Is this email not displaying properly? View it in your browser.

Welcome to Hyde Park Family Practice, B.C.’s first evening and overnight clinic!

Dr. Bo-Shiun Lai is the clinic’s founder and a physician-scientist based in Vancouver, British Columbia. His clinical work includes general family medicine, HIV & hepatitis C management in primary care, and treatment of menopause symptoms. His research led to both the development of a novel therapy against toxoplasmosis and deepening understanding of host immune response. His work resulted in a United States patent and a nomination for the Cozzarelli Prize, awarded annually by the National Academy of Sciences. A complete list of his published work could be found here.

Dr. Lai obtained his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in 2017 from the University of Cambridge, where he was a recipient of the prestigious, full-ride Gates Cambridge Scholarship. He received his Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the world-renowned Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 2021.

Please take a couple of minutes to read through the following Q&As to familiarize with the clinic’s operations.

1. What is the best way to make an appointment?

Dr. Lai takes pride in making himself available to his patients. The best ways to reach him are listed below. Please note that they are NOT for medical emergencies. Please call 9-1-1 if you think you need urgent care.

• Sign up for appointments through our secure patient portal (hydeparkclinic.inputhealth.com), which can be accessed at our clinic website. This is the most preferred method. If you have trouble with registration, please reach out to Dr. Lai by email.

• Email Dr. Lai at doctor@hydeparkclinic.ca. In most cases, Dr. Lai will redirect you to the patient portal to schedule an appointment, as he likely needs additional information to address your health concerns. Given the enormous volume of emails, you are encouraged to use the secure patient portal to expedite your care.

Dr. Lai is accessible by email when he is away for vacation, though response time may be longer than usual.

2. Is there anything I need to do before my appointment?

If you are a new patient, please complete our new patient intake questionnaire prior to the appointment. The questionnaire is automatically sent to patient upon making your first appointment as a new patient.

If you are a patient for our menopause clinic, please complete the menopause & mature women’s health questionnaire prior to the appointment. The questionnaire is automatically sent to patient upon making your first menopause appointment.

3. Is there a time limit per appointment?

There are anywhere between 30 and 50 appointments per evening. To keep the clinic on schedule, Dr. Lai kindly asks that you limit each appointment to 1 to 2 issues or approximately 15 minutes. If there are issues that may require more time to address, Dr. Lai will ask that you schedule a second appointment within a couple of days.

4. What is the typical wait time to see Dr. Lai?

Accessibility is the hallmark of this clinic. Wait time is usually less than 48 hours.

5. Is my personal and medical information safe?

Absolutely. Our electronic medical record (EMR) is CHR, which is developed by TELUS Health. All patient information is encrypted and securely storage at TELUS data centres. Only Dr. Lai and those directly involved in your care have access to patient data. Your information will never be shared with any other parties. Disclaimer: Dr. Lai is not affiliated with TELUS MyHealth, and providers at TELUS do not have access to your data.

6. Do you offer in-person care?

Dr. Lai takes a virtual-first approach to patient care. If Dr. Lai believes in-person assessment is warranted, he will arrange for one. Our physical clinic is located at 645-6388 No. 3 Road, Richmond, BC. Dr. Lai’s in-person assessment usually takes 30 minutes.

7. Are there services not available at the clinic?

• Our clinic does not provide obstetrical/prenatal care, but initial bloodwork, dating ultrasound, genetic screening, and referral to obstetrician or midwife are available upon request.

• Dr. Lai is unable to prescribe controlled substance. Please refer to BC’s Controlled Prescription Program (CPP) for a complete list of medications not available for prescription from the clinic.

• At this time, our practice isn’t accepting patients younger than 5 years of age.

8. Does the clinic charge for forms or doctor’s notes?

The clinic currently does not charge patients for forms or doctor’s notes, but this is subject to change in the future.

9. Does the clinic charge for no-shows or cancellations?

The clinic currently does not charge patients for no-shows or cancellations. However, given the enormous demand for physicians in British Columbia, patients may be discharged from the clinic for 3 or more no-shows within 6 months.

10. How do I provide feedback or suggestions for Dr. Lai?

Getting feedback is an integral part of the practice, and Dr. Lai take patients’ inputs seriously. Patients are encouraged to provide feedback during appointments or anonymously through his RateMDs profile.

11. Does the clinic offer Travel Assistance Program (TAP) form for rural residents in BC?

Yes. Please ask Dr. Lai for your TAP form at least 3 weeks prior to your specialist appointment. Please refer to the TAP website for more information.

12. What are the clinic hours?

The clinic is open from 17:00 to midnight (PST) 7 days a week. Hours are subject to change from time to time. Please check out our clinic website for the most up-to-date information.

13. Under what circumstances will I be discharged from the practice?

Given the enormous demand for physicians in British Columbia, patients may be discharged from the clinic for the following reasons:

• Having 3 or more no-shows within 6 months

• Having made no appointments in 24 consecutive months

All efforts will be made to notify each patient prior to being discharged from clinic.

14. What circumstances would result in dismissal from the practice?

Dr. Lai does not dismiss patients for nonadherence to medical advice. The following behaviours from patients or their caretakers toward staff or other patients will result in the termination of physician-patient relationship:

• Nonadherence to the clinic’s patient code of conduct

• Verbal abuse

• Repeated harassment

• Threats

• Sexual behaviours

• Display of firearms or weapons