CLINIC INFO

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THE IMMUNODEFICIENCY CLINIC 

The Immunodeficiency Clinic provides specialized outpatient consultation to you and your family doctor on how to best manage your HIV care. We do this in an optimum facility where most needed HIV services are under one roof. Every time you are seen in the Clinic, a detailed letter will be sent to your family doctor by your Clinic physician. In addition, we may recommend additional care that is not available in the community, which may include the latest approaches in treatment, or counselling with one of our multidisciplinary team members. 

Our care is based on the principles of accessibility, comprehensiveness, health promotion, and consumer satisfaction. If you are interested in an approach that has not been offered please let us know, to see if we can help you to get it. If you do not agree with a recommendation being made, let us know so we can make alternate suggestions. Our goal is to empower you to make good decisions about your own care that will promote your health and well-being. 

Your health care team  

Services available include those of medical specialists, pharmacists, psychiatrists, nurses, and social workers. All of these professionals can be seen in the clinic for individual consultation. Sessions with nutritionists, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists can also be arranged.

In addition to medical consultation / treatment, some services we can provide or help you access include: 

  • Community Services 
    • Counselling re:  
      addictions 
      depression  
      anxiety  
      stress management 
      self-disclosure issues 
      medication problems 
      sexual functioning concerns 
      couples and family problems 
      nutrition  
      spiritual concerns 
      health management/promotion 
      problems with energy and mobility 
      problems with memory/concentration 
  • Financial Assistance 
  • On-site Pharmacy 
  • Housing 
  • Information Sheets and Videos about HIV/AIDS related Topics 
  • Insurance/Disability Claims 
  • Language Interpretation 
  • Living Wills/Legal Help 
  • Meal Deliveries 
  • Support and Social Groups 
  • Therapy Groups 
  • The Immunodeficiency Clinic day treatment room 

Day treatment is available in the Clinic for patients who need intravenous medications, blood transfusions, fluid replacement, bloodwork, or various medical procedures. 

Teaching 

The Immunodeficiency Clinic is part of the University Health Network.

Research 

The University Health Network is known for its world class excellence in research. Our research scientists and clinicians are studying many aspects of HIV infection, including experimental therapies for "boosting" or enhancing the immune system, or for preventing common infections and cancers. Ask your Clinic physician about our current research programmes, and look for regular updates on research in website.

Hospital admission 

If admission to hospital becomes necessary, you will likely be admitted to one of our General Medicine floors at either the General or Western site, under the care of an attending physician. Your clinic physician and team will consult with this attending physician, and visit you on the floor during your admission, to deal with your concerns. If you need re-admission, we will do our best to ensure that you go to the same floor so that you can be cared for by the staff that you already know. 

The Clinic Pharmacy

A retail pharmacy is located within the clinic, and is available to all patients as well as hospital staff. Services offered by highly trained and specialized pharmacy staff include individual medication counseling, free access to numerous adherence support tools, telephone follow-up, refill reminders, and home delivery of medications.
The Clinic Pharmacy is open from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday. The phone number is 416-340-5207. Please allow 48 hours notice when calling for prescription refills.

Advocacy 

If you have a concern, please direct it to the Clinic Coordinator, or another staff member. If you are not satisfied with their intervention, a Patient Relations Coordinator is available to help you if you have any issue or concern about your care that you think is not being adequately handled by the Clinic. Their office is located in room IS-401 of the R. Fraser Elliott Building (190 Elizabeth Street) at the Toronto General Hospital site. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. 

Tel: 416-340-4907
Fax: 416-340-3537
E-mail: Sharon.Rogers@uhn.on.ca

Language interpretation/ other services  

Language interpretation and counselling services in other languages are available. Please let us know in advance if you require these or other services. 

Confidentiality  

Maintaining your confidentiality is a critical concern to the clinic. Clinic staff will not leave identifying messages on your answering machine, nor will they mail correspondence to your home in identifying envelopes. However, please let us know if there are any special concerns you have re: confidentiality and disclosure, so that we can respond appropriately. 

Health coverage 

All our services in the Immunodeficiency Clinic are covered by OHIP. It remains important that you have and maintain the required OHIP coverage for yourself. The Immunodeficiency Clinic is not responsible for coverage (payment) of medications, although we will help you to get any and all coverage that you may be entitled to under social and community programs. 

Clinic hours 

The Immunodeficiency Clinic is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m., to 5:00 p.m. We work on an appointment basis. Some physicians may only be available on specific days. We would appreciate it if you would notify us, preferably at least 48 hours in advance, when you need to cancel your appointment, so that someone else can benefit from the time. Our number is (416) 340-5077. A voice message can be left 24 hours/day. 

Night, weekend & holiday coverage 

If you experience an urgent problem, we recommend that you contact your family physician, so they can contact us if our help is needed. On nights, weekends, or holidays (in the event of real emergency), you should go (or be taken) directly to the nearest emergency department. 

When to use the clinic  

HIV infection can manifest itself with a variety of complications, so it is difficult to give a simple checklist of when you might require the intervention of a specialist. Generally, your family doctor is responsible for all aspects of your HIV care. You should ask your family doctor to "screen" any new medical problems to determine when it is appropriate to involve our Clinic. If you are still unclear about a problem, our nursing staff can assist you on the telephone in determining where and when it would be best to receive treatment. If you are simply requiring a prescription renewal for a medication that we have prescribed, please give 48 hours notice to the Clinic.