Accountability
Your physician at Viva Care will collect personal information from you to provide requested medical care and to administer this care. This would include any information about your health & lifestyle as well as medical and billing information.
Doctors must keep records of the care provided to you so personal information may be recorded in your file as notes and letters to other physicians, X-rays, lab results or any other documented materials. With your consent, your personal information is used only for this purpose.
Personal Health Information Act (PHIA)
Your doctor can only see the health information that you consented to transfer or s/he was part of.
Non-insured Service Fees
Non-insured services are those not covered by Medical Services Plan (MSP). You may have to pay Viva Care directly for some of these services. Before you receive a service that is non-insured, we will always discuss the cost of the service with you. Fee rates for these services are posted in the clinic for reference.
“Complete physical” is no longer billable to MSP. If you require such an exam, be advised there will be a fee you will be responsible for.
List of Non-insured services can be viewed on the MSP website.
Form Requests and Medical Reports
The practice strives to complete forms and reports as timely as possible. Usual turnaround time is around two weeks if all information and payment authorization is completed. Holidays and vacation time may delay this timeline.
Chart Transfer
Electronic charts are welcomed via CDs or USB. Paper charts are welcomed via mail and not by fax.
Service Policy
You are welcomed to the following medical services provided by Viva Care.
- If you are scheduled in the Family Clinic will be seen by the physician as per the schedule.
- Patients in the Walk-In Clinic will be accommodated into the daily schedule.
- Family practice patients are encouraged to come as walk in if needed rather than receive care elsewhere. Scheduled spots can be allocated to accommodate children the same day.
- Prescription: Patients must see a physician in person or via telehealth in order to obtain a prescription.
- Viva Care does not allow faxed or called in prescriptions. If your pharmacist is used to sending requests to your previous family doctor please advise them of this change.
- If you are on a sedative, stimulant or a narcotic you will be required to sign a contract with your physician.
- You are always encouraged to make a follow up appointment to learn the results of any procedure done in the office. We do not support patients making assumptions that you were not called back because your results were normal.
- If you are a female 40 years or above, you are encouraged and responsible for booking your own screening mammograms.
- Specialist’s referrals are done upon medical necessity only dictated by clinical practice guidelines. It is not done by proxy.
Cancellations
We respect your time and make every effort to make your medical appointments at the appropriate time. We also expect you to respect the time and efforts of Viva Care in scheduling appointments. Our health care is a privilege and should not be abused. It is required that you give a minimum of 24 hours (one business day) notice in order to cancel an appointment. There will be a charge for missed or late cancellation of appointments and if this is a repeating pattern it will be considered disruptive to work flow. You will be notified of pending dismissal from the practice via mail. If another missed appointment occurs a dismissal letter will be sent to you via mail.
Access to Your Personal Information
It is your right to full access to personal information about you contained in our records if there is no legal or ethical reason that would prevent us from doing so. Fees associated with the copying and transfer of your medical files will be charged to supply the information requested by you. If providing you with your personal information would also reveal someone else’s personal information, we may have to remove that other information.
Usage of Your Personal Information
Most of your personal information is directly provided by you to your physician. We sometimes have reports from other physicians or hospitals that have provided you with treatment. We are authorized by law to disclose your personal information in an emergency, primarily for your protection. There may also be circumstances where we are required by law to disclose your information to public health authorities.
Contact Information
Viva Care wants to ensure that personal information maintained by us is accurate, complete and current. We do not routinely update contact information. You are responsible for updating the clinic of any changes to your contact information.