Frequently Asked Questions

How to become a patient

Referral by Doctor or Nurse Practitioner

Patients need to have a physician or nurse practitioner send a referral to:
Fax 778.800.2094 or email to Bruno@DrRicArseneau.ca

Only patients from BC and the Yukon can participate in the clinic

Patients can participate in any of the clinic offerings as soon as their referral is received.

Our admin staff will reach out to the patient and send them a digital intake package to fill out. This includes consent for virtual care.

Once the patient completes the digital intake package, an initial Telehealth consultation appointment will be booked.

Patients can opt for a Teleheath visit or in person visit (Bowen Island)
Patients who opt for an in person visit must be up to date with COVID and Flu vaccinations

Note:
Patient self-referral is not possible with MSP services

Virtual Visits / Telehealth

Telehealth

Our is dedicated to providing patients access to quality, real-time healthcare, regardless of where they are located in BC thanks to the assistance of Zoom for Healthcare (or telephone).

Getting Ready for Your First Virtual Visit With Zoom
How to prepare for a virtual health visit using a computer
How to prepare for a virtual health visit using a mobile device

Cancellation policy

Cancelling or missing an appointment

We require 2 business days notice to cancel or change appointments; otherwise, a no-show fee applies:
Consultation no-show fee: $235 + GST
Follow-up no-show fee: $80 + GST
Group Medical or Medication Visit no-show fee: $30 + GST
Group (e.g., Core Group, etc.) no-show fee: $30 + GST

Group Medical Visits
Because our doctors provide orientation to group medical visit (confidentiality, how to use Zoom, and rules of engagement),
late patient arrivals are very disruptive as we would need to repeat the introduction. Therefore, patients who log into Zoom more than one minute after the group has started will not be let into the Zoom Group Visit and a no-show fee will apply.

Missing a group session
Attendance in groups (e.g., Core Group, and Shame and Trauma Group, etc.) cannot be cancelled or rescheduled.
• For groups with 12 sessions or more, you can miss up to 3 sessions without a paying a no- show fee
• For groups with fewer than 12 sessions, a no-show fee applies to all sessions missed

Appointments and scheduling

Scheduling an appointment

For Dr. Arseneau, Dr. Dyment , and Dr. Nicki contact Bruno at Bruno@DrRicArseneau.ca
For Dr. McKay contact Pamela at Pamela@DrRJaneMcKay.ca

Appointment types

1. Initial consultation visit for every new patient (individual visit)
• Our current wait-time for new patients is up to 15 months
• But, you can participate in any of the clinic activities as soon as we receive your referral

2. Follow-up visits
• Patients can book their our Group Medical Visits (GMV) and Group Medication Visits (GMedV) using the links provided in the consult note
• Bookmark these links for easy access in the future
• If you have not had your individual consult (and don't have a consult note), you can contact Bruno or Pamela to get the links


a) Group Medical Visits (GMV): General questions that don't require a prescription (even medication questions)

b) Group Medication Visits (GMedV): Specific to one medication (e.g., low dose naltrexone)
Patient can get a new prescription, change the dose, or get a refill
For more information of Group Medical Visits

c) Individual appointments:
• Patients must attend a Group Medical Visit (GMV) – see above
• The doctor will then decide if an individual visit is needed

Note:
1. Don't book a GMV on the same day that your are doing a group or other visit (e.g., Core Group or Group Medication Visit)
• MSP only covers one visit per day
• This does not apply to special lectures / webinars
2. Patients can opt for a Telehealth visit (Zoom or Phone) or an in person visit on Bowen Island (note: patients must be up to date with COVID and Flu vaccination to be eligible for an in person visit)

Note:
For in person visits, our location is not wheelchair accessible and there is no elevator. Dr. McKay is able to see patients with mobility issues at St. Paul's Hospital.

Fees for non-insured services

Forms and paperwork

Some forms are covered by MSP or insurers. Otherwise, patients are responsible for the cost.

Covered
• CPP-Disability (Canada Pension Plan - Disability) form
• PWD (Persons With Disabilities) form
• Some, but not all, long-term disability (LTD) and short-term disability (STD) forms
• Note, we only accept electronic versions of forms (e.g., PDF)
• We do note do PWD paper booklets
• We do not do the online version of DTC

NOT Covered
• DTC (Disability Tax Credit) form – $80 + GST = $84
• SPARC BC – $44 + GST = $46.20
• Appeal letters – $250 + GST = $262.50
• LTD forms (not covered by insurance provider) – $125 + GST = $131.25
• Other notes, letters or forms – $75 to $200 + GST = $78.75 to $210
• BC Ferries Form – $80 + GST = $84
• Medical EI Form – $50 + GST = $52.50
• Occupational Function Assessment (OFA) – $125 + GST = $131.25
• Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) – $125 + GST = $131.25
• Tolerance Letter – $125 + GST = $131.25
• Urgent form/letter request – $50 + GST = $52.50 (completed within 5 business days)

Note:
• Turn-around time for forms/letters is one month.
• We cannot accommodate urgent paperwork. In this case, we ask that you request an extension until the form can be filled, otherwise a $50 urgent fee applies.
• Also, forms require a recent medical visit (Group Medical Visit (GMV) or individual visit) before the form/letter can be completed. If you have not participated in a GMV or individual visit in the last 3 months book a GMV to discuss paperwork.

Medeo

What is Medeo
The Medeo Virtual Portal is a web-based program used by healthcare providers for secure messaging to communicate with patients and share documents securely. It can also be used to allow patients to book their own appointments. Please note the we do not use Medeo for video visits; we use Zoom for Healthcare (see Virtual Visits above.

Why do we use Medeo
Regular email is not secure. Because we care about your privacy, we use Medeo's secure portal for:
• Sending patients' a copy of their consult and follow-up notes (we share all of his notes with his patients – you will receive a copy of everything your referring physician/nurse practitioner gets
• Sending and receiving patient paperwork (note you must contact Bobbi@DrRicArseneau.ca if you want to send us documents securely so the Medeo messaging portal can be opened for you.

Communicating with Our Doctors

Appointments
All communication with our doctors only occurs during medical visits so that information can be added to your chart and included in a note to your doctor or NP.

Email communication
Our doctors do NOT communicate with patients via email. Please do not send questions or additional information via email unless requested to.