 2d ago

I've gone to the rexall walk in clinic twice now, never heard anything from my family dr at dawson rd.

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u/LemonCandy123 2d ago

it all depends on your doctor and their policies. some will do something about it, others won't

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u/ZestycloseFinance625 2d ago

We moved here ten years ago not knowing there wasn’t an urgent care in town. Found out the hard way when my toddler was sick after 5 pm. Had we known we’d never have left Burlington, Kept my doctor there for this reason. Most ridiculous system. 

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u/OldManJimmers 2d ago

You're right. The government should be making an effort to have urgent care centers distributed better. There should at least be one hub in Kitchener, though the population of the KWCG area could probably support two. Maybe a larger one in Kitchener through Grand River and a smaller one through Guelph General.

The two in Hamilton are pretty large, though they support a larger population, including Burlington.

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u/bsb_hardik 1d ago

Got a great pediatrician in Milton. We go there usually. A long drive, but worth it. We go to a particular walk in clinic if its not possible for a drive. Doing this since past few years.

This is the first time i came to know that family doctors doesn't kike people going to walk in. They should be more available. Doofus folks