What is a Micro-Practice?

A micro-practice is a modern approach to delivering medical care.  It actively involves the patient in their care.  Unlike traditional medical offices, in a micro practice, staff, facilities and equipment are minimised, thereby allowing resources to be directed back to the patient and physician.  Technology, such as secure electronic messaging and video consultations, removes third-person disruptions and improves efficiency, access and communication for both parties.  Patients will complete online questionnaires to assist the physician in their diagnostic and care practices.  

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How much does it cost?

Virtual healthcare and in-person visits are covered by your British Columbia healthcare as long as you have an active healthcare number.  There are some services that are not covered by MSP (BC Healthcare) - read more here.

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Can I get a prescription?

Just like with a regular healthcare visit, your physician can write a prescription and send it to your preferred pharmacy.  When you become a patient, we will ask about your preferred pharmacy.  Prescriptions will go to this pharmacy by default, so if you are travelling or using a different pharmacy, please be sure to inform your physician.

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What about referrals and lab tests?

Your physician is able to refer you to specialists and request lab tests, diagnostic imaging etc. 

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Is it safe?

Wesmed Medical prioritises your privacy.  Health information collected from you is stored securely within Canada.

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Is this legal?

Wesmed Medical physicians are Canadian licensed physicians.  Click here to verify.

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Who are the physicians?

The lead physician at Wesmed Medical is Dr Wessel Joubert.  In the event that he is not available, he may be substituted with a locum.  You will be informed when this is the case.

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What languages can I be assisted in?

English and Afrikaans.

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How do I book an appointment?

Appointments can only be booked by yourself on the MyHealthAccess patient portal.  You can book appointments for your dependents if they are listed on your profile.  Please refer to the section below on how to add dependents. 

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What if I am new?

Welcome.  Please note that Wesmed Medical is a micro-practice and that technology is integral to our approach.  It is vital that our patients are computer/smartphone literate in order for us to accept them into our practice.

 

How do I connect with Mesmed Medical?

You will need to complete your information on our waiting list here and you will receive an email from us with more information when we are ready to onboard you.   Once you have received an email with onboarding instructions, please watch this video tutorial for more clarity.

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Where can I download the app for my phone/tablet?

Yes, if your device is supported. If not, you will have to use your web browser.  Simply click on the app store logo below.

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How do I add dependents (ie. children, spouse) to my MyHealthAccess profile?

MyHealthAccess allows you to create dependent profiles under your primary account to address these challenges. A dependent profile can be used to book an appointment using the online booking tools with clinics who are accepting dependent bookings.

 

To create a dependent profile, open the account menu in your MyHealthAccess account. If you are using MyHealthAccess on a mobile device, the menu will be at the bottom of the screen. The menu will be located at the top left of your screen if you are logged in through the website on a computer. Once the menu is open, click on ‘Dependents’ to open the dependents section.

Click on the ‘Add A Dependent’ button at the bottom of the page to create a new dependent in your account.

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Fill out the details. The patient’s first and last names, personal health care number and province of coverage, date of birth and sex at birth are required information for all dependent records. Additional information may be required by the clinics themselves.

 

Once you are done filling the form, click on the ‘Save & Continue’ button.

Your saved dependents will be visible in the ‘Dependents’ section of your MyHealthAccess account. Simply click on a dependent’s name to update their profile as needed.

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How do I send and receive messages with the MyHealthAccess portal?

MyHealthAccess allows you to send and receive messages to and from your health care provider.  

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To access messaging, log on to the MyHealthAccess portal on your computer/tablet or open the MyHealthAccess app on your smartphone.  The home screen has several buttons - the fourth button from the top is called "My Messages".    

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With the "My Messages" page open, you will see an overview of your messages.  A pencil icon in a purple circle will appear on the top or bottom of the page (depending on whether you use a computer or the app).  Please click the purple pencil icon and follow the prompts to send new messages. 

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Rules:

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Secure Messaging Guidelines:

We are committed to providing you with the best possible healthcare experience, including our secure messaging service. To optimise communication and care coordination, please review the following guidelines:

 

1. Purpose of Secure Messaging:

Our secure messaging service is designed for communication with our medical team. While it's a convenient way to manage certain aspects of your healthcare, it should not replace in-person or virtual visits for medical issues or emergencies.

 

2. Communication Hours:

We check messages twice daily on workdays - at the office's opening and closing times. The regular turnaround time for messages is the next business day.

 

3. Use Cases for Messaging:

Secure messaging is appropriate for requesting an urgent consultation, inquiring about test results and follow-ups, and requesting chronic medication refills and conversing about non-emergent conditions.

 

4. Online Booking as the Default:

For routine appointments, we encourage you to use our online booking system. Messaging should not be used to book regular appointments.

 

Urgent Appointment Requests:

If you need an urgent appointment and can't secure one online, please call us, and we will do our best to accommodate your request if possible. We will not entertain requests for routine or non-urgent appointments via messaging or phone calls as these types of appointments should be booked by yourself via https://www.myhealthaccess.ca

  

Professional Conduct:

We expect all communication to be respectful and professional. Inappropriate or disrespectful messages will not be tolerated.

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Patient Chart and Profile Usage:

For parents of dependents, please send messages on your children's profiles, not yours, to avoid confusion in the electronic chart.

By using our secure messaging service, you acknowledge and agree to these rules of engagement, ensuring effective and focused communication on your health and well-being.

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Non-Insured Services:

Even if you are insured under MSP or affiliated medical plans, some services provided by a doctor may not be covered. These non-insured services are billed directly to the patient. They include services like transfer of medical records, travel advice and immunisations, some de-insured procedures, forms, reports or letters, driver's medicals, and sick notes. 

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Missed Appointments Policy:

To optimise our services and offer timely care to all patients, we kindly request that you keep your scheduled appointments or provide advance notice if you need to reschedule. To address missed appointments, we have implemented the following policy:

• Single No-Show Grace Period: We understand that unforeseen circumstances can arise, so we allow each patient a single "no-show" without any financial penalty.

• Financial Penalty for Subsequent No-Shows: After your first no-show, if you miss another scheduled appointment, a $100 fee will be billed to you.

• Multiple No-Shows May Result in Transfer of Care: Patients who miss two or more appointments without prior cancellation may be advised to seek care elsewhere.

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After Hours Urgent Medical Advice:

For emergencies, call 9-1-1 or visit the hospital Emergency Department.

If you have an urgent issue that requires medical care when our clinic is closed, you can now get that from the After Hours Care service.

When you call our clinic, you will be connected to the after-hours care service. A care team will assess your health concern and when appropriate, a family doctor will call you back. To support continuity of care, notes from your call will be added to your medical record and we will follow up when appropriate.

The after-hours care service is available evenings, weekends, and holidays when our clinic is closed, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. on weekdays and 24 hours on weekends and holidays. It provides our patients with urgent care for non-life-threatening health concerns that need same-day attention. These could include:

• Fever above 38°C.

• Rash, sores, wounds, minor burns, or insect bites.

• Dizziness, or unusual headaches.

• Stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, constipation, diarrhoea.

• Pain while urinating, or blood in your stools.

• Chest or sinus congestion, cough, sore throat.

• Ear pain, or issues with your hearing.

The After Hours Care program does not provide prescription refills, sick notes, counselling, or crisis care.