BEFORE your Appointment
OUR FIRST CONTACT
Once your referring doctor has referred you to us you will receive a note from our office about an estimated time frame when you will be seen. This time frame is based on the urgency of the appointment and based on current treatment care guidelines. This is NOT a confirmation of your appointment date or time.
It is very important you confirm the following demographics on the letter and call our office at 250-763-6433 to make any appropriate changes :
PATIENT NAME
DOB
PHONE NUMBER
ALTERNATE NUMBER
FAMILY DOCTOR
LAB WORK
Please complete any lab work requested by your family doctor, referring doctor, nurse practitioner or our office as soon as possible prior to your appointment. The results may impact how soon you will be seen.
OFFICE OR PROCEDURE
If it is determined that you will need an office consult, the Kelowna Gastroenterology Associates office will contact you to schedule an appointment. Information regarding office location and parking will be given at the time of booking.
If an endoscopic procedure is scheduled, the Kelowna General Hospital GI booking office will contact you. All procedures are performed at Kelowna General Hospital. Note: A full gastroenterology consultation is performed before the endoscopic procedure.
WAIT TIMES
Although we strive to provide an appointment within the above mentioned timeframe, please remember that the time to appointment may take longer due to our current waitlists. Waitlist inquiries about your upcoming appointment cannot be provided on the phone. If your health status changes, please contact your primary care provider/referring doctor or visit the closest emergency department/urgent care clinic for assessment.
NOTIFICATIONS
For all procedures and office appointments you will receive a reminder by your preferred method of contact (email, phone call or text message).
For procedures - one week prior to your scheduled procedure.
For office appointments- 36 hours prior to your scheduled appointment. At that time you will have an opportunity to cancel your procedure.
If you have been scheduled for a procedure at the Kelowna General Hospital, a licensed nurse will call you to fill out your pre-admission form. It is essential to have all your medications available in hand and be able to provide details about your medical history.
NO SHOW POLICY
We have instituted a no-show policy to avoid missing appointments and, hence, unnecessary prolongation of our waitlist.
If you are booked for a procedure at KGH, and do not wish to proceed, you can cancel it when you receive the reminder text message or when the nurse calls you. Alternatively, you can call the booking office at (250) 862-4329 as soon as possible.
If you are booked for an office appointment, you can cancel it when you receive the reminder text message or when the Kelowna Gastroenterology Associates office calls you. Alternatively, contact our office at (250) 763-6433.
Unless it is a reasonable emergency, patients who fail to attend a scheduled appointment will be charged CAN $100 to have it rebooked. We also won't be able to guarantee your position on the waitlist. Acceptable forms of payment include credit card, debit card or cash. No personal cheques will be accepted. Payment can be arranged by calling our office at (250) 763-6433.
This policy is in accordance with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia's practice standard:
"Charging for Missed or Cancelled Appointments : It is acceptable to bill patients privately for missed appointments provided the patient has been forewarned of the registrant's policy in this regard, and the registrant exercises judgment and compassion in submitting such an account. Registrants who intend to charge patients in these circumstances must have a system in place to facilitate the cancellation process."