Usually the doctor who referred you to the CNS Clinic will contact you with your appointment time. Call the referring doctor’s office if you do not receive information about your appointment within a couple of weeks.
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CD or DVD of your imaging studies. Your referring doctor may give you a CD or DVD of imaging studies such as
x-rays,
CT scans,
MRIs or
ultrasounds you may have had done. If so, it is very important to bring this CD or DVD with you.
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List of all medications you are currently taking.
This includes prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamin or mineral supplements and herbal remedies.
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Medications that you need to take.
Appointments can take several hours. Bring with you any medications you normally take during the day.
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A trusted friend or family member.
A friend or family member can give you emotional support and can help you make good choices. They can also help you gather information, take notes and ask questions.
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Questions to ask.
Bring a list of questions to your appointment to help you remember everything you want to ask.
Learn more about what to bring »
The first person you meet at the clinic is the
Patient Flow Coordinator. To sign in with the Patient Flow Coordinator you will need your health card (OHIP card). If you do not have an OHIP card, please bring another form of government-issued photo ID (such as a driver's license, passport, or other provincial health card).
Before each clinic appointment (in-person or virtual), you will be asked to answer questions about your health and wellbeing. Use eCheck-In to report your symptoms and concerns to your healthcare team. You will still need to check in with the front desk staff, eCheck-In does not replace checking in in-person.
Learn more about eCheck-In »
First appointments take longer than follow-up appointments.
- First appointments can take 2 or more hours. After your visit to the clinic, you will likely go to the
Blood Collection Lab for blood tests.
- Follow-up appointments usually take 15 to 30 minutes.
In our waiting areas, you can help yourself to refreshments and look through the reading material in the resource centre.
We do our best to stay on time. Unfortunately, your appointment may be delayed because of the number of patients we see and the specialized nature of our centre’s expertise. We recommend that you come prepared for delays. For example, make sure your arrangements for things like babysitting, elder care and parking can accommodate a longer than usual appointment.
At the end of your first appointment, the nurse or doctor will give you a contact list for your health care team. If you don’t get a contact list, feel free to ask for it. Consider registering for the
myUHN Patient Portal to manage your appointments, update your information, view your results, and connect with your health care team.
After every appointment, the nurse will tell you about your next visit. Be sure you understand what is going to happen next. For example, know the time and place of your next visit or if someone will call you with this information.
If you are unsure about what your next steps are, don’t be afraid to ask a member of your team. We are there to help you.
Speak to your healthcare team if you are interested in more resources.
We understand that reaching us by phone can sometimes be difficult. Often our phone lines are busy or are turned over to the message centre so clinic staff can prepare for clinic visits or help other patients.
We make every effort to return your call within 24 hours. Our staff will try to reach you 2 times. If we are not able to reach you directly – and you do not have an answering machine for us to leave a message – you may need to call us again.
