From the offices of Drs.
Fretz, Minish, Block, Farwaha, Hsu, Rounis and Fadhel
Welcomes and Goodbyes
We are very sad to be waving goodbye to Dr. Kelley Minish, who has been in practice in Victoria for 19 years, as well as to our office manager, Narissa, who has been with Arbutus Family Medicine since its inception. They will both be greatly missed.
We are very happy to be welcoming Dr. Ehab Fadhel, Alexandra (new office manager) and Rania (new MOA) to the AFM family! Please give these new wonderful faces a warm welcome if you happen to be in the office. We are SO very lucky to have found them.
Phone Hours, In-office vs. Telephone visits
Our office phone hours are changing to 9am-3pm and starting now, you can schedule BOTH in-person OR telehealth visits online through our website. Please ensure you are selecting a presenting issue that best describes the reason for your visit when booking appointments using our online booking service.
For any potential procedures such as biopsies or mole removals, please continue to call our office to book those.
Don’t hesitate to call the office if you have a health issue and are uncertain if this warrants telephone vs. in-person assessment.
Please continue to mask for all in-person appointments, both in the waiting room and in the examination room with your physician.
Please do not come into the office without staff approval first, if you are exhibiting any respiratory/cold/flu symptoms.
Family Medicine Crisis
Thank you all for your support in advocating for the future of Family Medicine in our community. We very much appreciate all of you who have written to your MLAs, rallied with us at Parliament, and signed/posted the online petitions or social media. We are hopeful for some good news coming this fall from the government/health authority. For now, we absolutely understand and hear your concerns regarding family members and friends who desperately need a family doctor. Please rest assured we continue to work very hard at recruitment and retention and our patients will be the first to know (without any public announcements) if any incoming physicians are taking new patients.
Covid Booster Update
B.C. is making plans to offer everyone 12 years and older a fall booster dose. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has been clear this approach will provide the best protection in the fall and winter when we’re all spending more time inside and respiratory illness is passed around our communities. Everyone 12 + will be sent a personalized booking invitation this fall from the health authority.