Are you sick? Need to be seen today, but it's the evening or weekend?
PLEASE DO NOT USE WALK-IN CLINICS!
Take advantage of the Garden City Family Health Team's Urgent Care Clinic instead!
Hours & Booking Information
Urgent Care Clinic hours (by appointment only):
Monday – Friday 5pm – 8pm
Saturday & Sunday 1pm – 5pm
To book an appointment, please call your Family Doctor's office during regular hours, or during the times listed above.
NOTE
- If your family doctor’s office is closed, please wait on the line for the answering service or the clinic secretary to answer. You may have to listen through to the end of a pre-recorded message, but someone will answer if you stay on the line.
- The location of the clinic depends on which physician is on call. You will be told where to go when you make the appointment. Please see below for details on the locations.
FAQ
What is the Urgent Care Clinic?
The Urgent Care Clinic (or UCC) is a service for patients who require urgent medical attention outside of their family doctor’s normal office hours. It is only available to patients of the Garden City Family Health Team.It is not a walk-in-clinic. You must call for an appointment.
The UCC is not intended to replace routine visits with your family doctor. UCC visits are for urgent medical events only. Physicians will not complete forms, prescribe narcotics or manage long-standing conditions.
Why should I attend Urgent Care Clinics over Walk-in Clinics?
- Physicians at the Urgent Care Clinic are all part of the Garden City Family Health Team and have access to your entire health record. Using the UCC rather than walk-in clinics keeps all your medical records in one place, which helps to avoid medical errors, delays in treatment, and medication interactions.
- Urgent Care Clinics generally have a shorter wait time than walk-in clinics, since you are given an appointment time.
- The Ministry of Health charges your family doctor the full cost of your visit, whenever you go to a walk-in clinic. Walk-in clinics cost your doctor money, and give you poorer quality care.
How do I book an appointment?
In order to book UCC appointments, you must call your family doctor’s office. To book an appointment on a weekday, call as soon as you realize you need assistance, you do not need to wait for the clinic to open at 5pm. To book an appointment on a Saturday or Sunday, call during clinic hours (1pm-5pm).Where are Urgent Care Clinics held?
Urgent Care Clinics are held at all five Garden City Family Health Team sites. The location of the site is determined by the physician on call that day. When you call to book a UCC appointment, you will be told which site to attend.Can I still go to the hospital emergency department?
In the case of a medical emergency, call 911, or go to the ER for medical attention. You can always use any hospital ER for emergency medical issues when necessary.
Locations
McMaster Niagara Family Health Centre
22 Ontario Street, St. Catharines
905-984-3335
Doctors on call: Dr. Leibfried, Dr. Lukings, Dr. Quart, Dr. Wickens, Dr. Swayze, Dr.Zammit-Maempel
Family Practice Teaching Clinic
7-145 Carlton Street, St. Catharines
905-988-9617
Doctors on call: Dr. Buetow, Dr. Kerley Dr. Sandhu, Dr. Vujosevic
6A-145 Carlton Street, St. Catharines
905-685-4866
Doctors on call: Dr. Bayley, Dr. Kolenchenko
121 Oakdale Avenue Street, St. Catharines
905-685-8700
Doctors on call: Dr. Harb, Dr. Mohamed
216-245 Pelham Road, St. Catharines
905-988-9277
Doctors on call: Dr. Torigian *
* Do not confuse the Pelham Walk-in Clinic with the Garden City Family Health Team’s Urgent Care Clinic. The UCC is located in SUITE 216, and is NOT located in suite 202. When attending the UCC at Dr. Torigian’s site, please ensure to double check that you are in the correct location.