Prescriptions

Background info: Prescription refills are an important aspect of managing your health and ensuring continuity of care. It is of tremendous importance to come up with a list of current active medications, as medication changes happen when patients visit emergency rooms and specialists. We authorize prescription refills only after reviewing your medical history and current health status. Every single phone call, prescription request, form, letter, note, email, fax, or other such request requires the time, skill, and resources of the staff and physician. Hundreds of such requests daily amount to enormous costs to operate a medical clinic efficiently.

In urgent cases, your pharmacy may be able to provide a short-term emergency supply of medication. 

Advance Notice: We kindly request that you contact our office or book online well in advance if you need a prescription refill and intend to combine it with an assessment. 

Pharmacy Communication: Please ensure that we have your preferred pharmacy on file and that your pharmacy has accurate and up-to-date information on file, including our practice contact information. This will help expedite the prescription refill process. 

To facilitate the prescription refill process and enhance patient safety, we have implemented a  new policy: 

Effective January 2025, prescription refills without an appointment will be subject to a fee, which is under the OMA non-insured services listing. If I have not seen you in a year, your medication may be renewed for one month only. You will need to see me for additional refills. With few exceptions, prescription refills are typically provided for three months' worth of medication, with three refills for a total of one year.

To avoid fees, please book an appointment well before you run out of medication. This will allow  OHIP to cover the prescription renewal.

When you are down to a 1–2-week supply, you can discuss your need during that trip with your pharmacist and they will communicate with us on your behalf.

Based on your circumstances, sometimes your doctor may ask to see you to reassess your prescription needs. We appreciate your cooperation in adhering to our practice policy.

Managing your medication is both safer and easier if you keep all your prescriptions with one pharmacy. Ask your pharmacy to explain their way of noting the remaining number of refills on your bottle and make sure you make your appointment for reassessment before you are due to run out of medication.

Prescription Refills During Office Appointments: 

When we renew prescriptions with you in the clinic or during a phone appointment, OHIP will cover the cost. Consequently, we appreciate it when you are proactive and ask us to renew your prescriptions during a clinic visit. 

Tip: If you inform our reception about your preferred pharmacy in advance, we are usually able to send your prescription directly to the pharmacy. Many patients appreciate the convenience of these electronic/faxed prescriptions, as the medication is often ready for pick-up by the time they arrive. \

Prescription Refills Outside of Office Appointments: 

Since prescription refills outside of office appointments are not covered by OHIP, there is a fee for each separate refill request (except for patients who prefer to pay via the annual block fee). 

First, please double-check that your prescription does not have any refills remaining. If there are refills, you do not need a prescription renewal. 

If you are out of refills and don't mind the fee, ask your pharmacy to send a refill request to the office. Alternatively, you may book a phone or in-person appointment with your physician if you would like OHIP to cover this cost. If you do not want to pay a fee, simply pre-book well in advance a phone appointment to review the refill with your physician. 

Warning: As mentioned, there is a fee to renew prescriptions without appointments. This fee also applies to auto-faxed refill requests generated by your pharmacy. If you do not want your pharmacy to *auto-fax prescriptions with refill requests, you must inform them. To learn more and for full details of uninsured services please click here. You will also be receiving our new uninsured services policy via mail shortly.  

NOTE: It may take up to 2-3 business days for your provider to process the fax request from refill.

*THIS ALSO APPLIES IF WE RECEIVE REQUESTS FROM A NEW PHARMACY YOU DECIDED TO SWITCH OVER TO IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR LAST ACTIVE REFILL.