FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Your family doctor, a specialist you’ve seen, or a hospital physician you’ve seen has referred you to see a General Surgeon for their opinion, a test, a procedure, and/or a surgery. The first appointment is a consultation with the General Surgeon – sometimes this appointment is done in-person and sometimes it is done over the telephone. All your questions will be answered by the General Surgeon during this consultation. You must confirm your appointment with our office by email or telephone as soon as possible.

We receive many referrals every week from hospital emergency departments and from family doctors all over southern Ontario. We triage these referrals based on urgency. You will be seen as soon as possible. We have a cancellation list, so please let us know if you wish to be called sooner for a short-notice appointment. You must confirm the appointment with our office by email or telephone.

The first appointment is a consultation with a General Surgeon. There are no procedures or surgeries done during this appointment. The General Surgeon may ask questions about your health history, symptoms and medications, and they may perform a brief physical exam. They will then determine the most appropriate type of care for you and if needed a test, procedure, or surgery would then be scheduled. All your questions will be answered by the General Surgeon during this consultation.

Most appointments take 15 minutes or less. The General Surgeons are occasionally called away to address emergency situations at the Georgetown Hospital, resulting in a longer than expected wait time. Please allow up to a 2-hour window to see the surgeon. You will be seen as soon as possible and we appreciate your patience.

Scheduling is dependent on the urgency of the referral, previous test results or pathology, and operating room availability. At times, symptoms may warrant further investigation before determining the correct care or treatment plan. You will be scheduled as soon as possible. Please note that due to hospital emergencies, your surgery or procedure may be rescheduled.

If you have a valid OHIP card, the consultation and most procedures and surgeries are free. Please bring your OHIP card to every visit and update us with any changes. Refugees with appropriate documentation can also be seen free of charge.  

If you do not have a valid OHIP card, the consultation fee is $200.00 and must be paid before the day of your appointment - our office will contact you to arrange payment. Any additional procedures, tests, and surgeries will be charged separately. If you have private insurance, a receipt will be provided for you to submit to your insurance company. Payments can be made by e-transfer, credit card, or cash.