beckiwoo

I have been informed trying to get a family doctor and/or sign up to a surgery is near on impossible in the city. I have just started to pay for MSP.

I have looked at the college of physicians and surgeons of BC to see who is taking new patients but there are very few around East Van.

Can anyone recommend any good drop-in clinics as I have never used them before and want to make sure if, worst case scenario I have to use one that it is clean, efficient, professional and friendly.

Thanks

scrubbedexpat091

The one I used was Coast Medical on Seymour street downtown, I went out of my to go there. I lived in East Van.

I ended up landing a GP by going there as they also do a normal medical clinic there, they are not always accepting patients, but if you go there and see the same doctor each time and build a relationship you may end up being taken on as a patient.

It's a huge pain to find a GP in Vancouver for sure, I found a few accepting patients but didn't feel comfortable when I went to meet with them. I am not willing to just accept a GP for the sake of having one, I need to feel comfortable with the doctor.

Coast Medical - Contact

I also used which was good as well.

Cross Roads Walk-in Clinic Vancouver - family walk in clinic

This one is on Broadway near Cambie, not far from VGH and City Hall above London Drugs on the 2nd floor.

The above 2 are clean, modern and the doctors always friendly and helpful.

The East Van clinics I know of are a bit sketchy, old, run down so I just went to these instead.

I am sure there must be a nice, clean clinic in East Van, but I don't know where.

el_richo

I've used this a couple of times. The most recent one had a 2hr wait. Previously it's been about an hour wait which is pretty annoying.

My advice is to have a kid, then they're forced to take you on

The4BellsLondon

Where are you in East Van?

our family Drs WAS taking people - not sure if still are - Dr Young on Commercial - 604 255 6565

scrubbedexpat091

I never found a clinic in Vancouver that wasn't usually 1-2 hours, so I figured its the norm.

Better then some places, when I lived in Chilliwack the wait could be 2-3 hours sometimes.

In Squamish the wait can be anywhere from no wait to 2-3 hours, all depends on the doctor on duty.

beckiwoo

Yeah Ive seen the coast one. I work one of my jobs up that way and have seen a few people lining up outside of an early morning.

Thanks for the recommendation - I'll check on the one at broadway/cambie as well.

Funny about having a kid, my supervisor said the same thing lol

I'm near to Nanaimo street so not far from commercial - thanks for details I might give the doctors' a call and see

adele

Not in East Van, but this is another clinic offering care to walk-in patients: QE Park Medical Clinic - Schedules

You may also find this document of interest, especially point #3:
https://cpsbc.ca/files/pdf/PSG-Walk-...rd-of-Care.pdf

MrHyperPants

I went to one on Commercial Drive, seemed ok to me. Can't remember the name of it, but it was next door to a dentist (which I recommend) and just down from Timmy's by Super Value.

TheAwesomeMatt

I used the one by Joyce-Collingwood Station a couple of times, it's a minute walk South and by a Second Slice pizza place (for those post doctor hungers).

beckiwoo

If it's a dental surgery beginning with M, then I am booked in there next month. Finding a dentist was no issue. However, I have given a name of a practice along near commercial that is taking patients so I will give them a call tomorrow.

What is usually the procedure for signing up with a doctor. I am guessing you need to fill in a medical form and they want proof of MSP/ your Medial number and/or extendable medical coverage...anything else?

Oink

They need to allow private medicine to take the pressure off the public system.

beckiwoo

Update on the one place along commercial, they are not taking new patients until the 11th despote being on the college of physians and stating they are taking patient.

When I called up they said no and when I asked about drop in times the receptionist wouldnt give me info on the times or days, tone was very rude and abrupt so I just said don't bother yourself then. Wont be going back to them if their receptionist can't even give me information regarding drop in times. If that is how their first point of contact reacts I'm not interested in being seen by one of the doctors

The4BellsLondon

Is that my one..Dr Young ... Receptionist is a harridan! I just keep smiling at her - kill her with kindness. She's slowly thawing!

scrubbedexpat091

Get used to fairly unpleasant reception at doctors offices, it appears to the norm, haven't been to a doctor office yet where reception is pleasant. I give them so lee way as most doctors offices have way more patients then they can realistically take on and sometimes multiple doctors and only 1 or 2 people to handle the front, I don't think I could maintain friendliness watching what they go through at the doctor office I go to.

The procedure to sign up for a GP varies by GP, at minimum they will want your MSP card and probably picture ID if you don't have the combined card that includes DL and MSP in one card.

Some doctors will require a brief interview appointment, some will have you fill out loads of paperwork and so on.

And it's common to find the college website saying doctor is accepting patients and then you call and they really are not, all comes down to how good the doctor is at updating their info.

Unfortunately in BC you don't always get to choose your doctor and have to take what you can get.

I don't really care for my doctor, and I don't think his treatment is all that grand, but when nobody else is taking patients on, better then nothing.

I just tend to not go see him anymore and just go to the walk in clinic when a specific doctor is working that I like and find to be a far better doctor, but she isn't taking patients, so can only see her at the walk in.

beckiwoo

Haha no - this one was nearer to Victoria and kingsway. Their doctors' waiting area looked like something out of 1980s time warp :S

Thanks,

I'll try again on the website. It sucks as that was nearest one to where I live but if they can't give me the proper information. It is completely differ to the UK where it is easy to find a doctor but more difficult to find a dentist - I'm guessing as dental surgery isn't covered by MSP then there is much more available places.