Walk-in clinic or family doctor: what's the difference?

If you have been using walk-in clinics for years, you are not alone. They are convenient, and they fill a real need. But a walk-in visit and a family doctor do different jobs.

What a walk-in clinic does well

A walk-in clinic is built for one problem at a time:

• a sore throat, an ear infection or a urinary infection
• a new rash or a minor injury
• a short prescription when you are away from your usual doctor

You come in, you are seen, and the visit is done.

What a family doctor does that a walk-in can't

A family doctor looks after you over years, not minutes.

• They know your history. Past results, family history and medications are in one record.
• They follow chronic conditions. Diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma and thyroid problems need regular review, not a fresh start each visit.
• They keep your screening on track. Pap and HPV tests, mammograms, colon screening and vaccines happen on schedule.
• They coordinate specialists. Referrals, reports and follow-up come back to one person.
• They notice change. A doctor who has seen you before is more likely to notice when something is different.

Walk-in visits when you have a family doctor

If you are registered with a family doctor in a group practice, it matters where you go for walk-in care. Visits to an outside walk-in clinic can count against your own practice. Using your own clinic's walk-in hours, or its after-hours clinic, keeps your care in one record.

Read What "rostering" means in Ontario for more on this.

At Kennedy Medical Centre, you can have both

We run a walk-in clinic for anyone who needs same-day care, and we are accepting new patients for ongoing family medicine. If you have been coming to our walk-in clinic, you can register with one of our family doctors and keep coming to the same building.

• See our walk-in hours
• Apply as a new patient. Our staff will call you within 48 hours.