Dear Patient,
Dakota Medical Centre, in partnership with Doctors Manitoba and Shared Health, are providing a COVID 19 Screening Clinic Service at the end of each day, 7 days a week, after regular office hours.
Dakota Medical Centre has been providing medical services in our community for more than 35 years. As physicians we have decided to provide this after hours service to enable our patients, and the community at large to have access to COVID 19 Screening in a timely fashion.
It is important for you to know that the clinic will continue to provide regular service during office hours, Monday to Friday 6:30 am to 4:30 pm. This includes scheduled appointments, walk-in visits and virtual visits.
As the pandemic swings into the 2nd phase, we urge you to not put your health on hold. Please keep your scheduled appointments to enable your physician to provide care and help keep you healthy moving forward. In addition, same day access continues to be provided to walk-in patients who present Monday to Friday 6:30 am – 4:30 pm as well as Saturdays 7:00 am – 11:30am and Sunday 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.
Physicians will be working extended hours, separating the COVID 19 Screening Clinic Service (which takes place during the evenings) from regular services which continue during regular office hours. I thank the participating physicians in advance for their hard work in this regard.
Allow me to put your mind at ease: Public Health and infection control experts have worked with our clinic to ensure daily disinfection protocols are in place to provide a safe environment for our physicians and our patients. In fact, the daily disinfection protocols which will be applied following the evening screening clinics are even more rigorous than currently recommended protocols. Not only will we meet standards, we will surpass them.
Dakota Medical Centre may be extending the COVID 19 Screening Clinic Service to Saturday and Sunday afternoon and evenings. We will keep you updated.
In summary: Please don’t put your health on hold. Keep your scheduled appointment with your physician. If you need to see a doctor but you don’t have an appointment, please present to the walk-in clinic for same days access during office hours on Monday to Friday or on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Please know your health is important to us. Take care of yourself and those you love.
Sincerely,
Dr. Louis Fourie Smith
Medical Director
Dakota Medical Centre
BSc, MBChB, CCFP, FCFP