---
title: "Understanding Health Care Services in Ontario"
type: "blog"
space: "International Student Support"
author: "Rei Tang"
created: 2024-12-21T02:46:26Z
updated: 2024-12-21T16:00:31Z
tags: ["international-students", "ISS"]
url: "https://students.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/283/international-student-support/blogs/general/15307/understanding-health-care-services-in-ontario"
---

# Understanding Health Care Services in Ontario

## **Family Doctor \(Primary Care Physician\)**

### What Is It?

- A doctor who serves as your main health care provider
- Also known as a General Practitioner \(GP\) or Family Physician

### Purpose

- Provides primary health care
- Maintains your complete medical history
- Performs regular check-ups and preventive care
- Manages chronic conditions
- Refers you to specialists when needed
- Provides prescription renewals

### When to Use

- Regular check-ups
- Minor illnesses \(cold, flu, sore throat\)
- Minor injuries
- Ongoing health issues
- Prescription renewals
- Preventive care
- Routine vaccinations

### How to Access

- Register through [Health Care Connect](https://hcc3.hcc.moh.gov.on.ca/HCCWeb/faces/layoutHCCHomePage.xhtml?sW=1920&sH=1080&btype=Firefox&bver=133&ajax=y) or find a family doctor by contacting an [Ontario physician](https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-family-doctor-or-nurse-practitioner) to ask if they are accepting patients
- Appointments usually required
- Registration period may take a few weeks

## **Walk-in Clinic**

### What Is It?

- Medical clinic where you can see a doctor without an appointment
- Staffed by licensed physicians
- Available in many locations across cities

### Purpose

- Treats minor, non-emergency medical issues
- Provides care when you can't see your family doctor
- Offers basic medical services

### When to Use

- Minor illnesses \(cold, flu, sore throat\)
- Minor injuries
- Simple prescription renewals
- When your family doctor is unavailable
- Need same-day medical attention

### How to Access

- No appointment needed
- First-come, first-served basis
- Wait times: 1-3 hours typically

## **Urgent Care Centers**

### What Is It?

- Medical facilities for urgent but non-life-threatening conditions
- Better equipped than walk-in clinics
- Less intensive than emergency rooms

### Purpose

- Treats serious but non-life-threatening conditions
- Provides more advanced care than walk-in clinics
- Reduces burden on Emergency Rooms

### When to Use

- Sprains and minor fractures
- Cuts requiring stitches
- Severe sore throat
- High fever
- Dehydration
- Moderate asthma attacks
- Minor burns

### How to Access

- No appointment needed
- Shorter wait times than Emergency Room \(ER\)
- Usually open extended hours

## **Emergency Room \(ER\)**

### What Is It?

- Hospital department for serious, life-threatening conditions
- Open 24/7
- Staffed with emergency medicine specialists

### Purpose

- Treats severe, life-threatening conditions
- Provides immediate, emergency medical care
- Handles major trauma and critical conditions

### When to Use

- Chest pain or difficulty breathing
- Severe bleeding
- Major trauma or head injury
- Severe burns
- Stroke symptoms
- Loss of consciousness
- Severe allergic reactions
- Poisoning

### How to Access

- Open 24/7
- Call 911 for ambulance if needed
- Cases are prioritized by severity, non urgent cases may experience long wait times

## **Hospital**

### What Is It?

- Large medical facility providing comprehensive health care
- Contains multiple departments and specialties
- Offers both inpatient and outpatient care

### Purpose

- Provides specialized medical care
- Handles complex medical procedures
- Offers comprehensive diagnostic services
- Provides emergency and intensive care
- Houses medical specialists

### When to Use

- Scheduled surgeries
- Specialist appointments
- Complex diagnostic tests
- Intensive care needs
- Emergency care \(through ER\)
- Specialized treatments

### How to Access

- Referral needed for most services
- ER is open for emergencies only
- Appointment required for scheduled procedures

## Important Tips:

If you have a non-life-threatening medical problem that requires immediate attention, you can go to a walk-in clinic where you can see a doctor without making an appointment.  It is recommended that you visit one of [Morcare](https://morcare.ca/home/55-seneca-polytechnic-international-)'s [Preferred Provider Network](https://morcare.ca/your-space) clinics or call Morcare at 416-216-5735 and 1-888-985-1552 to avoid upfront cost.  Morcare can assist you to set-up appointments for medical visits.  Please present your Morcare Medical Card during your medical visits.  Most places will accept the Morcare Medical card. However, some clinics may charge a fee.  You can submit your receipt and claim form to Morcare for a reimbursement of the fee.

It's recommended not to go to Emergency Room \(ER\) for non-urgent medical issues that can be addressed at a clinic by a nurse or a doctor.

**Connect with a registered nurse 24/7 for free**: call 811 or 1-866-797-0007.  You can also chat live [online](https://health811.ontario.ca/static/guest/home).

[Seneca Medical Centre](https://students.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/191/seneca-medical-centre/home) is located at [Newnham Campus](https://www.senecapolytechnic.ca/campuses/newnhamlocation.html) in A3000.  The Medical Centre is not a walk-in clinic.  To book your appointment, please contact the Seneca Medical Centre clinic either by email at [seneca.health@senecapolytechnic.ca](mailto:seneca.health@senecacollege.ca) or by phone at 437-312-0370, and provide your name, contact number and Seneca ID.