Frequently Asked

Questions

Appointments

How do I book an appointment?

All urgent and non-urgent appointments must be made by phone, online, or in person. Online booking now available for Full Time Physician patients only. Please note that we are not currently accepting new patients. The general wait-time for the Barrie FMTU is variable, at least 2-4 weeks to book an NON-URGENT appointment. Call 705-792-3333 extension 3 to book an appointment.

Is Barrie FMTU accepting new patients?

No, we are not currently accepting new patients.

How do I prepare for my appointment?

The health care team at the FMTU are here to help. However, we also believe that patients and doctors/NP/RN must work as a team, so it is also the patient’s responsibility to take care of their health. Appointment times are only about 15 min, and doctors are often running very busy with their schedules, so it’s important for you to be prepared for your visit. This will help you and your doctor meet your health care needs. Read our check-list of 10 things you can do to make the most of your next visit.

What cancer screening do I need?

Some general information is organized below.
More information about cancer screening can be found here.

Breast Cancer Screening
Women aged 50 to 74, the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) recommends getting screened with mammography every 2 years. Talk to your health care provider about screening recommendations if you are at higher risk for breast cancer. *UPDATE* in the Fall of 2024 the OBSP will expand to those aged 40 and over. More information can be found here.
Colon Cancer Screening
Your age and family history help your doctor or nurse practitioner figure out when you should get screened for colorectal cancer and what screening test is best for you. Fecal immunochemical test (FIT) OR colonoscopy.
Cervical Cancer Screening
The Ontario Cervical Screening Program recommends that women who are or have been sexually active have a Pap test every 3 years starting at age 25 and continue until at least age 70 or when advised by a doctor or nurse practitioner to stop. There is also a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer.
Prostate Cancer Early Detection
Due to the potential harms of screening, including over-diagnosis and over-treatment, Cancer Care Ontario does not support screening for prostate cancer unless you are at higher risk. If you have questions speak to Your Doctor or nurse practitioner.

Providers

What are Residents?

A Resident Physician is a doctor who has received a medical degree and practices medicine under the supervision of faculty family physicians, who are certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and are members of the Barrie Community Family Health Team. Successful completion of residency training is a requirement to practice medicine in Canada. Resident Physicians must abide by the same code of ethics and rules of confidentiality that govern all healthcare professionals.

Learn More About Our Residents

Can I walk-in and meet with a family doctor?

No. This is not a walk-in clinic. Appointments must be made by phone or online.

Find Walk-in Clinics affiliated with the Barrie FMTU

What if I’m being referred to a specialist?

When your physician refers you to a specialist, the specialist is required to acknowledge the referral within 14 days. The specialist office is now required to contact you directly with the appointment date and time. If you cannot go at the appointed time, please contact the specialist’s office to reschedule. Please do not miss specialists’ appointments as they often take weeks or months to schedule and they may charge you for a missed appointment. You may also need to obtain radiology digital images from labs/hospitals to take to relevant specialist appointments.

Medications

Is the flu shot available at the FMTU?

It is available starting in October.

How do I refill or renew a prescription?

Please allow 7 business days for prescription renewal requests to be completed. Be sure to request your refills well before you completely run out of your present medication. Have your pharmacist fax your request to our office. This process avoids medication errors. You should book an office visit to review your medications if this has not been done recently.

Patient Records

How do I get my medical records transferred if I have a new family doctor and am leaving the practice?

You will have to request the transfer of medical records through the new family doctor’s office. At the new family doctor’s office, you will have to sign a consent form, for release of your medical records, which will be sent to us. The patient has to pay a standardized fee to have his/her medical records transferred. After we are contacted by your new family doctor’s office, we will contact you. Once we receive the payment, we will transfer the medical records to your new family doctor’s office either by mail, or will have it ready for you to pick it up.

You can access a consent to transfer medical records form here.

Imaging & Labs

How do I get lab work done at Lifelabs or at Gamma dynacare?

Your doctor at the Barrie FMTU will fill out a requisition and give it to you at your appointment, or fax it to your lab of choice if ordered after your appointment. You can then walk-in or book an appointment through the Lifelabs website.

How do I get imaging done at RVH?

Your doctor at the Barrie FMTU will fill out and fax a requisition to RVH. RVH will contact our office with your appointment date and time. Our staff will contact you with appointment details – if you need to reschedule you can then contact the RVH department directly.

For more infomation on RVH Imaging

How do I get imaging done as an outpatient at Georgian Radiology?

A signed requisition from your doctor at the Barrie FMTU will be needed. You may walk-in for x-rays. An appointment is needed for a bone density scan or ultrasound. A requisition will be faxed from our office to Georgian Radiology Consultants and once an appointment is booked it will be faxed back to the FMTU. One of the office admin will call you with your appointment date and time.

More information