1. How can I get my child to see a Paediatrician? Dr. Goldade sees children on a referral only basis. They need to be referred by another physician, often your Family Doctor or Nurse Practitioner. Dr. Goldade does not see healthy children for "primary care".
2. Why is Dr. Goldade's wait time so long? Dr. Goldade's wait-lists have grown exponentially, and we truly appreciate your
frustration in sometimes being unable to see a medical professional (including Dr.Goldade) in a timely fashion. Unfortunately, there are just not enough Paediatricians in Calgary to take care of
all the patients. A personal note from Dr. Goldade: If you are as equally frustrated (as I am) regarding the lack of timely resources in Alberta, you must complain to your MLA
here. Complain loudly to them.. as we are ALL working hard and are feeling exhausted. Know that I'm a parent too ... and share in your frustration. As well, check out my thoughts
in the Government Advocacy section of this website. If you feel you or your child have an emergency and cannot get in to see me, please see your Family Physician, go to a walk-in clinic or go to
an Emergency Room.
3. How do I book a follow-up appointment? You are required to book all follow-up
appointments,. It's best to organize the follow up appointment at the end of any visit. Or you can email
our office. Our office will not contact you to book follow up appointments. Dr. Goldade usually visits with your child every 6-8 months. If it's been
more than 12 months since your child has been seen, you will need a Referral from your Family Doctor to be seen again. Prescription refills or brief email do not count as a Visit.
4. How do I cancel or re-book an appointment? Please Contact Us or text (403-620-4204) to let us know (the sooner the better). If less than 24 hours (1 full
business day) is given, you will be subject to a missed appointment fee. Please refer to the Office/Patient Services section for more information. Even if the appointment is only with a parent, that works too.
5. I'm running late, what do I do to avoid a missed appointment fee? Please Contact Us or text (403-620-4204) our office as soon as possible, and the front staff can review the options with you (such as a phone call with Dr. Goldade). Most likely you will need
to reschedule as our office runs very on time.
6. Should I come early to the appointment? You are encouraged to join the Virtual Visit 5 mins early. Ensure your microphone and camera are working.
7. Why is Dr. Goldade late at times? This can happen for a variety of reasons, most commonly because a family before you
arrived late to their appointment. You can help us avoid this by ensuring you arrive early so your child is ready to see the doctor at the scheduled appointment time.
8. Why do I have to pay for "uninsured services"? Uninsured services are not covered by Alberta Health Care. The cost of these services are based on suggestions from the Alberta Medical Association. To review a list of uninsured services, please refer to the Office/Patient Services section.
9. Can I email forms or reports or questions to Dr. Goldade? Recently, we have made it possible for you to email reports and forms to our office. At this time, email is considered INSECURE. We also have a SECURE email service (called Brightsquid). Ask Dr. Goldade or the staff about this option.
10. Can I phone Dr. Goldade? You will not be able to speak to Dr. Goldade by simply calling in or emailing. We can try to accommodate a phone call or a Virtual Visit but it still needs to be scheduled via email.
11. Why do I need a re-referral for my child to see Dr. Goldade? A re-referral is needed once your child's file has been closed or if it has been more than 12 months since your last In Person visit. This may happen if your child does not follow-up with Dr. Goldade within the recommended time period (usually within 6-8 months) or if Dr. Goldade feels no follow up is required. Prescription refills or brief email do not count as a Visit.
12. My child has behavioural/learning problems. Will Dr. Goldade provide us with counselling? Dr Goldade is not a Psychologist nor a Counsellor. She is not a Psychiatrist. She does not provide Psychoeducational Assessments, and she does not provide Primary Care. She will assess your child from a MEDICAL perspective and make recommendations based on that. She considers herself to be a "coordinator/collaborator/case manager".
13. Why are there medical students or residents that see my child? Often, Dr. Goldade will have medical students from the University of Calgary and Residents from the Alberta Children's Hospital and the University of Calgary with her in the office. Dr. Goldade is committed to the education of our future doctors. Generally, based on the student's experience, the goal is to try and allow the student to function as the Physician (with much guidance). They usually spend time with you and your child ... gathering data (with detailed instruction from Dr. Goldade) and then they come to present their findings to Dr. Goldade and attempt a plan. Then the student and Dr. Goldade will visit with you and your child to ensure that the information gathered is correct and the plan is appropriate and safe.
14. Why am I charged for a Doctor's Signature? Any Doctor's time is very valuable. You may be asking for a simple signature but if their name is being put on the form, the doctor likely needs to read the form/letter and ensure it's accurate. Even if this takes 5 minutes, it takes time and this is considered an "uninsured service". In other words, your Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan is actually not free. Another example is that a Lawyer would also likely charge you for a signature for the same service (and likely charge you quite a bit more). The administrative burden of practice has greatly increased in the last few years. Forms are the major cause. Remember, these forms are NOT paid for by the Alberta Health Care Plan. Hence, here is some information and recommendations on how you can help with these forms (and get them back to you as quickly as possible):
15. How do I get a copy of my child's file? You can obtain a copy of a full file by USB transfer for a fee. There is a basic $60 fee to get the process started. But there will likely be additional fees such as:
16. How do I complete the Disability Tax Credit? There are several ways to complete the paperwork for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC).
a) You can engage a Psychologist to do the DTC for you. They tend to charge about $220 for one hour of work (but that's if they already know your child). It could cost more if they don't.
b) You can also consider contacting Lorna SELIG. She used to work with Children's Link and for about $250 she can help you complete the DTC. She is probably the FASTEST way to get it done. Phone: 403-701-9037. Email: lornaselig.gt@gmail.com
c) I can also help with the DTC. But, at this time, I'm quite busy and can't guarantee a quick turn around (unless you help me out). There are several ways to help make this process MUCH easier (and more likely for you to get the DTC):
i) I would strongly recommend that you register for a workshop with Ms. Audrey VELTRI and for no cost, she could also help you complete the form which then helps me. You need to register for her workshop at:Register for a free online workshop with Ms. Audrey VELTRI, CFP® at this link:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/o/jenner-and-associates-103852899881
This is a virtual workshop which Ms. Veltri runs monthly, typically the first Tuesday of each month. In this session you will learn how to navigate the process of applying for the Disability Tax Credit and discover ways to maximize potential benefits. She will help you work through the application form, and you can fill it out alongside her. She will also discuss how once APPROVED you can maximize the credit, how to claim it on an ongoing basis, and discuss other government and financial supports that are available. Families can register for the workshop. Note that Audrey may suggest some financial advice, but you are under absolutely no obligation to accept it. The following topics will be discussed.
1. What is the credit
2. Who is eligible
3. How do you apply
4. Maximizing your refund
5. Other Tax Credits
6. Other Government Supports
7. Financial strategies for Canadians Living with a disability
ii) Then I would ask you to complete the ENTIRE 16 page form yourself. You can download the NEW form (from the DTC website - Download and fill out with Acrobat Reader
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/forms/t2201.html
Yes, I know that the CRA site states: "Medical practitioner completes Part B. Part B must only be completed by the medical practitioner. Applicants cannot complete Part B themselves. If an applicant completes Part B themselves, it will not be processed." But I would ask that you download the whole DTC form and complete the doctor's portion (Part B) as completely as you can.
iii) Then you will send an electronic copy of Form B to me to review. It must come to me in a version that I can open, manipulate and sign.
iv) I do not wish to complete the new DIGITAL form. It is really a "make work" project where I have to cut and paste your answers into the online form. I don't like to do that.
iv) **** Note that the fee for me review and sign the DTC form is $100.
Additional Resources:
a) Benefits2 is an online Disability Tax Credit application service, they charge a flat $99 fee to compete the application for you. LINK: Benefits2
b) There is a Facebook group called Disability Tax Credit Canada, DTC Solutions, hosted by LuCinda J Mutindo. This is a great resource where you can get templates, tips and tricks for completing the application, chat with other families, and for $100 flat they will fill out the application for you. LINK: DTC Solutions
The document above provides some additional tips about the DTC Form from the Canadian Paediatric Society. Though it was written for the Paediatrician, it's also very helpful for the parents.
17. I've been asked to pay a fee for a Letter, how do I pay? You can pay Dr. Goldade for a variety of fees (No Shows, A letter of diagnosis, the Disability Tax Credit, etc.) via a number of methods:
We do not accept Debit payment and we do not process Visa.
18 Divorced or Separated Parents
Our goal is to provide the best possible medical care for your child. We want to ensure that all caregivers are involved and informed when it comes to the health of your child. This can be a particular challenge when parents/caregivers are not living within the same household. Below is some important information regarding office policies:
Fax: 403-255-9322
Mailing Address: 1901, 530 - 12 Avenue SW Calgary Alberta T2R 0B1