Portland 613-272-3302 Westport 613-273-9850
Fax 613-272-3024

Frequently Asked Questions

Country Roads Community Health Centre

How do I get my prescriptions renewed?

There are two ways to get your prescriptions renewed. If you have not had an appointment with your doctor or nurse practitioner for several months, we ask that you to make an appointment to review your medications. Some medications require monitoring of bloodwork and other tests. You can also call your community pharmacy to confirm if you have any further refills and ask them to send a refill request to us. Your doctor or nurse practitioner will review the refill request and determine whether or not it is important for you to be seen before renewing. Please allow at least 7 days for the renewal to be completed.


Why do I see a Nurse Practitioner instead of a Doctor?

At Country Roads, a Nurse Practitioner (NP) works as an independent practitioner to support clients in their care. Similar to physicians, nurse practitioners are specially trained to assess client needs, order and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, diagnose illness and disease, prescribe medication and develop treatment plans in collaboration with their clients. NP’s work in partnership with physicians, nurses and other health care providers including social workers, midwives, mental health professionals and pharmacists to keep you, your family and your community well.

To learn more about Nurse Practitioners: Check out this short Video https://npao.org/about-npao/what-is-a-np/


What if I get sick after the centre is closed?

If you get sick on a weekend, holiday or after the office has closed for the day, you can call either of our office locations at 613-272-3302, or 613-273-9850 to reach the after-hours call service. They will notify the doctor on call of your medical concern, and you will receive a call from the doctor directly. If you have a medical emergency, you will need to call 911.


Why do I need to bring all of my medications to every appointment?

We ask you to bring all of your medications, including over the counter medications, with you to all appointments with your healthcare provider. This will help to ensure that we have accurate and complete medication records, and allow us to provide the best possible and safest care to you. This is extra important if you have recently been prescribed a medication by a specialist or have recently been discharged from hospital.


I have recently been discharged from hospital, should I book an appointment to see my doctor or nurse practitioner?

It is very important for you to see your doctor or nurse practitioner within a week after being discharged from hospital. Bringing your medications and any records received while in hospital with you to these appointments will help to ensure your health records are up to date, help your practitioner better understand the events surrounding your hospital admission, and help you to better understand your follow up care and assist you to prevent a readmission to hospital from any possible complications. Please call our reception team to schedule an appointment within a week of being discharged.


When I call to book an appointment, why does the receptionist need to know what my appointment is for?

Giving us as much information about the reason for your appointment will allow us to book the appointment with the most appropriate team member, and allow enough time for you to be able to discuss your concerns and develop a treatment plan with your provider. Our receptionists, are a key part of your health care team and are specially trained in protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your personal health information.


When should I go to the Emergency Department?

Country Roads recognizes there are many reasons that people use emergency rooms and hospitals. As a Health Care agency, we are trying to reduce Emergency Room usage and encourage our clients to access their local health services when appropriate.

Our Health Centre offers same day or next day appointments as needed by calling reception at 613-273-9850 in Westport or 613-272-3302 in Portland. You can also ask to speak with a member of our nursing team who will either assist you over the phone or arrange for you to come in to be seen.

We also provide Telephone Services, after hours and on weekends through our on call physician. For the on-call physician please call 613-272-3302 and the answering service will connect you.

We do hope this information is helpful to you as we strive to provide appropriate and timely health care while reducing the use on our emergency services.


Why do you collect information such as household income, education level, and sexual orientation?

As a Community Health Centre, we are required to collect information about those who access our programs and services in order to help us understand how we can provide you with the best care possible. We believe that many factors including housing, income, social support, education and employment can affect your health. Please provide us with as much information as possible. We recognize the sensitivity of some of the questions we ask. This information is used for planning purposes only and remains confidential. We comply with all legislative requirements of the Ministry of Health including the Personal Health Information and Protection Act. If you have any questions about our privacy policies or about this form, please feel free to contact our privacy officer, Brandice Hartin at 613-272-3302 ext. 240.


Why does my doctor or nurse practitioner not perform annual physical health exams any longer?

There is no scientific evidence that giving people an annual “checkup” actually prevents more disease and saves more lives. Doing the same screening tests every year on everybody can result in over-testing lower-risk people and under-testing those at higher risk of certain diseases. The solution is a Customized Care approach uniquely designed for each individual. Instead of running the same test on everybody every year, we aim to provide a “personalized health visit”. This personalized health visit is for healthy people who have no apparent medical problems, where you and your provider can utilize your time together to discuss screening for cancer and other health issues relevant to your individual health history and lifestyle. As well, any screening or exam is focused on your individual needs based on your personal risk profile, health history, your age and gender.

Check out this video to help us explain it better!

We offer a blend of in person, telephone or virtual appointments. Let us know what type of appointment would best meet your needs.