Become a Patient
We are not currently taking new patients. if you do not have a local Primary Care Provider at this time, please complete an application and send it to patients@knfht.ca
Frequently Asked Questions
I want to become a patient. My current doctor / nurse practitioner lives outside of the Kawartha Lakes region. Should I let him or her go?
No. If you have a practitioner but are having to travel to see him/her, continue to go to that person until after you are informed that you’ve become a patient with us. The Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care will change your records over automatically.
What is a family health team?
A family health team is an approach to primary health care that brings together different health care providers to coordinate the highest possible quality of care for you – the patient.
Designed to give doctors support from other complementary professionals, most family health teams will consist of doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and other health care professionals who work collaboratively, each utilizing their experience and skills so that you receive the very best care, when you need it, as close to home as possible.
More information on family health teams.
What is a nurse practitioner?
Working collaboratively with other health professionals, nurse practitioners are a specialized kind of registered nurse who have undergone extensive additional university training. Focusing on personalized patient care, they are uniquely qualified to provide a broad range of health care services. Nurse practitioners are commonly found in hospital and family health team settings. More information on nurse practitioners.
Do I need to bring my health card to every appointment?
Yes. It’s necessary that you present your health card at every appointment in order to receive care. You must also ensure that your health card is not expired and report it to OHIP immediately if your card is lost or stolen. If your health card is lost, stolen, expired, or about to expire, call the Ontario INFOline at 1-800-387-5559 (1-800-387-5559 for TTY) , or after business hours at 1-800-664-8988.
How do prescription renewals work at the Kawartha North Family Health Team?
In some cases, your physician or nurse practitioner may specify a number of refills on your prescription which your pharmacy will keep on record. If you need a prescription renewed in which a refill is not already specified, please have your pharmacist contact our office. In most cases, refill requests will be completed within ten days so be sure to request your refills well before you completely run out of your present medication. In some cases, your physician or nurse practitioner may wish to see or speak to you before renewing a prescription. Your pharmacist will inform you and our office will contact you if this is the case.
How do referrals to specialists work?
Sometimes you may be referred by your family physician or nurse practitioner to a specialist for your problem or condition. Our clinic coordinators will make these referral arrangements for you, including sending any needed diagnostic information ahead of time. Depending on how the specialist works, either our office or the specialist’s office will contact you with an appointment time. If you are unable to make your scheduled time, you will need to contact the specialist’s office directly to reschedule. Wherever possible, try not to reschedule or miss specialist appointments as this can result in a delay for your care or diagnosis of weeks or months. Don’t forget to bring your health card to your specialist appointment.
When is the best time of day to call when booking an appointment at the Kawartha North Family Health Team?
We do our best to answer every patient inquiry as efficiently as possible. That said, call volumes are always heaviest first thing in the morning, especially on Mondays. If possible, it’s best to wait until mid-morning or afternoons to book a patient appointment to avoid the frustration of a busy signal or longer than normal hold times.
What are your clinic hours of operation?
What happens if I have a health concern during hours when the family health team is not open?
A number of options are available.
- We offer after-hours walk-in clinic services to all residents of and visitors to our community. Please see our Hours & Contact page for more information. Walk-in clinics are also available in Lindsay and Minden.
- You may contact Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 for advice from a primary healthcare professional.
- If you are experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath, or another medical emergency you should call 911 immediately.