CC Image Courtesy of trp0 on Flickr

It's not easy to find a doctor in Ontario.  According to the Ontario Medical Association, over 927,000 patients in Ontario, including 132,000 children, still do not have a family doctor, and the province is short more than 1,000 doctors.  

It might not be getting any easier in the future.  Last week, negotiations between doctors and the provincial government stalled after the province rejected a 2-year wage freeze as an alternative to proposed cuts. The OMA is concerned that the proposed cuts to medical fees and programs will discourage new graduates from staying and practising in Ontario.

Health Care Connect is a program that helps Ontarians find a family doctor.  Unfortunately, demand for their services is high and their database of available physicians is limited.  Not all doctors choose to participate in the program.  In my own experience, after a few months of waiting I found a new physician for myself before Health Care Connect could.  

On the bright side, June and July are the best months to look for a doctor.  Newly graduating doctors will be setting up their offices in June to prepare for their licenses being released on July 1st.  Need a family doctor?  Local walk-in clinics can refer you to new graduates looking for patients.  Looking for a specialist? Ask your family doctor if they know about any new practitioners coming to the area that they could refer you to.  

East-end clinics offering walk-ins or general practice care include:

Albany Medical Clinic

807 Broadview Ave. 

(416) 461-9471

Closest intersection: Broadview Ave. and Danforth Ave. 

Walk-in Hours: 

Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Holidays: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 

Beaches Family Practice and Walk-in Clinic

Danforth Main St. Clinic

2494 Danforth Ave, Suite 203

(416) 699-3619

Closest intersection: Main St. and Danforth Ave.

Walk-in Hours: Call first, hours vary.  

East End Community Health Centre 
1619 Queen Street East

(416) 778-5858 

Closest intersection: Queen St. and Coxwell Ave.

Note:

Services are for those who may have difficulty accessing health care due to factors such as language, culture, poverty or the lack of health insurance. Services include family medicine, counselling/psychotherapy, podiatry, physiotherapy, nutritional support and assistance with access to social programs.  

Service area is within Greenwood Avenue (south of Danforth Ave) and Coxwell Avenue (north of Danforth Ave) to the West,Victoria Park Avenue to the East, O’Connor Drive to St. Clair Ave to the North, and Lake Ontario to the South.

Hours:

Monday and Wednesday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Tuesday and Thursday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday and Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

After hours, clients of the Centre can reach a doctor by phone for urgent medical problems.

Kid's After Hours Clinic

(416) 461-3000

235 Danforth Avenue, Suite 100

Closest intersection: Broadview and Danforth

Walk-in Hours:

Weeknights: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday, Sunday & Holidays: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Main Square Medical and Dental Centre

2575 Danforth Ave.

(416) 694-0500

Closest intersection: Main St. and Danforth Ave.

Walk-in Hours: Call first, hours vary.

South Riverdale Community Health Centre -- Health Care Clinic

Note:By appointment only.  Limited availability. Priority is given to people who are not insured, and/or have to overcome barriers such as low income or literacy, housing family or social problems as well as gender, culture or mental health issues. 

Service area is between Mortimer Avenue (north) and Lakeshore Boulevard (south); the Don Valley Parkway (west) and Coxwell Avenue (east).

Hours: 

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

South Riverdale Community Health Centre -- Women's Screening Clinic

955 Queen Street East

(416) 461-1925, ext. 248, Program Director Grace Ho

Closest intersection: Queen St. and Heward Ave.

Note: A female nurse practitioner provides monthly breast examinations and cervical screenings.  Any women that cannot find a female practitioner and live within the clinic's service area may call for an appointment.

Service area is between Mortimer Avenue (north) and Lakeshore Boulevard (south); the Don Valley Parkway (west) and Coxwell Avenue (east).

Hours: 

2nd Thursday of every month, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

4th Friday of every month, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Toronto East General Family Health Clinic

840 Coxwell Avenue, Suite 105

(416) 469-6464 

Closest intersection: Mortimer Ave. and Coxwell Ave.

Note: Services include general practice care and low-risk obstetrics care. Consultations with a dietician or a psychotherapist available upon referral.  Call for more information or to book an appointment.

Hours:

Monday to Thursday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Emergency walk-in service for patients only)