Information for Patients

Cancellations, No-Shows, and Punctuality

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, or will be late, contact us as soon as possible. As appointments are in high demand, your time can be given to someone else in urgent need. If you are late, your appointment may be shortened or need to be rescheduled.

Fees: There is a $50 fee for missed appointments, cancelling/rescheduling with < 48 hours notice, or being late enough your appointment must be rescheduled.

Discharge: If you miss two appointments without 48 hours notice, or are late repeatedly, you may be asked to return to your referring physician for further care.

Some absences are sudden and unavoidable; we understand. Forgetting, being asked to pick up a shift at work, or poor planning do not count. If you become ill prior to an in-office appointment, check about attending via telehealth.

Be Prepared: Check if you will need medication refills before your appointment. If you've been asked to do lab work or other "homework" and you haven't, or if the visit is, e.g., to review your response to a medication you haven't yet started, contact us several days in advance so we can decide if your appointment should be deferred.

Privacy: Telehealth appointments can be done from virtually anywhere. That doesn't mean they should be. Ensure you can speak freely and aren't concerned about people observing you. If you can't devote your full attention to your appointment, you're wasting your time and ours.

Punctuality: We try to run on time, but falling behind sometimes is unavoidable. Plan accordingly so you don't need to run out right at the scheduled end time (e.g. parking, another appointment). Yes, we have the same double standard as any other in-demand specialist physician.

Fees for Services

BC's Medical Services Plan (MSP) pays for most of Dr. Lysak's services, as it does with other doctors. MSP does not cover everything. Like most clinics, we charge you for forms, etc. If fees will cause financial problems, please discuss this with us in advance.

Fees for forms and letters vary with their length and complexity. We'll let you know the fee before we complete the form. Fees must be paid prior to release of forms. A 50% rush fee applies if required in < 15 working days.

We accept payments by cash/debit (in-person), Visa/Mastercard (in-person, by phone, or online), or Interac transfer to office@lysak.org.

Family Doctors

Specialist physicians, including psychiatrists, work in conjunction with family doctors. Given the high demand, they can't provide all-inclusive, standalone, or indefinite care.

While under Dr. Lysak's care, it is your responsibility to remain connected with a family physician. They will be sent updates on your care (kept as part of your medical record) and asked to deal with incidental physical health problems that arise during your treatment. They can provide coverage during times when Dr. Lysak is away from the office for holidays, courses, or if she is hit by a bus other reasons, and provide followup care when you no longer require the services of a specialist.

Medical Home: If you don't have a family physician, pick a single UPCC or walk-in clinic to regularly attend. That clinic is required to maintain your medical record and provide ongoing medical care. When you see other doctors (including at other walk-in clinics or online services), ask them to send a note no your visit to your medical home.

Please see Walk-in Clinic: What to Expect from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC. Keep us informed when you change family physicians or walk-in clinics.

Online Services: Because of the difficulty of obtaining adequate assessment of physical health concerns and our experience of too many patients receiving inadequate followup care, we recommend against trying to use an online-first service, e.g., Telus Health, as your medical home.