Clinic

Clinic Overview

Clinic hours

The Immunodeficiency Clinic is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m., to 4:00 p.m., and closed on statutory holidays. We work on an appointment basis. Some physicians may only be available on specific days. We would appreciate it if you would notify us, preferably at least 48 hours in advance, when you need to cancel your appointment, so that someone else can benefit from the time. Our number is (416) 340-5077. A voice message can be left 24 hours/day.

Blood Work Schedule

Please be advised that there is a cut-off time in the laboratory for receiving blood specimens each day. To ensure that your blood specimen arrives at the laboratory by the cut-off time, your blood sample must be obtained during the following hours:

Monday to Thursday: 8:00 am to 2:30 pm
Friday: 8:00 am to 1:00 pm

Night, weekend; holiday coverage

If you experience an urgent problem, we recommend that you contact your family physician, so they can contact us if our help is needed. On nights, weekends, or holidays (in the event of real emergency), you should go (or be taken) directly to the nearest emergency department.

When to use the clinic

HIV infection can manifest itself with a variety of complications, so it is difficult to give a
simple checklist of when you might require the intervention of a specialist. Generally, your family doctor is responsible for all aspects of your HIV care. You should ask your family doctor to “screen” any new medical problems to determine when it is appropriate to involve our Clinic. If you are still unclear about a problem, our nursing staff can assist you on the telephone in determining where and when it would be best to receive treatment. If you are simply requiring a prescription renewal for a medication that we have prescribed, please give 48 hours notice to the Clinic.

Confidentiality

Maintaining your confidentiality is a critical concern to the clinic. Clinic staff will not leave identifying messages on your answering machine, nor will they mail correspondence to your home in identifying envelopes. However, please let us know if there are any special concerns you have with confidentiality and disclosure, so that we can respond appropriately.

Health coverage

All our services in the Immunodeficiency Clinic are covered by OHIP or by Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP), which provides temporary health insurance to refugees, protected persons and refugee claimants, as well as to their dependants, in Canada who are not yet covered by a provincial or territorial health insurance plan.

It remains important that you have and maintain the required OHIP coverage for yourself.
The Immunodeficiency Clinic is not responsible for coverage (payment) of medications, although we will help you to get any and all coverage that you may be entitled to under social and community programs.