Dr. David Norman McLinden – Family Doctor | Huntsville, ON

Dr. David Norman McLinden is a Family Doctor. Practicing at PSOHP (NCR) Occupational Health Cli in Huntsville, ON, he is dedicated to providing high-quality, comprehensive, and patient-centered family medical care. He is registered with The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) and practices in accordance with the standards set by this regulatory body and the principles of modern family medicine. He focuses on providing continuous and comprehensive primary medical care for individuals and families across all ages and stages of life. This includes preventative care, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses, and management of ongoing health needs, serving as the central point for patient care. He serves patients of all ages, from newborns and infants through to children, adolescents, adults, and seniors.

Dr. David Norman McLinden completed his Medical Degree. He brings valuable clinical experience to the practice. He has developed skills or a strong interest in areas such as comprehensive primary care within family practice. He is also dedicated to ongoing professional development to stay current with the latest advancements in family medicine.

Key aspects of his practice philosophy include a commitment to evidence-based medicine, integrating the latest research with clinical expertise to provide the highest standard of care; fostering continuity of care and building long-term relationships with patients and their families, providing a trusted medical home; a holistic approach to health, considering the physical, mental, emotional, and social factors that influence a patient's well-being. He provides consultations in English.

Dr. David Norman McLinden provides comprehensive family medical care for a wide variety of health concerns affecting patients of all ages, including but not limited to:

Preventative Health Topics

• Comprehensive Lifestyle Counseling (Diet, Exercise, Sleep, Stress Reduction): Guidance on making sustainable lifestyle modifications for improved energy levels, healthy weight management, better mood regulation, reduced risk of chronic illness (heart disease, diabetes, cancer), and enhanced longevity and quality of life.
• Infectious Disease Prevention & Outbreak Management Support (Community Level): Administering vaccinations to prevent communicable diseases and playing a role in community-level surveillance and reporting as required by public health authorities.
• Weight Management & Obesity Prevention/Treatment: Collaboratively discussing healthy weight goals based on BMI, waist circumference, body composition, and overall health status. Providing guidance on evidence-based strategies for weight management including balanced nutrition (calorie awareness, portion control, whole foods), mindful eating, regular physical activity, behavioral strategies (e.g., goal setting, self-monitoring, addressing emotional eating, sleep optimization), and addressing underlying factors contributing to weight issues. Medical options (pharmacotherapy like GLP-1 agonists, orlistat; bariatric surgery referral) may be discussed if appropriate based on guidelines and individual clinical assessment.
• Travel Medicine Advice & Routine/Travel Vaccinations: Offering essential travel health services and tailored advice to protect your health while abroad, based on current international health regulations, CDC/WHO recommendations, and your specific travel plans.

Joint Muscle Pain

• Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI), Tendinopathies & Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSDs) - Initial Assessment & Conservative Management: A first point of contact for work-related or activity-induced repetitive strain injuries, guiding effective conservative management, facilitating return to function, and providing documentation for workplace accommodations if necessary. Referral to specialists (e.g., sports medicine, orthopedics, physiatry) if symptoms are persistent, severe, or require further investigation/intervention.
• Fibromyalgia & Other Widespread Chronic Pain Syndromes - Primary Care Diagnosis & Multimodal Management: Working collaboratively with individuals experiencing chronic widespread pain to develop personalized self-management strategies, set realistic functional goals, and coordinate care effectively with other healthcare providers such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and rheumatologists (for diagnostic confirmation or complex cases).
• Gout & Pseudogout (Crystal Arthropathies) - Acute Attack Management & Chronic Prevention Strategies: Diagnosing (often clinical, supported by serum uric acid levels; joint aspiration for crystal analysis if diagnostically uncertain or to rule out septic arthritis) and managing acute gout or pseudogout attacks with appropriate anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs like naproxen/indomethacin, colchicine, oral or intra-articular corticosteroids).
• Mechanical Low Back & Neck Pain (Acute, Subacute, Chronic - Uncomplicated): Primary care coordination for back and neck pain, including referral to physiotherapy, chiropractic, massage therapy, or specialist pain services when appropriate for persistent or disabling symptoms.

Pediatric Common Issues

• Newborn Care & Infant Feeding Support (Breastfeeding, Formula): Supporting new parents in caring for their infant, addressing common concerns (colic, reflux, sleep patterns), and promoting bonding and healthy attachment.
• Childhood Immunization Schedule Management & Counseling: Administering the complete schedule of publicly funded childhood vaccines (e.g., DTaP-IPV-Hib, Pneumococcal conjugate and polysaccharide, MMR, Varicella, Meningococcal conjugate (Groups A,C,Y,W-135 and Group B), Hepatitis B, Rotavirus, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Influenza) to protect against serious and preventable infectious diseases, according to current provincial and national (NACI) guidelines.
• Adolescent Health Care & Counseling (Physical, Mental, Sexual Health, Lifestyle, Substance Use): Creating a safe, non-judgmental, and youth-friendly healthcare environment where teenagers feel comfortable discussing their health concerns openly, receive accurate information, build a trusting relationship with their doctor, and are empowered to take charge of their health.
• Developmental, Behavioral & Learning Concerns in Children (Screening, Initial Assessment, Guidance & Referral Coordination): Performing routine developmental surveillance and targeted screening (e.g., using Ages & Stages Questionnaires - ASQ) when parents or educators raise concerns regarding potential developmental delays (in speech/language, gross/fine motor skills, cognitive abilities, social-emotional development). Offering initial assessment and guidance for common behavioral issues (e.g., significant tantrums, sleep problems, childhood anxiety, aggression), symptoms suggestive of ADHD, or learning difficulties.

Adult Common Health Issues

• Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) - Initial Assessment & Management: Assessing patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of Restless Legs Syndrome (an urge to move the legs, usually accompanied by uncomfortable sensations, typically worse at rest/in the evening, and relieved by movement). This includes ruling out secondary causes (e.g., iron deficiency, kidney failure, pregnancy, certain medications).
• Allergic Conjunctivitis & Dry Eye Syndrome - Primary Care Management: Primary care approach to common, non-sight-threatening eye discomforts.
• Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) Infection - Testing & Eradication Therapy: Testing for Helicobacter pylori infection in appropriate clinical contexts (e.g., patients with peptic ulcer disease, certain types of gastritis, dyspepsia in high-prevalence areas, or family history of gastric cancer) using non-invasive methods like urea breath test, stool antigen test, or serology (less reliable for active infection).
• Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) - Symptom Management & Monitoring: Referral to urology for severe symptoms, complications (e.g., acute urinary retention, recurrent UTIs, bladder stones, renal impairment due to obstruction), or if surgical intervention (e.g., TURP) is being considered.

Common Chronic Conditions

• Anemia (Iron Deficiency, B12/Folate Deficiency - Chronic): Diagnosing and providing ongoing treatment for common forms of anemia to maintain energy levels and overall health.
• Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus & Prediabetes: Helping you live well with diabetes by providing ongoing education, support for self-management behaviors, access to diabetes education programs, and strategies to prevent or delay long-term complications, empowering you to take control of your health.
• Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) & Peptic Ulcer Disease (PUD) - Chronic Management: Ongoing management of chronic GERD (acid reflux) and PUD, including lifestyle modifications (diet, weight, smoking cessation), prescription of acid-suppressing medications (PPIs, H2 blockers), H. pylori testing and eradication, and monitoring for complications or need for endoscopy.

This list offers some examples of common conditions managed in family practice. A diagnosis is always based on an individual assessment by Dr. McLinden. If your specific health concern isn't listed, please contact the clinic to discuss your needs.

• Occupational Health Aspects & Work-Related Health Concerns (Initial Assessment): Offering primary care support for work-related health issues, with referrals to occupational medicine specialists if needed.
• Travel Medicine Consultations (Preventative Advice & Routine/Travel Vaccinations): Providing pre-travel consultations for individuals travelling to common international destinations. This includes risk assessment based on itinerary, advice on food and water safety, insect bite prevention (malaria, dengue, Zika), altitude sickness prevention, and administration of necessary routine and travel-specific vaccinations (e.g., Hepatitis A/B, Typhoid, Yellow Fever if certified). Complex itineraries may require referral.
• Cancer Screening Coordination (Cervical, Breast, Colorectal, Prostate, Lung - as per guidelines): Proactive screening discussions and referrals for common cancers to ensure timely diagnosis and improve treatment outcomes.
• Developmental, Behavioral & Learning Concerns in Children (Initial Assessment, Guidance & Referral): A first point of contact for parents with concerns about a child's learning, behavior, social interaction, or overall development, offering support, resources, and clear pathways to specialized care and school supports.
• Thyroid Disorder Management (Hypo/Hyperthyroidism, Nodules, Hashimoto's): Adjusting thyroid medication based on symptoms and regular blood tests (TSH, free T4, etc.) to maintain optimal thyroid function.

Note: This list highlights some of the key services offered by Dr. McLinden. For a comprehensive understanding of all services, or to discuss your specific health needs, please schedule a consultation.

All services are provided in accordance with the scope of practice for Family Doctors in ON and the ethical and professional standards set by The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).

At PSOHP (NCR) Occupational Health Cli, family medicine is centered on a collaborative partnership to help individuals like you achieve significant improvements in your health, manage ongoing conditions effectively, and enhance your overall well-being. Dr. McLinden frequently works with patients towards goals such as:

• Many patients have successfully addressed needing a doctor's note for work or school due to a recent illness or injury with Dr. McLinden's support. This often leads to feeling a profound sense of relief and gratitude after finally discussing a 'embarrassing' or stigmatized health concern with Dr. McLinden in a completely safe, confidential, and entirely supportive clinical environment and the ability to fully participate in simply and profoundly relaxing, completely unwinding, and thoroughly enjoying quiet, restorative moments of peace, mindfulness, and genuine contentment at home without being constantly plagued or interrupted by intrusive health worries, pain, or discomfort once more.
• The path to wellness when facing preparing for international travel and needing advice on health precautions, necessary vaccinations, or malaria prevention involves working towards feeling confident, secure, and proactive in their health because their preventative health screening needs (e.g., for cervical, breast, colorectal, prostate, and lung cancers, as well as screening for AAA, STBBIs, or domestic violence when appropriate) are being diligently and appropriately addressed according to current, evidence-based Canadian guidelines by Dr. McLinden. Dr. McLinden guides patients so they can again enjoy compassionately providing meaningful emotional, practical, and sometimes physical support to close friends, extended family members, or community acquaintances who may be going through their own difficult times or personal crises.
• For many individuals, wanting to get a baseline ECG because of family heart history before starting a new exercise program can be a real barrier. Dr. McLinden's approach focuses on achieving their children being notably less fearful and more cooperative during doctor visits and even immunizations, specifically because of Dr. McLinden's consistently gentle, patient, and child-friendly communication approach, making it possible for patients to once again enjoy feeling confident enough in their stable health and physical abilities to make spontaneous, last-minute plans, embrace unexpected opportunities, or enthusiastically try new, unfamiliar activities or experiences.

Your personalized healthcare plan, developed in discussion with Dr. McLinden, will be thoughtfully designed to help you reach your specific functional, preventative, and wellness objectives. He believes in empowering patients with the knowledge and support needed to take an active role in their health journey.

Dr. McLinden's practice at PSOHP (NCR) Occupational Health Cli is situated in a family medical practice in the central Huntsville neighborhood of Huntsville. The clinic is conveniently located near local community centers, schools, and shopping areas and is accessible via major local public transit routes. Street parking and nearby public or paid lots typically offer convenient options for visitors.

What exactly is a family doctor (Family Doctor) and what is their role?

Your family doctor (Ontario) is your primary healthcare provider, expertly trained to care for a wide spectrum of health issues, from newborns to seniors. He manages acute illnesses and injuries, oversees the care of long-term chronic diseases, provides routine health screenings and lifestyle counseling, administers vaccinations, and ensures you get access to specialized medical services through referrals when needed. The continuity of care he provides, understanding your health history and individual needs, is fundamental to effective family medicine.

Do I need a referral to see a family doctor (Family Doctor) in ON?

Generally, you do not need a referral to see a family doctor in Ontario if that doctor is accepting new patients. However, finding a family doctor who is accepting new patients can be challenging. Resources like Health Care Connect in Ontario, your local health authority website, or the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario’s patient-doctor matching service (if available) may be helpful. A referral from a family doctor is usually required to see most medical specialists.

Is seeing a family doctor (Family Doctor) covered by Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) in ON?

Medically necessary visits to a family doctor are typically covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) for eligible residents with a valid health card. However, some services, such as cosmetic procedures, most travel medicine consultations, sick notes, insurance forms, and driver's medicals, may not be covered and might have an associated fee. Please confirm with PSOHP (NCR) Occupational Health Cli if you have questions about specific non-insured services or potential fees.

How can I find a family doctor (Family Doctor) in ON who is accepting new patients?

You can check the website of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario; they often have a "Find a Doctor" tool or list. In Ontario, you can register with Health Care Connect. You can also ask friends, family, or colleagues for recommendations, or contact local community health centres or new patient clinics directly. Finding a family doctor may take time and effort.

PSOHP (NCR) Occupational Health Cli
Unit 12th floor, 348 Muskoka Road 3 North, Health Canada
Huntsville, ON, P1H 1H8

Phone: (705) 788-3623

Dr. David Norman McLinden is regulated by the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 & Medicine Act, 1991 (Ontario) in ON and is a registered member in good standing with The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).

Registration Number: 63654

Verify registration with The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO): https://doctors.cpso.on.ca/DoctorDetails/McLinden-David-Norman/0049676-63654

Family doctors like Dr. McLinden are skilled in managing a wide range of health issues. For urgent or life-threatening emergencies, please call 911 or visit the nearest emergency department. It is always recommended to maintain open communication with your family doctor about all aspects of your health, including any treatments received from other practitioners.