Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Marathon Family Health Team (MFHT) has made changes in the way we deliver your care. For the last ten weeks, some programs and services have been on hold or have been offered via phone or video appointments. These changes were made to ensure the health and well-being of our patients, staff and the communities we serve.

Following provincial guidelines and recommendations, MFHT will gradually be resuming most of our programs and services, including in-person appointments. Although some programs and services may continue to be delivered differently during the COVID-19 era, we remain committed to providing our patients with quality and comprehensive care.

The MFHT staff and healthcare providers will continue to be available from 9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday. Please remember that you can call us with any questions or concerns. We are here to help and your health and well-being are our priority. We recently started working with services like the ones provided at https://www.foreseemed.com/blog/ehr-software-and-interoperability, just so that we have more control over our patient’s health records.

Delivery of program and services

Telephone, video, and virtual (e.g. personal computer videoconferencing) appointments will be offered first for almost all appointments, more facilities will start to use Coding Solutions in order to help with the medical billing process . In-person appointments will be offered when they are more of an urgent nature or when the visit requires an in-person encounter (e.g. blood pressure checks, immunizations, foot care, liquid nitrogen, prenatal visits, well baby visit, urine drug screens, etc.).

MFHT’s Registered Social Worker, Registered Dietitian and Health Promoter will continue to offer mental health, nutrition, exercise and smoking cessation support via telephone and video appointments. In-person appointments may be offered on a case-by-case basis.

In an effort to reduce foot traffic to the clinic, we will temporarily be making changes to our form pick-up and drop-off process. Patients will be asked to use a drop-box kiosk located in the front vestibule of the clinic when dropping off forms and, instead of coming to the clinic for pick-up, completed forms will be sent to patients via email (other options will be offered to patients who don’t have access to email). To avoid delays in completion of such forms, please ensure that you sign and complete the appropriate section before you drop off the form.

Travel grant forms will also be created and forwarded directly to patients via email.

What you can expect at your next in-person appointment at the clinic:

• You will be asked to wear a mask when entering the clinic (we encourage you to bring your own mask if you have one).
• You will be required to maintain a physical distance of at least 2 meters away from others (even when wearing a mask).
• You will be immediately escorted to an exam room when you present for an in-person appointment.
• If an exam room is not available immediately, only 4 patients will be allowed to wait in the patient waiting room.
• You may be asked to wait outside or in your vehicle if there are more than 4 people in the waiting room when you present for your appointment. We will call you to let you know when you can come in.
• You will be required to use a side entrance to exit the clinic to help keep patient foot traffic moving in one direction (exceptions will be made for those who need an accessible exit).
• Only essential visitors (e.g. a parent of a young child or visitors of patients who require physical assistance) will be permitted to accompany a patient during their in-person appointment. 

Ways to book an appointment at Marathon Family Health Team

If you would like to request an appointment, you can contact the clinic by:

• Calling 807-229-3243,
• Visiting https://mfht.org/ and clicking on “request an appointment” (top right corner), or
• Sending an email to [email protected]. Include your name, date of birth, telephone number, and the reason for the appointment.

If you book your appointment online (via MFHT’s website or email address), someone from the clinic will contact you by telephone within 24 hours to book your appointment.

We ask for your help

Help us in our efforts to reduce the spread of the virus by staying home and calling us before coming to the clinic. Please do not attend the clinic if you don’t have an appointment or if you haven’t been instructed to do so by your healthcare provider. We also ask that you do not attend the hospital emergency room unless it’s a clear emergency.

If you have been experiencing any of the symptoms listed below or believe that you may have been exposed to COVID-19,please call MFHT find out if you need to be tested for COVID-19.

Symptoms related to COVID-19: cough, fever, shortness of breath, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, sputum/mucous, runny nose, congestion, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, worsening chronic conditions (e.g. asthma, COPD, bronchitis), new loss of taste or smell, new unexplained fatigue, delirium, falls, acute functional decline, chills, headaches, croup, conjunctivitis (pink eye) and myalgias.

Additional symptoms related to COVID-19 that may be observed in children: lethargy or poor feeding and symptoms of multisystem inflammatory syndrome which may include persistent fever, abdominal pain, conjunctivitis, gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting and diarrhea) and rash.

To limit the spread of the virus and to help keep our communities safe and healthy, all community members are strongly encouraged to do the following:

• Maintain physical/social distancing (at least 2 meters away from others at all times).
• Stay home as much as possible (i.e. limiting trips to the grocery store or other essential services to once per week or less, working from home if able, avoiding travelling outside Marathon).
• Self-isolate when appropriate (i.e. if you have any COVID-19-related symptoms, if you are an older adult, or if you have underlying health conditions).
• Wash your hands frequently for at least twenty seconds with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Cover coughs and/or sneezes with a tissue or your elbow.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this. These changes will be regularly assessed and are in place until further notice.