OPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY ACCESS TO IUD INSERTIONS

Magenta Health believes that safe and convenient access to birth control is an important part of primary care. One of the most popular and effective methods of birth control are IUDs (intrauterine devices). 

We are inviting patients who can readily afford to do so, to contribute toward the cost of the sterilized equipment that is needed. Read on to learn more.

Tell me about the finances.

We’ve optimized our processes and crunched the numbers - it costs us roughly $25 to provide the sterilized equipment that every IUD insertion appointment requires. In contrast, our perspective is that the Ministry of Health only covers $2 of this equipment cost. It essentially feels like we’re paying roughly $23 out of pocket each time an IUD insertion appointment happens.

Why do we offer IUDs at all if the numbers don’t make sense?

Specialized clinics and some OB-GYNs offer IUD insertions, but wait times are typically quite long. Once a patient has decided they want an IUD, we want to help them access one quickly, safely, comfortably and conveniently.

Is a contribution mandatory?

A contribution is definitely not mandatory. We are asking only those who can readily afford to contribute to do so. We also want to make sure this does not affect anyone’s care so, whether or not you contribute is not something your physician will know.

Can I get an IUD elsewhere?

Yes. Specialized clinics and some OB-GYNs offer IUD insertions, but wait times are typically quite long. Please don’t feel you need to go elsewhere for an IUD due to this dollars and cents issue. This shouldn’t affect your decision-making on where to get your IUD.

What happens to my contribution?

To be transparent, we plan to do an annual blog post that compares the amount collected vs. the equipment costs. Our hope is to approximately break even - e.g. if we conduct 1000 IUD insertions in a year, we collect roughly $23,000 in voluntary patient contributions + $2,000 from OHIP to cover the roughly $25,000 in equipment costs.

Cyber Security at magenta health

As many of our patients may be aware - there have been numerous IT security breaches within the Canadian healthcare system in recent years. This blog post is intended to answer some common questions about what Magenta Health is proactively doing to enhance the security of the Personal Health Information we hold.

RECENT HEALTHCARE PRIVACY BREACHES IN CANADA

We’ll start with the background of why it’s important to share this update. 

The risk of privacy breaches is a very real threat to the healthcare sector right now. There have been several instances of recent personal info data leaks within the healthcare community. Thankfully, there has not been any incident at Magenta Health (and we’d like to keep it that way).

As a very recent example that is frighteningly close to home, five Southwestern Ontario hospitals had sensitive data leaked online following a cyberattack. Unfortunately, the result was “thousands of patients and staff whose information has been leaked onto the dark web” .

Even closer to home, Michael Garron Hospital lost employee and clinician data in 2023 and had its systems ransomwared in 2019.

Another more concerning incident is the 2019 Lifelabs data breach, in which “…hackers accessed personal information, including health numbers and test results” of approximately 15 million customers across Canada.

  • There are numerous existing administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect Personal Health Information, including:

    • Our systems and processes have been reviewed by accountable individuals, including our Chief Privacy Officer and in-house legal counsel;

    • All staff & students with access to PHI are required to review and execute confidentiality agreements;

    • Access to PHI is generally limited to only those requiring access to such PHI through technical means;

    • Through formal contracts, privacy policies, and service agreements, all third-parties retained by Magenta Health have committed to complying with those conditions and restrictions necessary to ensure Magenta Health's continued compliance with PHIPA;

    • Strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and multiple logins are required to access various sensitive systems;

    • Sensitive systems have audit logs to track data access and use;

    • Network traffic is monitored and managed using security mechanisms such as routers, switches, firewalls, and anti-virus programs;

    • SSL encryption is used to secure the transmission of PHI over insecure electronic networks;

    • Whole-disk encryption is used as required to secure physical storage media holding PHI;

    • Removable physical media (e.g. paper, CDs, DVDs) holding PHI are destroyed following use;

    • Data, applications, and systems are backed up on a regular basis, including offsite, and can be readily restored as required;

    • All systems (e.g. operating systems, applications) are regularly patched with security updates;

    • All physical electronic systems maintained by Magenta Health are secured with a monitored security system;

    • Security cameras have been deployed throughout Magenta Health's physical spaces;

    • Physical access to computer servers have been restricted to those staff requiring access; and

    • Decommissioned equipment used to process or store PHI is securely disposed of;

  • To further enhance the security of your Personal Health Information, here are some examples of larger ongoing work (as of February 2024):

    • we are in the midst of fully migrating to an online messaging portal to eliminate the use of incoming email

    • we are developing encrypted email capabilities to eliminate the use of plain text emails

    • we are migrating our IT systems to a Tier 1 Data Centre to minimize the risk of physical theft

  • At Magenta Health - NO.

    We are not aware of any material compromise of our systems and we're working to keep it that way.

  • Specific to Magenta Health, we strongly recommend that the email address you have registered on file with us is your personal email (i.e. not an email that is shared with anyone else, or a ‘work’ email). This will help ensure that any medical information, appointment notices, referral content, etc. is not intercepted by any other individual or third-party.

    Additional advice from other reputable sources:

    Privacy Commissioner of Canada

    NPR

    Microsoft

The End of an Era: We’re Closing Our Main Email Inbox

In the nearly 10 years since the inception of Magenta Health, approximately 400,000 incoming emails have been received, read, and handled by our amazing team.

We’re at the end of this era - as of today, we’re closing our email inbox, which means emails sent there will no longer be received. Instead,

  • patients are asked to initiate inquiries and requests via their physician’s personal homepage.

  • third-parties and non-patients are asked to initiate inquiries via our homepage.

  • it remains an option to call our staff during regular business hours.

Why this change?

It’s to preserve the capacity of family doctors to provide timely and high quality care.

We’ve shared for many years that giving patients the option to send us emails has been extremely challenging. The volume of messages, the complexity of messages, and mismatched expectations are all aspects of the problem. We’ve tried many different strategies to address the issue, none with great success.

At this point, incoming emails has become the most frustrating part of the job for many Magenta Health physicians. It takes away from time better spent talking to patients directly. It leads to miscommunication and mismatched expectations. It detracts from the continued delivery of high quality care.

Does this mean no more written correspondence?

No - we’ll still be using written correspondence for all the reasons discussed in our patient communication policy and our technology use policy. We continue to think written correspondence has a key role.

For example, Magenta Health physicians still plan to send outgoing written messages to patients because there’s many different situations where that’s the best mode of communication. And in many cases, physicians will explicitly invite (or even require) a written response.

What’s ending is the ability to send us emails in an unrestricted way, anytime, anywhere, of any length. The replacement tool has been in place for a few months now - patients can still respond (or initiate) in writing in some situations, just not through email.

Why is a physician homepage better than email?

Our physician homepages have been designed to act like virtual receptionists. They can answer many common questions, and if it can’t, it directs patients to the right option for them in the circumstances. For example:

Ask it “I’d like a referral to a dermatologist”. It will automatically explain why an appointment is important, and take you to the appropriate booking page:

Alternatively, ask it for “I’d like a sick note”. It will explain when you can submit a written request vs. when you should book an appointment:

Email lacks these nuances. Anyone can choose to send an email anytime - and, in practice they do. 3AM emails advising “I might be having a heart attack, what should I do?” are unfortunately far more frequent than one might think.

There may be some hiccups these coming weeks as we all adjust to a new normal. For example, there will be situations where we sent a message within the last month via the old email address, inviting a response, and yet this email address no longer accepts replies.

We’ve done our best to establish a transition plan that minimizes these issues.

We thank you for your patience and understanding; we believe this change will help ensure we can continue to serve our community effectively and to the highest standards in the years to come.

Fall 2023 Updates on Uninsured Services and Fees

As dedicated healthcare providers within the community, we consistently strive to make a positive impact on the lives of patients such as yourself and your loved ones. In order to continue our vision of providing a high standard of quality care for our patients, we will be implementing some updates to your physician’s practice.

Below is an update on what to expect moving forward at Magenta Health.

***

During the pandemic, the processes and fees associated with services such as prescription renewals without appointments became very confusing. To make things as simple as possible for patients during uncertain times, many physicians chose to waive the fees typically associated with such uninsured services.

Unfortunately, this style of practice is no longer sustainable. Over the past couple years, we have continued to see rising costs of operations spurred on by inflation. Administrative burdens on physicians are at an all time high,which is a primary culprit for the current family doctor shortage that we are experiencing in the province, including within the City of Toronto.

With all of this said, the team has reflected on how we can best ensure the longevity of Magenta Health, and the physicians who practice at our clinics.

Beginning the week of November 13, 2023, Magenta Health will be implementing a policy to ensure all clinic physicians charge for the uninsured services they provide. The most common example of this is prescription renewals without an appointment, which is not covered by OHIP. Our intention is to direct resources into relieving administrative burdens, both for your physician, and our staff, and secure a long-standing foundation for the Magenta Health team.

We appreciate your understanding in this matter. This was not a simple or easy decision to make, but our collective hope is that it will make a measurable impact on clinic resources, and on the consistency of care we’re able to provide.

Yes - it's fall and time for the flu shot!

Time flies and it’s fall again! That’s right - time for your annual flu vaccine!

Your Magenta Health Physicians continue to recommend that everyone who is 6 months or older should get an annual flu vaccine.

Getting a flu vaccine helps to protect you, those close to you and our greater community. 

See this link for some great information about the flu, the flu vaccine and important reasons to get a flu vaccine each fall!

Check out our flu FAQ page for more information! 

WaYS to get your flu shot

Outside magenta health

For your convenience and due to our limited resources and supply, we suggest getting your flu vaccine using one of these options:

  • Many pharmacies in your neighbourhood offer flu vaccines to anyone aged 2 years and older. Please contact them directly to confirm availability and what ages they will vaccinate.

    • Of particular note, if you are 5 years of age or older, our co-located pharmacy partner at the Beaches clinic, Queen East Medical Pharmacy, is providing flu shots by appointment. Go to their website to book your appointment. They have also offered to give priority to Magenta Health patients so do mention that you are a patient at Magenta Health when connecting with them.

  • Toronto Public Health - check their website for locations and to book.

  • Other community health centres may also offer flu clinics. Please contact them directly.

  • Travel clinics may be able to offer flu vaccines to those aged 6 months and older. Please contact them directly.

As always, we recommend you call ahead and ensure that they have the vaccine in stock and to see if they have any age restrictions.

At Magenta Health

Due to limited supply and capacity, we are currently limiting who can get a flu vaccine at Magenta Health to those who are at an increased risk of complications from the flu.

You can get your flu vaccine at Magenta Health if you are a patient of a Magenta Health physician AND one of the following:

Our clinic stock of the various flu vaccines come from the Ontario government pharmacy and are stocked based on their schedule and inventory, meaning we don’t have control over delays or supply.

Click here to learn how book an appointment!

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Check our our flu FAQ webpage!

IMPORTANT Update for Patients of Dr. Jennifer Peng

An electronic version of this letter was circulated mid-October 2023.

I hope you’re doing well! I am writing to share an important update with you.

Whether I’ve been your family doctor for some time, or I took over your care more recently, it has been my pleasure to be your family physician and I hope to continue to be your family physician for many years to come. 

However, due to unexpected health changes in my family and my personal obligations, I no longer have the option of regularly commuting to Magenta Health’s Riverside location. We explored the option of finding a replacement physician for myself, but as I’m sure you’ve heard, family physicians are currently few and far between.

I’ve settled on a compromise so that I can continue to be your family doctor. Specifically, starting January 15, 2024, I will be seeing patients from Magenta Health’s Midtown location only, at the major intersection of Avenue and Eglinton. There is parking nearby, and with the Eglinton Crosstown expected to open soon, a subway station is less than a block away. I also plan to continue to offer virtual phone and video appointments.

I understand transitions can be hard and with my recent parental leave, you have had your fair share of change already. Please know that I’ve made this decision only after extensive reflection and exploration of alternatives. For roughly half of my patients, this new location will be equal or somewhat more convenient. For the other half, I acknowledge that this new location will be less convenient for you to access. If this is the case for you, I apologize and appreciate in advance your understanding and patience. I hope you see this as a better alternative than being left without a family doctor.

At this point, there is nothing for you to do. I plan to continue seeing patients from the Riverside location until January 15, 2024, at which point, my in-person appointments will switch to the Midtown location and you will be automatically notified and reminded of this change when booking. Most importantly, there will be no interruption in your medical care as I remain your family doctor supported by the same team - the only change is where I will be seeing you in-person.

Lastly, if there are medical reasons that make it difficult to attend in-person appointments at the Midtown location, the clinic has established a form where you can register a request to potentially transfer to another Magenta Health physician at the Riverside location, should the opportunity arise in the future. To manage expectations though, transferring isn’t an option right now due to a lack of physician capacity. For more details, and to submit this form, please proceed here.

Thank you again - I greatly appreciate your patience and understanding.


Kind regards,
Dr. Jennifer Peng


IMPORTANT Update for Patients of Dr. Heather Sherwin

A version of the following message was circulated electronically on June 7, 2023.

I have good news to share with you!

As you are all aware, I have been searching for a physician to take over the remainder of my practice permanently as I want to ensure everyone continues to have a family doctor. This has not been an easy or quick process.

Dr. Alessandra Pizzolato, who has been managing your care since May 1st, has graciously agreed to remain as your permanent family physician. She will be officially taking over my practice as of August 1, 2023.

Starting immediately, you can use Dr. Pizzolato’s booking link to book your appointments with her.

There is nothing else that you will need to do differently due to these changes. Continue to contact the clinic and your family doctor as you always have. The clinic will be handling all the changes in the background for you, and I’ll be working with Dr. Pizzolato to transfer over your care.

I want to thank you for your patience while I worked to find a new family physician over the past year. I wish you good health and all the best for the future.

*** Additional information from Magenta Health ***

  • The pandemic has given rise to more changes in life situations among physicians, just like in the rest of the community. We’re doing our best to arrange a replacement physician where possible - we are grateful that Dr. Pizzolato is available to take over permanently to ensure continuing care.

  • We won’t be able to accommodate requests for a family doctor other than Dr. Pizzolato, inclusive of requests for a male physician, or to switch clinics. There is already a significant shortage of family physicians in the community and a very long waiting list of patients attempting to book intake appointments with us.

  • Should you decide to transfer to a completely different physician outside of Magenta Health, please request your medical records by contacting us directly: https://www.magentahealth.ca/request-for-medical-records

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR PATIENTS OF DR. HEATHER SHERWIN

A version of the following message was circulated electronically December 2022:

As many of you are aware, I have indefinitely moved out of Toronto for family reasons. For a period of time I worked closely with colleagues to provide care via a combination of virtual and in-person care. More recently, for the last few months, Dr. Alyssa Cantarutti has been covering my practice.

In the meantime, I have been searching for a physician to take over my practice permanently as I want to make sure everyone continues to have a family doctor. This has unfortunately proven to be difficult as there is an overall family doctor shortage across Ontario and Canada as detailed in the news and the Ontario Medical Association.

So far, I have been able to find

  • a permanent physician (Dr. Moosa Jamal) for half my practice

  • a temporary physician (Dr. Kathy Do) for the other half


To comply with my regulatory requirements, the clinic has randomly assigned patients between these doctors. You will each have received an email letting you know which physician you have been randomly assigned to and how to book appointments January 1 onwards.

Broadly speaking, there is nothing that you will need to do differently due to these changes. Just continue to book as you normally would; contact the clinic and your family doctor as you always have.

Everything went live January 1, 2023, so you will now be able to book online past January 1, 2023.

I will be working with Dr. Jamal and Dr. Do to ensure your ongoing continuity of care and to assist with the transition.

*** Additional information from Magenta Health ***

  1. The pandemic has given rise to more changes in life situations among physicians, just like in the rest of the community. We’re doing our best to offer a replacement physician where possible - we are grateful that Dr. Jamal is available to take over permanently and Dr. Do to take over temporarily to ensure continuing care.

  2. We don’t anticipate being able to accommodate requests to switch to another family doctor within the Magenta Health clinics at this time. There is already a significant shortage of family physicians in the community and a very long waiting list of patients attempting to book intake appointments with us.

  3. Should you decide to transfer to a completely different physician outside of Magenta Health, please request your medical records by contacting us directly: https://www.magentahealth.ca/request-for-medical-records

  4. Dr. Sherwin is not establishing another family practice in Ontario; therefore, it is not an option to remain with her in the long term.

  5. Dr. Cantarutti is currently on parental leave. We do not have confirmed details for where her practice will be located when she finishes her leave, or whether she will be accepting new patients at that time.

It's that time of year again! It’s Time for your annual flu vaccine!

Pumpkin spice lattes and changing leaves tell us that fall has officially arrived and with it comes flu season! It is time for your annual flu vaccine!

Your Magenta Health Physicians continue to recommend that everyone who is 6 month or older should get an annual flu vaccine!

Getting a flu vaccine will not only help to protect you but also helps to protect those around you and our greater community!  

See this link for some great information about what the flu is and why you should get a flu vaccine each fall!

Check out our flu FAQ page for more information! 

How to get your flu shot!

Outside magenta health

Given our limited resources and supply, this is our preference. Below you’ll find a list of some Toronto options that we are aware of:

  • Participating pharmacies offer flu vaccines to anyone aged 2 years and older. Please contact them directly to confirm availability and what ages they will vaccinate.

    • Of particular note, if you are 5 years of age or older, our co-located pharmacy partner at the Beach clinic, Queen East Medical Pharmacy, is providing flu shots by appointment. Go to their website to book your appointment. They have also offered to give priority to Magenta Health patients so do mention that you are a patient at Magenta Health when connecting with them.

  • Toronto Public Health will be offering flu vaccine clinics soon. Check their website and the TPH booking page for details as they become available.

  • Other community health centres may also offer flu clinics. Please contact them directly.

  • Travel clinics may be able to offer flu vaccines to those aged 6 months and older. Please contact them directly.

As always, we recommend you call ahead and ensure that they have the vaccine in stock and to see if they have any age restrictions:

At Magenta Health

Due to limited supply and capacity, we are currently limiting who can get a flu vaccine at Magenta Health to those who are at an increased risk of complications from the flu.

You can get your flu vaccine at Magenta Health if you are a patient at the clinic AND are at least one of the following:

We will do our best to stock the standard flu vaccine for everyone 6 months or older as well as both the high dose and the adjuvanted flu vaccines for those who are 65 or older. Note that we receive our vaccines from a government pharmacy and don’t have control over delays or limited supply.

See here to book an appointment!

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Check our our flu FAQ webpage! If the FAQs don’t answer your questions, please let us know!

My child missed their Grade 7/8 vaccines - what do I do now?

In Ontario, students normally receive a series of vaccinations in Grade 7 or 8 for the following vaccines:

  1. Two doses of a vaccine for the Human Papilloma Virus, given 6 months apart

  2. Two doses of a vaccine for Hepatitis B, given 6 months apart 

  3. One dose of a vaccine for Meningococcal disease

These vaccines are normally given by your local public health unit at your child’s school (more information about this program here). You can find out more about each vaccine with the links above, and about Ontario’s routine vaccination schedule here.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Toronto Public Health’s school-based vaccination programs were put on hold.  As a result, many students who were in Grade 7 or 8 during the 2020 and 2021 school years missed these vaccines, or had the schedule interrupted during that time.

For those who live or study in Toronto, we’re happy to advise that Toronto Public Health is now offering these catch up vaccines as their clinics again!

These vaccines are free for students completing grades 7 to 12 at TPH Vaccine Clinics. OHIP is not required. Walk-in or make an appointment online. New clinics are added each week and are also available on evenings and weekends.

You can request a copy of your child’s immunization records with Magenta Health here. To forestall the potential question, we would kindly like to advise that we typically do not have a record of whether or not patients have received the vaccines normally given in Grade 7/8. In general, we only have immunization records of vaccines that patients have either received through Magenta Health, or that patients have previously reported to us.

To gather additional records regarding your child’s immunization records, please review this Toronto Public Health site and contact previous health care providers.

If you do gather additional vaccination records, please send us to them at contact@magentahealth.ca so we can update our records accordingly.

Should you have any medically-related questions after reviewing the above information, a regular appointment with your physician would be the appropriate next step.

Can you finish the sentence below?

COVID-19 Vaccine Approved for Children under 5 years old

We’re excited to share an update regarding the approval of the first COVID-19 vaccine for children between 6 months and 5 years of age! Health Canada has approved a paediatric version of the Moderna vaccine. This version of the vaccine will be administered in doses one-quarter the size of that approved for adults.

At the time of writing this blog post, Magenta Health does not have immediate plans to offer the COVID-19 vaccine to patients of any age directly at our clinics. Currently, there are public vaccination sites throughout the city that are offering COVID-19 vaccines to eligible individuals.

Starting July 28, appointments will be available through the COVID-19 vaccination portal and the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre, directly through public health units using their own booking system, participating primary care providers and paediatricians, as well as at participating pharmacies and Indigenous-led vaccination clinics.

Parents and caregivers with questions are encouraged to speak with their health care provider or call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900 to speak to a health specialist or visit COVID-19 Vaccine Consult Service to book a confidential phone appointment with a SickKids Registered Nurse.

For more resources on how to book your child’s COVID-19 vaccine, general COVID-19 information, and common FAQs about the COVID-19 vaccines, please visit the following page: https://www.magentahealth.ca/covid-vaccine-rollout

Important Notice for Patients of Dr. Anna Piekos

The following message was circulated electronically on June 17, 2022:

I am writing this letter to share some bittersweet news.

My family and I have decided to leave Toronto and relocate to Collingwood. Sadly, this means that I will be stepping away permanently from my family practice at Magenta Health this summer. Although this is the right decision for my family, it was a difficult decision to make. It has been my pleasure and privilege to take care of my patients and their families for the past 8 years.

Since making this decision, I have been actively searching to find the right physician to take over my practice and to help ensure the continuity of your care. 

I am pleased to be able to announce the following arrangements:

  1. From July 4 to September 2, 2022, Dr. Sandra Trat will temporarily cover my practice. Some of you have likely had the pleasure of meeting her as she has been helping to cover the leave of several of my colleagues since Fall 2021.

  2. Starting September 6, 2022, Dr. Tim Ramharry will permanently replace me and take over my practice.

I am very pleased to have found Dr. Ramharry to replace me as your family physician and have  confidence that he will provide you with excellent care!

A brief biography of Dr. Ramharry will be posted within the next few weeks. He is looking forward to meeting you!

There is nothing that you will need to do differently due to these changes. Just continue to book as you normally would; contact the clinic and your family doctor as you always have.

I wish you good health and all the best. 

Kind regards,

Dr. Anna Piekos

*** Additional information from Magenta Health ***

  1. We are cognizant that some current patients of Dr. Piekos transferred to her due to the departure of other Magenta Health physicians. The pandemic has given rise to more changes in life situations among physicians, just like in the rest of the community. We’re doing our best to offer a replacement physician where possible - we are grateful that Dr. Ramharry was available to take over permanently to ensure continuing care.

  2. We don’t anticipate being able to accommodate requests for a family doctor other than Dr. Ramharry, inclusive of requests for a female physician. There is already a significant shortage of family physicians in the community and a very long waiting list of patients attempting to book intake appointments with us. 

  3. Dr. Trat is not a permanent Magenta Health physician. She is not scheduled to remain at the clinic past September 2, 2022, and so it will not be an option to continue to see Dr. Trat after that date.

  4. Dr. Piekos will not be opening a new practice right away so it is not currently a possibility to sign up with her in Collingwood. CPSO information is kept up to date regarding all registered physicians. Please refer to the CPSO website directly if you have any questions about Dr. Piekos’ future whereabouts.

  5. Should you decide to transfer to a completely different physician outside of Magenta Health, please request your medical records by contacting us directly: https://www.magentahealth.ca/request-for-medical-records 

Courtesy in Communication

At Magenta Health, courtesy and kindness guide our staff in relationships with patients, as well as their fellow colleagues.

Our team of staff are made up of individuals in the community who are patients themselves, and understand the challenges of navigating a strained healthcare system. We are your neighbours, your friends, and family members. 

As individuals, we care deeply about being kind, and we work hard to make things a bit easier during these difficult times. As an organization, we strive to show respect and professionalism in all interactions.

Our request for you is simple. Please be kind. 

Several members of the Magenta Health team

You might be frustrated; you might not be getting what you need; a mistake might have been made.  Despite the circumstances, we ask that you remember that the person you’re speaking to, whether in person, by phone, in writing, or by voicemail, is a person. A person who is trying to help you and deserves your kindness.  

It only takes a single rude or aggressive interaction to ruin someone’s day. You wouldn’t want this in your own life. Please don’t be that person for someone else - be the person that makes someone else’s day better.

CLOSING THE LOOP ON MEDICAL RESULTS

We’re excited to share that we’re beta-testing a new tool (built in-house!) to track and audit the receipt of medical results and to “close the loop” with patients. Imagine the tracking codes you get when you order online, but for medical information!

During this beta-test, Dr. Marco Lo and Dr. Priscilla Che are only tracking certain samples collected in-clinic. These patients are then sent a special link containing a tracking code so that they can check on the status of the sample, such as whether results have been received or reviewed.

The plan is to expand this over time to more physicians, more patients, and eventually, every piece of medical information that we expect to receive, whether it’s for medical tests, requests for old medical records, or even reports from specialists.

Doctor's note attesting to COVID-19 Recovery

We are receiving requests from patients asking for a doctor’s note attesting that they’ve had, and have recovered from COVID. This is typically related to travel, daycare, school, or work.

To obtain such notes, please schedule an appointment with your Magenta Health physician after reviewing the following caveats and context:

  • An appointment is required to allow for direct assessment and to review the circumstances with you

  • Providing a doctor’s note is not an OHIP covered service and will typically result in an invoice from your physician

  • Your physician cannot guarantee the sufficiency of their note for the intended purpose. This is particularly the case when it comes to travel. Your physician will not be able to advise on the requirements of different jurisdictions - this will need to be something that you assess and evaluate yourself.

  • Notes will be factual in nature such as “the patient reported to me a positive test on a self-administrated rapid antigen test”.

Important Notice for Patients of Dr. Andrew Chou

The following message was circulated electronically January 26, 2022:

I hope you have had a wonderful holiday and a Happy New Year!

As you know, I have been on leave from my practice at Magenta Health since September 2021. Dr. Sandra Trat has been covering my practice.

Recently, after much thought, I have made the difficult decision to permanently step away from my family practice at Magenta Health.

To help ensure you continue to have a family doctor, I have made the following arrangements:

  • Between now and April 15, 2022, Dr. Sandra Trat will continue to cover my practice.

  • Starting April 16, 2022, Dr. Heba Shamsi will permanently replace me and take over my practice.


Some of you may have already had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Shamsi; she is currently covering a colleague of mine at Magenta Health and I’ve found her wonderful and caring. I am confident that you will be in excellent hands with her. She is looking forward to meeting you! Her brief biography is available here: https://www.magentahealth.ca/shamsi

There is nothing that you will need to do differently due to these changes. Just continue to book as you normally would; contact the clinic and your family doctor as you always have.

It has been a privilege and honour to take part in your care. I wish you good health and all the best.


Warm regards,

Dr. Andrew Chou

*** Additional information from Magenta Health ***

  1. We don’t anticipate being able to accommodate requests for a family doctor other than Dr. Shamsi, inclusive of requests for a male physician. There is already a significant shortage of family physicians in the community and a very long waiting list of patients attempting to book intake appointments with us. We are grateful that Dr. Shamsi was available to take over permanently to ensure continuing care.

  2. Dr. Trat is not a permanent Magenta Health physician. She is not scheduled to remain at the clinic past April 15, 2022 and so it will not be an option to continue to see Dr. Trat after that date.

  3. CPSO information is kept up to date regarding all registered physicians. Please refer to the CPSO website directly if you have any questions about Dr. Chou’s current or future whereabouts.

  4. You might notice invoices for non-OHIP covered services coming from Dr. Shamsi instead of Dr. Chou as of January 1, 2022. For regulatory reasons, you are officially Dr. Shamsi’s patient as of January 1, 2022 although the practical transition won’t be complete until April 16, 2022 as described above.

  5. Should you decide to transfer to a completely different physician outside of Magenta Health, please request your medical records by contacting us directly: https://www.magentahealth.ca/request-for-medical-records

Deferring Non-Urgent Appointments to Prioritize Vaccinations

The following message was added to our online scheduling system December 16, 2021

You are seeing this message because this type of appointment is not currently available for booking.

The reason is because family doctors have been asked to assist with an urgent effort to vaccinate Ontario residents. Magenta Health physicians will be working at community vaccination clinics to participate in these efforts.

This assistance includes deferring non-urgent services such as adult health exams, pap tests, and well child visits for children aged 2+.

Thank you for your understanding and patience; if you are eligible, we highly recommend you receive your vaccinations, including booster shots, as soon as possible.

More information is available here:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/covid-19-ontario-dec-15-2021-booster-announcement-1.6286537

https://www.magentahealth.ca/covid-vaccine-rollout

Important Notice for Patients of Dr. Eugenie Phan

The following message was circulated electronically in early November 2021 by Dr. Eugenie Phan to her active patients:

I have made the difficult decision of closing my family practice in order to focus on my other practice of providing care for homebound seniors through House Calls.  My last day providing care at Magenta Health will be on Friday, December 3rd, 2021.

Your care will be seamlessly transferred to Dr. Jennifer Peng, who has graciously accepted the commitment of taking over your care on Monday December 6th, 2021.  You will use the same booking process and pages to book your appointments with Dr. Peng. Although the news may seem to be sudden, this difficult decision was made some time ago, and we have been actively seeking to find the right physician to whom I would be confident in providing the expertise and level of care that I wish for you.I know you will all be in excellent hands with Dr. Peng.

Dr. Jennifer Peng is a practicing family doctor in the community and will be relocating her current practice to Magenta Health. She is a graduate of the University of Toronto Family Medicine Program and completed her residency training at Mount Sinai Hospital. She has an interest in preventative health and patient education.

It has been an absolute honor to be able to take part in your care. Family practice is about relationship building, and through this relationship with you, I have learned to be a better doctor. I am truly sad to leave, but the challenges of this year have made me realize the need to prioritize my time in an area of care that is under-serviced. I know that the pandemic has been tough for many of you, so please do continue to take care of yourself. Thank you for trusting me with your health.

In Kindness,

Dr. Eugenie Phan