Dr. Charles van Zyl Clinic

Prepare for your appointment

Tips for making the most of your visit to our clinic

A well-prepared patient makes for a smoother, more efficient visit—benefiting not only themselves but also their care providers and fellow patients.

These steps create a productive, stress-free visit, ensuring better health outcomes while making the clinic experience smoother for everyone. Let us know if you would you like advice on any of the steps below. Here’s how to optimize the experience:

(1) Know who you need to see

  • Do you need to see the doctor for something new or existing or can our nurse or pharmacist or even the Medical Office Assistant (MOA) help you?
  • The MOA can take some information from you if you believe the doctor, nurse or pharmacist may be able to help you without an appointment.

(2) Know how long the appointment is

  • Our default appointment is 15 min. If you know that you have a lot to cover, please inform the MOA at the time of making the appointment. We can not accommodate everyone who feel like the need this and will attempt to gather some information through the clinical staff (doctor, pharmacist) before the visit to try and get it all covered
  • The doctor may book longer appointments for certain follow-up appointments and surgical procedures.
  • If you have a time sensitive document or form that needs to be completed please communicate this to the MOA at the time of booking and drop it off or send it via pomelo messaging, email, or fax.

(3) Before the Visit

  • Make a List of Concerns – Jot down symptoms, questions, and anything you want to discuss. Prioritize them so the most pressing issues are covered first.
  • Bring Necessary Information – bring current medications summaries or bottles, allergies, and previous test results if applicable.
  • Arrive Early – Aim to be at the clinic at least 5-10 minutes early to complete paperwork, or have your vital signs checked if necessary. Please do NOT arrive even earlier
  • We may ask you to complete forms or questionnaires before your visit at home or in the waiting room.

(4) During the Visit

  • Communicate Clearly & Concisely – Stick to key details when describing symptoms (e.g., when they started, how often they occur, what worsens or improves them).
  • Be Honest & Open – Share lifestyle habits, mental health concerns, and anything that may impact treatment—providers need full context to help effectively.
  • Ask Questions – If something is unclear, ask for clarification. Ensure you understand your diagnosis, treatment plan, and next steps.
  • We use an artificial intelligence background scribe to capture the relevant information. Unless you really want to take notes rest assured that we can provide you with a printed or emailed summary of the visit and or plan.
  • Be Respectful & Patient – Healthcare providers juggle many responsibilities; being courteous and understanding creates a positive experience for all.

(5) After the Visit

  • Follow Instructions provided. If you left without written instruction and need to follow up on the plan, please ask the MOA or nurse to assist.
  • The doctor may ask the RN or pharmacist to connect with you for the follow up to discuss results, response to treatments etc.

(6) Be Considerate for Others

  • Cancel appointments ahead of time if you can’t make them, so another patient can take the slot.
  • The office will charge a $20 fee for a no-show. The first no show will be waived.

Types of visits

There is no more “annual physical”.  Instead let’s call it a periodic health exam. Really it is more comprehensive and makes more sense

  • Studies haven’t consistently demonstrated that annual exams significantly improve health outcomes or longevity for healthy individuals. Without a personalized approach there is a higher likelihood of unnecessary testing and the bad that come from this.
  • Focus on individual needs: Periodic health exams allow doctors to tailor exams to the specific needs of each patient, taking into account their age, risk factors, and personal and family health history. 

 

What to expect at a periodic health exam?

  • Review of health history: The doctor will discuss your health history, including any concerns, medications, and past medical conditions. 
  • Review of vital signs: Your blood pressure, heart rate, and other vital signs will be checked. 
  • Physical exam: The doctor may examine relevant areas
  • Screening tests: Depending on your age and risk factors, you may receive screenings for conditions like diabetes, thyroid issues, and high cholesterol. 
  • Health counseling: The doctor will discuss healthy habits and provide guidance on preventing disease. 

 

So what is different then ?

  • No examination of body parts where there is a low yield for actually finding something or high likelihood of a falsely reassuring exam. Think skin : what you see is what you get.
  • Focussing on what is relevant to the individual rather than his or her peers
  • Does not need to happen once a year. In fact unless previously specified every other year starting after age 50 is adequate. Once every 5 years before this age is adequate.
  • Booked in advance for new ailment or concern. Can be booked with doctor, nurse or pharmacist
  • If booked in advance and you no longer require the visit by the time it the appointment is to happen (problem has resolved) please cancel this appointment.
  • You are concerned with a new issue that seems serious, is affecting your day-to-day, or require urgent documentation to be completed.
  • This is booked the same morning or day before and will be a strict 15minutes long
  • Scheduled by either doctor, nurse, pharmacist or hospital and is dedicated to a specific problem.
  • It is max 15 minutes long.
  • Reserved for pain, or joint injections and is strictly for this purpose.
  • It is limited to the time needed to safely perform the injection(s).
  • If a visit is for WorkSafe BC, ICBC or other private insurance companies
  • please have all the details (claim number, employer phone number, date of injury etc) ready.
  • Please also inform the MOA of the need for this visit. She will determine whether it can be covered in 15 – 30minutes.
AI scribes are digital tools powered by artificial intelligence and natural language processing that assist clinicians by transcribing and summarizing patient interactions in real-time. AI scribes reduce the administrative burden on clinicians by automating repetitive tasks such as documenting patient visits, updating medical records, and summarizing treatment plans. It is essentially the computer (not your records) listening in on the conversation/visit. There is no voice or audio recording. At the end of your visit the relevant medical information is extracted and the doctor (only user at this stage) verifies this information for accuracy before entering it into your records. Your doctor may now also speak out loud when examining you so the computer can gather this information. This would be the only change from before. The use of this technology and data is approved and regulated in Canada under several licensing authorities.