Every resident admitted to Copernicus Lodge will be assigned an attending physician to oversee their medical care. All Attending Physicians are licensed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. The physicians are accountable to their college with oversight from the home’s Medical Director.

Attending Physicians assess, plan, implement and evaluate each resident’s medical care and participate in a multi-disciplinary approach to care. Physicians are onsite and complete weekly rounds for the residents that they care for and are also available for consultation through the nursing staff as needed. There is 24/7 on-call schedule for attending Physicians.

Physicians complete documentation in the resident’s electronic health care record to maintain an ongoing record of the resident’s health and medical condition, provide a means of communication between the multidisciplinary team, and provide an ongoing evaluation of each resident’s medical status.  Attending Physicians do not have dedicated office space within the home and are not in the home each day.  As a result, the primary contact for medical care or medical concerns is through the Registered Nursing staff on each unit.

Copernicus Lodge is proud to work closely with our partners at St. Joseph’s Health Centre who provide support from their Ethicist, consulting Geriatricians, consulting Psycho-geriatrician and Geriatric Mental Health Outreach team nurse (GMHOT).  They also visit residents on a referral basis to assess and make recommendations regarding the management of residents with challenging cognitive or behavioural issues.

Privacy and Confidentiality:  Personal healthcare information about a resident can only be provided to a Resident, or their verified substitute decision-maker, such as the Power of Attorney for Care (POA) – Personal Care.