CGB Medical

CGB Medical Hours:

Monday to Thursday 9:00 am-1:00 pm and 2:00 pm-4:30pm,
Friday 8:00 am -12:00 pm and 1:00pm to 3:00pm

We are almost back to business as usual; we are seeing people in-person and via telemedicine, when appropriate.

You will be told whether your appointment is in person or on the phone or video when your appointment is booked. When you arrive at the office for an in-person appointment, you will be required to put on a mask and sanitize your hands before entering the waiting room.

If you have any symptoms of COVID 19, do not come to the office; contact us at: (250) 763-4111

If you are seriously ill, you should proceed to the KGH Emergency Room for assessment.

PHYSICIANS:
Dr. Janet Evans
Dr. Kelly Goutier
Dr. Linda O'Neill
Dr. Chelsea Smithbower
Dr. Tessa Van Tol

CLINIC NURSE
Heidi Howay, RN, BScN, ONCC

CONTACT INFO:
Address: 202 - 1824 Gordon Drive, Kelowna, B.C. V1Y 0E2
Phone: (250) 763-4111
Fax: (250) 763-4112
Email: N/A

ANNOUNCING WOMEN’S HEALTH CLINIC AT CGB MEDICAL

IUDs are currently recommended as first line contraception for youth and adults.

(Based on the recommendation of the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC)).

Dr. Tessa Van Tol, MD, CCFP & Dr. Chelsea Smithbower, MD, CCFP are working at CGB Medical and providing women’s health services.

Now accepting referrals for:

IUD insertions and removals
etonogestrel implant (Nexplanon) insertions and removals
pelvic exams for cervical cancer screening

We request a brief referral letter with medications and past medical history to provide the best care possible. Patients will be contacted for an appointment.

Dear Patient,

Despite relaxing of some provincial restrictions, masks and hand sanitizing continues to be required in medical facilities.

We have no restrictions on in-person visits and are using both telemedicine (phone and video) as well as in person care.

If you feel an office visit is most appropriate for your visit, discuss that with our front desk staff when you call to book your appointment. We also may ask you to come to the office if we feel your needs are best met in-person, or you have not been seen in person for some time.

Preparing For Your In-Person Medical Office Visit

Pay attention to whether your appointment is in-person or on the phone AT THE TIME OF THE APPOINTMENT; if you are not sure, please contact the office to confirm.
Phone the office to discuss whether you should be seen in person or not, if you have any symptoms of COVID. Please do rapid testing as well, so we can properly triage you to be seen safely in the office, if needed.
Masks are now optional. If you have symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, we will ask you to wear a mask when you come to the office for in-person appointments. We have masks at the office if you prefer to continue wearing one when seen in-person.

Our Vision

We provide supportive care and help to empower our patients to maintain and improve their health through patient-centered and self-managed care.

By providing compassionate, timely, efficient, and accessible care, we strive to create fulfilling and satisfying patient-heath care provider relationships based on mutual honesty and trust. As your health care providers, we care for our patients as we would want to be treated.

Your Team

We provide a team approach to your care. Our front office staff, clinic nurse and our physicians are dedicated and providing the best quality patient care. We are all licensed to practice in British Columbia and are members in good standing with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, Registered Nurses Association of British Columbia and Medical Office Assistants’ Association of British Columbia.

Services

You have a Family Doctor in our office that you should see most of the time; our Doctors and Nurse work as your health care team, so you may see one of the other Doctors or the Nurse if you are unable to see your own physician.

We provide office-based medical care of acute illness; chronic disease management; attend nursing homes; and provide palliative care services. Our doctors do not have active hospital privileges at Kelowna General Hospital. We do various office procedures including injections, repairing lacerations, cryotherapy, lesion removal, and dressing wounds.

Appointment Reminders

You will be contacted by our automated appointment reminder system by email one or two days before your appointment. Please confirm the appointment by clicking on the Confirm button. button in the email. Sometimes appointment reminders may be incorrect on the location of your appointment (phone or in-person); please write down your appointment details at the time of booking.

In addition, we are asking that complete the Patient Visit Card, by clicking on the “Launch Form” button, to allow you and your physician to better be prepared for your appointment.

Same Day Appointments

We provide a team base approach to your care and will make every effort to fit in urgent cases the same day with one of our doctors and or nurse. Always call our office first, before going to a Walk-In Clinic, Urgent Primary Care Clinic or the Emergency Room at Kelowna General Hospital. You may initially see or speak to our nurse, who can determine what additional care you need and make the appropriate referral.

Ensure you explain why you need an urgent appointment when booking your appointment.

Appointment Length

Most appointments lasts 10 minutes. Sometimes it is not possible to discuss multiple issues at one appointment; our staff will ask the reason for your visit and may book a second appointment for you. Completing the “Patient Visit Card” prior to seeing the Doctor or Nurse provides us with information to ensure we can cover the most important issues. If you are unable to complete the Patient Visit Card on line, we have paper copies in the office.

Counselling visits may be booked for 20 minutes. If you have several concerns that cannot be covered in a short visit, you can make a care conference appointment with our nurse. The doctor will then join the appointment at the end of the appointment to create and implement a care plan.

Canceling My Appointment

Appointments are at a premium; please let us know as soon as possible if you are not able to make an appointment so we can use the appointment another patient. If a patient misses their appointment without canceling, they will be charged up to $30 for a no-show fee, whether by phone or in person.

We ask that you be available by your phone for 10 minutes before and 30 minutes after your appointment time. You should be in a private location with good phone service. We will not speak to you if you are in your car, or in a public space.

Will the Doctor Call In My Prescription?

Prescriptions will not be refilled by fax request from your pharmacy. In extenuating circumstances, exceptions may be made but will be considered an uninsured service. Generally, your doctor has prescribed medication to last until you should be seen again for follow-up.

What Are Uninsured Services?

Uninsured services are services that the Medical Services Plan (MSP) does not pay for. These are services that are considered NOT medically necessary. For example: some telephone calls, telephone prescription refills, the time required to complete insurance forms or letters; driver and work medicals.

Cosmetic procedures are often not covered. These will be billed privately, and payment will be requested in full at the time the service is provided. A fee schedule for these services is available at the CGB Medical.

Can I Call About My Test Results?

If tests results are abnormal, we will contact you to suggest a follow-up visit or direct you to treatment. If you are concerned about results and would like to know the results of any testing, please book a follow up appointment. On occasion, the physician or nurse may call you directly to discuss results, if they think the matter can be appropriately dealt with by phone.

Many of your lab results can be accessed on-line by signing up at the BC Health Gateway. You can also see medications and immunizations on the Health Gateway. You register for a Mobile BC Services Card or register at:

BC Health Gateway

Can I Get Email or Telephone Medical Advice?

Proper medical diagnosis of any problem requires physician assessment and/or physical examination. This includes requests for lab work and x rays.

We have communicated with many of you through the HealthMyself (Pomelo) portal during the COVID pandemic as an adjunct to Virtual Care (telephone and video visits). We will continue to do use the portal for secure email communication, as well as telephone and video visits. If a secure email is not appropriate for your question or concern, we will ask you to contact the office to book an appointment. If we feel you would best be served by being seen in-person, we will request you come to the office. You may also be directed to, or receive a call from our nurse, for follow up of tests or other issues.

Health link BC and calling 811 are good resources for many common problems.

How do I get a referral to a specialist?

Specialists require referral from a physician for an appointment. Book an appointment with your primary care physician to discuss a referral to a specialist. They know your medical history, and are in the best position to determine, with you, if a referral is needed, we can determine what tests are required prior to referral, and which specialist would best serve your needs.

Your doctor can also provide a referral to physiotherapy or massage therapy and other allied health professionals as needed.