The Kingston Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Clinic is part of the division of Neurology at Kingston Health Sciences Centre. The Kingston MS clinic is a tertiary subspecialty MS clinic serving individuals with MS in the southeastern Ontario. We are dedicated to treatment, education and research in MS. The Kingston MS clinic is currently staffed by two MS neurologists, a registered nurse, and an administrative assistant. The clinic uses a multidisciplinary approach with allied health professionals such as occupational therapy and physiotherapy therapy. We are a teaching hospital affiliated with Queen’s university, therefore students, residents, and fellows may see patients in the clinic under the supervision of the staff neurologists.
If you are an existing patient with our clinic, you can reach us by telephone Monday through Friday from 8:00 am-3:00pm, or leave a message on our voicemail if you have a concern, and we will try to return your call as soon as possible. Every effort is made to see our patients for medical issues during clinic time. However, some problems can be dealt with over the telephone, so please do not hesitate to contact us if you have a concern.
Please note we do not provide urgent or emergency care. If you are not able to manage your urgent symptoms at home, you should visit the closest Emergency Department.
If you wish to book an appointment as a new patient, please discuss this with your family doctor and ask them to send us a referral. Do not send the referral to the MS clinic fax number directly. Please be aware that we cannot book initial appointments at the request of a patient, a referral must come from a physician's office.
COVID-19 Recommendations
Please follow the precautions listed on the Ontario Ministry of Health site to avoid a COVID-19 infection: https://covid-19.ontario.ca
For COVID-19 vaccinations, if you are an MS patient at this clinic and currently on Mavenclad, Kesimpta, or Ocrevus, please contact the Kingston MS Clinic for recommendations regarding the timing of your COVID vaccines.
Please refer to the guidelines listed on the MS Society for COVID-19 vaccinations for all other treatments.
If you have other health concerns besides Multiple Sclerosis, please consult with your family physician before getting a COVID vaccine.
Learning about Multiple Sclerosis
The following websites provide information about the disease of Multiple Sclerosis, support services for patients, and current research in Canada and the U.S. for this chronic disease:
https://www.nationalmssociety.org/
New Patients
Your family doctor will refer you to the Kingston MS Clinic. After your referral has been triaged and reviewed, you will be contacted by the MS Clinic for an appointment with one of our neurologists. At your first appointment, you will be seen by the neurologist, MS Nurse, Occupational therapist, and a Physiotherapist as needed. Previous investigations will be reviewed, and further investigations may be recommended, including blood tests, a lumbar puncture, radiographic imaging (MRI), and electrophysiological tests (EMG/EEG/VEP). Please plan for at least 1.5 hours for your first appointment.
Follow-up visits may be scheduled if necessary, to review these investigations with you. Further investigation or treatment/care will be recommended as appropriate.
Please bring a CD of any past MRIs to your first appointment if possible. It is paramount to bring the actual images, not just the MRI reports. Please contact the location where you had your MRI to obtain a copy of the CD.
Obtaining Test Results
The MS Clinic cannot directly provide patients with their test results. Please contact the KHSC Health Information Privacy Office to obtain copies of reports, bloodwork, or other test results.
If a third party who is not part of your immediate circle of care requests copies of your medical records, please sign the Authorization to Release Personal Health Information form, and send it to the KHSC Release of Information office.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I contact the Kingston MS Clinic?
You can telephone the clinic at 613-548-2308. If you are a patient with the Kingston MS Clinic and wish to use email communication, please call our main telephone number and speak with our administrative assistant, who will discuss the process of authentication and privacy regulations regarding electronic communication with Kingston Health Sciences Centre and the MS Clinic. Please note, we cannot have email communication with individuals that are not followed by the Kingston MS Clinic.
Am I having a relapse?
Please consult with the MS Clinic if you experience:
- New neurological symptoms that last more than 24 hours.
- A significant change in your MS symptoms lasting more than 24 hours.
Please contact your family doctor to receive appropriate treatment if you are having symptoms of infection such as fever, chills, cough, sore throat, pain during urination or foul smelling urine. MS symptoms usually worsens with the infection and it is important to treat the underlying infection as soon as possible.
How do I manage prescription renewals?
The Kingston MS Clinic neurologist may prescribe medication for you, and review of these prescriptions will be done during your clinic appointment. Please have your pharmacy fax any renewal requests to 613-548-6131 at least two weeks before your prescription is needed.
Who do I call about my medications?
Please contact MS office only for the medications that were prescribed by Kingston MS clinic.
What is the role of my family doctor?
The Kingston MS Clinic is a specialty clinic that provides a consultation service. Your family doctor continues to manage your overall health. The clinic is not a primary care facility. Your family doctor can assess you if you have an infection. Bacterial infections (bladder or chest) and viral infections (such as flu and common cold) may temporarily worsen your MS symptoms. In most cases, these symptoms usually settle down with the treatment of infection. In rare circumstances, if the infection triggers a true clinical relapse, you may need further medical attention. Your family doctor can then fax a request for you to be seen at the MS Clinic as an urgent visit.
