WebbMD Clinic Ottawa is committed to providing a safe, professional, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all patients, visitors, physicians, healthcare professionals, and clinic staff.
We understand that visiting a medical clinic can sometimes be stressful. Patients may be experiencing pain, anxiety, frustration, illness, or other difficult circumstances. Our team will make reasonable efforts to communicate with patients respectfully, listen to their concerns, and provide appropriate medical care.
In return, we ask all patients and visitors to treat our physicians, healthcare professionals, administrative staff, other patients, and visitors with courtesy, dignity, and respect.
Patients and visitors are expected to:
Patients are welcome to ask questions, express concerns, disagree with a medical or administrative decision, or make a complaint. A complaint, disagreement, or request for clarification is not, by itself, considered unacceptable behaviour.
WebbMD Clinic does not tolerate conduct that compromises the safety, dignity, privacy, or wellbeing of patients, visitors, physicians, healthcare professionals, or staff.
Examples of unacceptable conduct include, but are not limited to:
The clinic may respond differently depending on the circumstances, seriousness, frequency, and potential safety consequences of the behaviour.
WebbMD Clinic takes threats of violence and other serious safety concerns seriously. Where there is an immediate or reasonable concern regarding the safety of a patient, visitor, physician, healthcare professional, staff member, or member of the public, the clinic may take appropriate safety measures.
Depending on the circumstances, this may include:
Where there are reasonable grounds to believe that there is a risk of harm, the clinic may take immediate action without first attempting to resolve the matter through ordinary communication.
Where it is safe and appropriate to do so, WebbMD Clinic may attempt to resolve concerns before taking further action.
Depending on the circumstances, the clinic may:
Not every visit or service provided by WebbMD Clinic necessarily establishes an ongoing physician-patient relationship. Where an ongoing physician-patient relationship exists, the physician will follow applicable professional and legal requirements when ending that relationship.
A physician-patient relationship may, where legally and professionally appropriate, be ended when there is a reasonable basis to do so.
Examples may include:
A significant breakdown may occur where trust and professional respect have substantially deteriorated, including circumstances involving abusive or disruptive behaviour toward a physician, clinical team, or office staff.
Any decision to end a physician-patient relationship will be made in accordance with applicable professional obligations, legislation, and the circumstances of the individual patient.
Where appropriate and safe to do so, reasonable efforts will be made to address or resolve the underlying issue before the relationship is ended.
The physician will consider the patient's specific circumstances, vulnerabilities, medical needs, and the potential consequences of ending the relationship.
When a physician-patient relationship is ended, the patient will generally receive written notification explaining the decision and advising the patient of the importance of arranging ongoing healthcare.
Where appropriate and safe to do so, necessary medical services will continue for a reasonable period following termination of the physician-patient relationship, in accordance with applicable professional requirements.
Emergency medical care will not be withheld where it is necessary to prevent imminent harm.
Patients are responsible for making reasonable efforts to arrange ongoing care with another healthcare provider following termination of the physician-patient relationship.
WebbMD Clinic will provide information regarding access to the patient's medical records and the process for requesting transfer of records to another healthcare provider, subject to applicable privacy and legal requirements.
WebbMD Clinic respects the privacy and confidentiality of patients' personal health information.
Patient information is collected, used, disclosed, retained, and transferred in accordance with applicable Ontario privacy legislation, including the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004 (PHIPA), and applicable professional requirements.
Patients may request access to their medical records and may request that records be transferred to another healthcare provider in accordance with applicable requirements.
Where authorization or consent is required, the clinic will follow the applicable process before releasing personal health information.
For detailed information about WebbMD Clinic's privacy practices, patients may contact the clinic directly regarding the collection, use, disclosure, access, correction, or protection of personal health information.
Click here for PHIPA Privacy Notice
WebbMD Clinic is committed to providing healthcare services in a manner that respects patients' dignity, autonomy, privacy, and human rights.
The clinic does not discriminate in the provision of healthcare services on prohibited grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code or other applicable legislation.
Where a patient has accommodation needs related to a protected ground, WebbMD Clinic will consider reasonable accommodation requirements in accordance with applicable law.
Behaviour associated with a disability or other protected circumstance will be considered appropriately and in the context of the individual's circumstances.
At the same time, accommodation does not require the clinic to tolerate conduct that creates a serious and unreasonable safety risk to patients, staff, physicians, or others.
The clinic will seek reasonable solutions that balance the patient's accommodation needs with the safety and wellbeing of everyone in the clinic.
Patients may request reasonable assistance with communication or accessibility when required for their care.
Where appropriate, patients may be accompanied by a support person, caregiver, interpreter, or other person assisting with communication or accessibility, subject to privacy, safety, space, and clinical considerations.
Where consent or confidentiality requirements apply, the clinic may require appropriate authorization before discussing personal health information with another person.
Where patients are minors or where a patient requires assistance with healthcare decision-making, WebbMD Clinic will follow applicable Ontario legislation and professional requirements regarding consent, capacity, confidentiality, and substitute decision-making.
Parents, guardians, caregivers, or substitute decision-makers may be involved in care where legally appropriate. The clinic will consider the patient's rights, privacy, capacity, and best interests in accordance with applicable requirements.
To protect the privacy, dignity, and confidentiality of patients, visitors, physicians, healthcare professionals, and staff, photography, video recording, or audio recording of other individuals or clinical interactions should not take place without appropriate consent, except where permitted or required by law.
Patients who wish to record a consultation or clinical interaction should discuss the request with the physician or clinic staff in advance.
Patients have the right to raise concerns regarding their healthcare, treatment, communication, fees, appointments, or interactions with clinic personnel.
Patients are encouraged to communicate concerns through the clinic's appropriate channels so that they can be reviewed.
Making a complaint, asking questions, disagreeing with a medical opinion, or expressing dissatisfaction with a service does not, by itself, constitute abusive or unacceptable behaviour.
Patients may also have the right to raise concerns with the appropriate professional or regulatory body, depending on the nature of the concern.
To help maintain an effective and professional healthcare environment, patients should use the communication methods provided by WebbMD Clinic.
The clinic may establish reasonable communication boundaries where repeated, excessive, threatening, abusive, or disruptive communications interfere with the operation of the clinic or the provision of care.
Where communication restrictions are necessary, the clinic may direct the patient to use a specific communication method or channel.
Nothing in this policy is intended to prevent patients from communicating legitimate healthcare concerns or making a complaint through an appropriate process.
Patients are expected to attend scheduled appointments or provide reasonable notice when they are unable to attend.
Repeated missed appointments, late cancellations, or other appointment-related conduct may affect the clinic's ability to provide services.
Applicable appointment, cancellation, missed-appointment, and uninsured-service fees are communicated separately by WebbMD Clinic and may apply in accordance with the clinic's applicable policies and legal requirements.
Patients and visitors are expected to respect clinic property and equipment.
Where necessary, the clinic may take appropriate action to protect its property, patients, staff, and healthcare professionals.
Where masking or other infection-prevention measures are required by WebbMD Clinic, patients and visitors are expected to follow the clinic's current requirements.
Patients should advise clinic staff before attending when they have symptoms or circumstances that may require additional infection-prevention measures.
Clinic infection-prevention requirements may be updated when circumstances or applicable public-health guidance change.
This policy does not replace emergency medical services.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency or a condition requiring immediate attention, call 911 or attend the nearest emergency department.
Where emergency medical attention is necessary to prevent imminent harm, applicable professional obligations regarding emergency care continue to apply.
This policy applies to patients, visitors, accompanying persons, and other individuals interacting with WebbMD Clinic.
The policy applies to conduct occurring:
WebbMD Clinic may consider the nature, seriousness, frequency, and context of conduct when determining an appropriate response.
This policy does not replace applicable legislation, professional standards, regulatory requirements, privacy obligations, or patients' legal rights.
Where there is a conflict between this policy and applicable legislation or professional requirements, the applicable legislation or professional requirements will govern.
WebbMD Clinic is committed to treating patients with:
We ask every patient and visitor to extend the same courtesy and respect to our physicians, healthcare professionals, administrative staff, and fellow patients.
Working together respectfully helps us maintain a safe and welcoming healthcare environment for everyone.