What to Expect

Due to a large number of referrals received, please allow up to 3 business days for the referral to be appropriately triaged and entered into our system. For emergent or urgent requests, we advise our referring clinicians to speak to or email one of our providers to discuss pertinent details. Once the referral has been triaged, you will be called by our administrators to schedule your visit in our next available slot. Depending on the nature of the visit, you will receive any special instructions at the time of booking, and they can also be found HERE. A reminder text or automated message is sent 72hrs and 24hrs prior to your appointment. Please remember to confirm your attendance as your secured appointment time may be given to patients on the waitlist. If you are unable to attend, please cancel and call our booking line to re-book. We would greatly appreciate it if you can give us the heads up if you plan to re-schedule so that someone who has been waiting can get an opportunity to see one of our specialists. A confirmed appointment that is not attended, cancelled, or re-scheduled may incur a no-show fee of 100 CAD.

When you arrive please bring a copy of your valid OHIP card and any imaging (CT or MRI) on a CD or USB. Please proceed to either the automated registration kiosk or the reception desk. You may be required to complete additional paperwork. Once you are registered, you may be asked to wait in the reception area or be directed to your assessment/treatment room. Please follow the wayfinding signs.

After your assessment, you may be required to present to the reception desk for picking up prescriptions, making follow-up arrangements, or to trial splints/products that you may have been prescribed.

I wish to book a service that is not covered through OHIP

A) If you wish to book transcranial magnetic stimulation for major depressive disorder, we require a referral from your treating family physician or psychiatrist. For all other indications, a consultation can be booked directly by calling our clinic (press 5 to request a booking) or email us at ime@mindsneurology.com

B) If you wish to book physiotherapy, please email us at booking@mindsneurology.com

C) If you wish to book an MRI for screening purposes or reasons not covered through OHIP such as medico-legal MRI and MRI for automobile collisions, please call our Clinic (press 5 to request a booking) or email us at ime@mindsneurology.com Please ensure you have downloaded and completed the MRI requisition and screening form and declaration.

D) If you have had a MRI brain or spine completed and wish to request a written opinion from our fellowship-trained neuro-radiologist, please email us at info@mindsneurology.com

E) For all other private pay inquiries and executive assessment services, please email us at info@mindsneurology.com

We do our very BEST to keep on track but the unpredictable nature of medicine does not allow us to always be on time. It is highly recommended that you do not schedule other urgent appointments for at least two hours following your scheduled appointment time.

A word about medical trainees, and nurse practitioners:

MINDS is an active teaching clinic that routinely has medical students, residents, and occasionally fellows at various stages of medical training. Your care is always supervised by one of our providers. If you feel your story requires further clarification after you have been seen by a student doctor, you will have an opportunity to do so directly with the staff physician. We thank you for being part of the training pathway for our future generation of healthcare providers.

Physician-nurse practitioner co-management model: With imminent staffing shortages in the health care profession and an increase in the volume of patients seeking care for chronic neurological conditions, patient loads are increasing rapidly, thus making it difficult for a single provider to manage all patient care needs effectively and efficiently. Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with advanced master’s or doctoral degrees whose scope of practice usually includes diagnosis and implementation of a patient care plan. At MINDS, we define “comanagement” as 2 professionals (a nurse practitioner and a physician) jointly sharing the responsibility of all tasks needed to manage the health care of the same patient. These tasks may include patient visits, such as for acute illness or chronic disease management; pharmacologic management, such as medication refills; diagnostic testing; patient education, in terms of disease prevention or risk reduction; and patient follow-up, such as interpretation of laboratory values and making external patient referrals based on test results. Comanagement also includes sharing the administrative workload related to care coordination, completing paperwork such as disability or employment documents, and responding to patient or caregiver phone calls. You can expect to see both the physician and NP or the physician alone at the initial visit. Subsequent follow-up visits are managed primarily by the NP with ongoing input and onsite supervision by the physician.

How to prepare: Ten tips for a successful visit

  1. Prepare an organized list of questions in order of importance.
  2. Compile a complete list of medical records, past medical and surgical history.
  3. Compile a complete list of prescriptions, and previous medications trialled.
  4. Bring your updated OHIP card and insurance information if this is a MVA related visit.
  5. Bring along someone trusted like a family member or close friend.
  6. Please bring a translator if needed.
  7. Please ensure you have understood the information regarding specific tests such as EMG or sleep-deprived EEG. More information regarding testing is available HERE.
  8. Please arrive 15 minutes early and just in case there is a wait please bring along a fully charged mobile device or favourite book. We do have Wi-Fi and give gratuitous High fives.
  9. Document your family history of symptoms like yours. It may be relevant. this means you may have to ask your family members prior to your visits.
  10. Record your symptoms. When they started, what time of the day they happen and how long they last, how often they happen, anything you have done that makes them better or worse and if they stop you from doing anything. If you are able to record a video of characteristic movements or signs you may be concerned about.

Key Forms

Vestibular Screening Questionnaire

Download

Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire

Download

Depression

Download

MIDAS

Download