About Primary Care
Primary care services (family medicine) are delivered by a team of professionals with a focus on health promotion. Team members include nurse practitioners, doctors, nurses, social workers, dietitians, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, and community support workers. Primary Care Programs are offered both at the Merrickville and Smiths Falls sites.
Do you need a primary care provider?
If you would like to become a primary care client of RCHS, please register with Health Care Connect (HCC) or at 1-800-445-1822.
Primary Care After-Hours
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
If you are a registered primary care client and require medical advice that cannot wait until the office is next open, you can access telephone on-call services:
- Monday – Friday evening until 8 pm
- Saturday/Sunday/Holidays from 9 am - 5 pm.
After-Hours Contact Information
Merrickville Site clients: (613) 269-3400
Smiths Falls Site clients: (613) 283-1952
If you require medical advice when the on-call service is not available, please call Health811 (TeleHealth Ontario) by dialing 811.
Clinical Pharmacist
Our pharmacists work closely with you and your primary care team to ensure medications are used in a safe and effective manner. The pharmacists complete medication reviews, answers drug information questions and provide medication counselling and education, especially for those with chronic and complex conditions.
How to Get Services
A referral from a primary care provider is required to access the clinical pharmacist.
External primary care providers, please click here.
East Region Virtual Care Clinic
Ontario Health, in partnership with Durham Community Health Centre, has launched a new Nurse Practitioner-Led Virtual Care Clinic for residents in the community who do not have a primary care provider or who cannot get timely access for an urgent medical issue.
Those who live within the Ontario Health East region who are experiencing an urgent medical condition can access the Nurse Practitioner- Led Virtual Care Clinic for reasons such as:
- New or persistent cough, fever, rash or other similar symptoms
- Imminent concerns but are not life or limb threatening
For more information or to book an appointment visit: www.virtualcareontario.ca