Community Health Centre – FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ

Is the Health Centre a walk-in clinic?

No it is not. You have to be a registered patient to use the Cool Aid Community Health Centre (CHC) services. The only exceptions are if you are interested in hepatitis C treatment, want to access PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), or have a rapid HIV test. Please contact our front desk at (250) 385-1466 for more information about theses services.

Who can become a patient at the Health Centre?

To access care at the CHC, you have to be 19 years or older and cannot already have a primary care provider (family doctor or nurse practitioner), and you need to be experiencing one or more of the following:

• Chronic mental health challenges
• Chronic substance use challenges or recent recovery
• Homelessness
• Living with HIV
• Have no Medical Services Plan (MSP)

How do I become a patient at the Health Centre?

1. Come to the Health Centre at 713 Johnson St (ground floor) and fill out a brief intake form and return it to our front desk staff.
2. After the form is completed, one of our team will review the form and determine if you are a fit for our services.
3. Contact the CHC two weeks after submitting the intake form to see if you have been accepted as a patient. If you have been accepted, the Medical Office Assistant will help you to connect with your new physician.

If you are a service provider looking to connect a client, please call us at (250) 385 -1466 and ask for an intake form to be faxed to you or your client.

How do I make an appointment at the Cool Aid Community Health Centre?

We use a system called “same day access” for our physicians and nurses, which means we book appointments on the same day that you will see your provider. Appointments are made on a first come, first served basis. Once the schedule is filled, you will be asked to call or come back the next day to make an appointment. There are two ways to make an appointment:

1. To make an appointment in person, arrive at the CHC at 713 Johnson Street at 9 am. The front staff will begin making appointments at that time. By arriving early, you have a better chance of getting an appointment.
2. To make an appointment by phone, call (250) 385-1466 at 9 am.
3. For all other providers (counsellors, dietician, acupuncture), call or come in person to make an appointment in advance.

What services do you provide at the Cool Aid Community Health Centre?

We provide a wide range of health services integrated with primary care. That means you have a family doctor here that will take care of your health needs but we also provide:

• Opiate agonist therapy (OAT) like methadone and suboxone
• Treatment for hepatitis C and HIV
• Mental health support
• Wound care
• Screening and treatment for sexually transmitted infections
• Palliative care
• Pharmacy
• Dental Care

What type of health care providers do you have at the Health Centre?

We have doctors, nurses, counsellors, dietician, physiotherapy, pharmacy and acupuncture. All of our services are free of charge to registered patients and can be accessed by self referral or by referral from one of our providers. We also have visiting psychiatry, infectious disease and internal medicine specialists who can be accessed through referral by your physician.

Do I have to be a patient to use the Cool Aid Pharmacy or Dental Clinic?

No you do not, both the Pharmacy and the Dental Clinic are open to the public. Come by and visit these services at 713 Johnson Street or call the Pharmacy at (250) 385-8469 and Dental at (250) 383-5957.