HealthSource Medical Clinic

This review is for Dr. Canton who is my family Doctor. I find the reviews rather harsh, given that the front staff isn’t the one who is looking after your health and well being? I’ve gone here dozens of time, and haven’t had an issue with any of them. Sure, you call in and are put on hold for a few mins – but that’s what I would expect from a doctors office?
Dr. Canton is very thorough, easy to talk to and kind. I’ve never had to wait more than 5 mins for my appt, and she is always caring and goes above and beyond for her patients. I live in the area and was caught in a huge rain storm one morning and she was on her way to the clinic and recognized me and offered her umbrella. I could go on and on with examples about how amazing she is, but just take my word for it! I’m going to be moving soon, and the location will no longer be convenient for me, but I will most definitely be staying with her!

I registered when the clinic first opened and the only doctor was Bowden Chang, who has had a very bad attitude. He told me that he could have my disability cancelled, if he thought that it was not that serious I couldn’t believe my ears. I went there because I have severe arthritis and was in excruciating pain and also had problems sleeping because of the pain. I was told that I would have to come back because this was just for registering as a patient. I just couldn’t believe this whole experience and that was five years ago and because of this experience and Dr. Bowden Chang attitude and behavior I never wanted to go back. I just phoned because I saw new doctors I might give it a try again so I called and I was told that once you register with a doctor you can’t change and I told her that at the time I registered there was only one doctor, she told me that didn’t matter I would have to stick with a doctor I registered with, I didn’t like that idea so I said forget it. I am not impressed with this clinic at all. I would never recommend it to anyone.

I was looking for a new family doctor, one who’s practice was nearby. I had checked as many reviews as possible for «HealthSource Medical Clinic» and almost all were negative about the receptionist/​front desk. But, because the clinic was so close to my house (about 20 minutes walking distance) I wanted to at least try them out. I must say, I’ve been there three times now and never were they mean or rude in any way at all. Though I’m an easygoing fellow and I especially like to tease the girls, they were very friendly with me and even teased me back. The place is like new there, very clean and the waiting area maybe considered small by some, but I thought it to be a fine size, it even has a washroom right there. I had heard that the doctors were great there, even from my pharmacist who was the one recommending them to me. I was not able to get the doctor I wanted, and for the first time, I’m seeing a female doctor (Dr. Erin Reich). Dr. Reich is a breath of fresh air, her skills and strong desire to assist me in my endeavors to recover my health is just what I needed. The clinic is on street level and so it is wheelchair accessible. It’s right near the corner of Bathurst and Dupont. They just recently opened on Saturdays between 9:30 am to 1:30 pm to offer urgent care without appointment, only for registered patients. They are opened till 8 pm from Monday to Thursday to assist those working. They do not except walk-​ins. On-​site: blood works, Active Release Therapy (ART), Clinical acupuncture, and Rehabilitation care are among the services they have. I highly recommend this clinic and be pleasant to the staff and they will be pleasant to you.

I want to say that my doctor is fantastic here — this review is not about her, but about the front staff. When I called to make an appointment, the lady mumbled into the phone and kept putting me on hold. When i said, «I’m sorry, can you repeat the question?» she spoke very slowly and yelled into the phone. Very condescending. Then when she asked me what type of appointment i needed, i told her and then she LAUGHED! I said «I’m sorry, what was so funny?»
I’m already a little sheepish calling the doctor in the first place, but she made me feel so uncomfortable.
Very rude staff.

Terrible customer service, rude receptionists and long waits. Dr. Greenaway is super knowledgable and friendly, but I’ve waited up to an hour sometimes even with an appointment.
Every time I call, the receptionist picks up the phone and immediately says «hold please» in a curt manner and puts me on hold for at least 10minutes. The last straw with this clinic was when I needed my immunization records for a masters program and they told me that I would have to wait a month till my doctor was back from vacation. I explained that I was going to school in the states and needed the records for my acceptance, and asked whether I could see anyone else in the meantime (they couldn’t just send me my records, I had to make an appointment so that they can charge OHIP I’m guessing). I was told that they don’t switch patients between doctors and that I would have to deal with it and wait.
I promptly called another doctors office in the city and made an appointment with a new family doctor. I was seen within three days by the other clinic and they even called the city of Toronto public health and had my immunization records faxed to me. I really wanted to like HealthSource, but the reception staff is just brutal. Glad to take my business elsewhere.

I have had good experiences with the doctors but find the admin staff very rude and unpleasant — not only to me but other patients as well. I actually cannot believe they are allowed to treat patients they way they do. But in terms of the actual medical care — I like my doctor and the care she has provided.

What I just witnessed at this «Medical Clinic» was one for the books.
I called and asked if they accept walk-​in patients and was told yes over the phone. I walked over to the clinic (about 20 minutes from my house) and was greeted by a nasty receptionist that told me this is a family practice. Confused, I told her I called and they confirmed I could be seen by a doctor. She then said «well yes, but patients of the practice have priority over you, so it may be a while.»
Fine. I asked how long so I could maybe go grab a coffee and come back? She said I had to stay in the clinic. Fed up and needing to see a doctor I agreed to wait for an unknown amount of time.
30 minutes into my wait an older man walked in bleeding from his arm. He tripped and fell right outside the clinic while walking by. By the looks of it it was a bad scrape, I don’t think he would have required stitches or anything, just needed them to clean up the cut. They asked for his health card, which was expired but had a sticker on it, because they were in the process of sending him a new one. Without even considering calling the ministry of health (which I have seen people do before if someone forgets their card) they were very quick to turn him away, bloody arm and all.
He was so upset, I got up and suggested they call the ministry of health to get his new card number. They agreed.
15 minutes later they told him «they cannot accept his healthcard, he needs to come back with the paper.»
It was kind of heartbreaking.
I had been waiting almost an hour, and getting even more fed up at the staffs incompetence, I got up to ask how much longer.
She replied, she didn’t know. I asked for a ballpark figure. She responded maybe two hours.
I walked out without saying anything.
There is also no AC in this tiny waiting room. The entire experience was appalling. I think what really goes on here is the family practice regards «walkins» as cash grabs if their patients cancel, or if they can squeeze someone in 5 minutes before their next patient.
Absolutely ridiculous.

SUCH A RELIEF!!!
Great, competent, on time health care.
To be able to make an appointment for 10am and be seen at 10am is the way health care should be provided.
The reception staff is friendly and efficient. The onsite nurse is amazing.
A well run medical practice that puts patients first.
Highly recommended.

I see Dr. Canton, and she’s amazing. All of the staff have always been kind, patient and extremely accommodating. If you’re a patient, it’s fairly easy to see your doctor in a day or 2.

Have been going here since they opened and have sent friends here too.
I have never had a problem with any of the admin staff here, sure they’re busy, but have always been polite to me.
I used to see Dr. Lee and though she’s not there anymore I thought she was great. Totally personable and not judgemental at all!
I’m now with Dr. Greenaway and she too has been good to me so far. Knowledgeable, personable and professional. I basically interviewed her when she took over my file and she didn’t seem to mind.
I’ve gone as a walk-​in/​drop-​in only a couple of times and of course I had to wait a while but really, I didn’t have an appointment. I did call ahead both times to give them a ‘heads up’ I was on my way in. Even the nurse who gives you shots is so good I don’t feel it. C’mon, how awesome is that?
I’m just an average person with no ongoing health issues or concerns so I go but rarely. However the staff have always been accomodating, the Dr. s knowledgeable and professional and talk to me about my health, choices and give me options.
Cons? The bathroom is off the waiting room so everyone waiting knows who has to collect a sample. Boo! Also, in the winter they have paper booties to go over your outside shoes. I get they don’t want to mop all the time but I just find it annoying.

I really like my doctor here, which causes me to give this place 4 stars. (Probably more than it deserves.)
The negatives are navigating the front office staff and the small lobby.
If you have an appointment and simply hand your card as soon as you approach the counter, you will be fine. If you are upset for some reason or already under stress because of a sick child, or some other issue, the staff can seem completely indifferent. I have witnessed a couple of less than ideal situations while waiting, both due to a mix of the two above mentioned combinations.
The lobby is small and right off the street. on rainy or snowy days it gets wet, and they make you take off your shoes. While this is understandable, it is also no fun to be unprepared and step in water in your socks!

Despite its proximity to my home, I will never be a patient at this clinic.
Before my permanent care provider left for two weeks, I dropped into Health Source to verify that I would be able to receive care from them during my doctor’s absence. They said that it was fine, and that they would treat me as a walk in.
When I eventually visited during my doctor’s vacation, I was abruptly told that they were not a walk in clinic, but that if I wanted to wait TWO HOURS, they would see if they could fit me in. Confused, I said, «but I was told by the receptionist last week that you could take me as a walk in…»
«nope,» the receptionist spat out, smugly.
They took two pieces of ID, and told me to have a seat. I waited 20 minutes, and during that time I saw two other patients arrive at the clinic expecting walk in service. One was a mother with a sick toddler in a stroller and a baby in a snugly. No one helped her to even open the door, and she was refused service.
Frustrated, I asked for my ID back, so that I could make an appointment for another time. The receptionist shrugged and said «I don’t have your ID» and looked away from me. I persisted, since I hadn’t gotten it back. The receptionist eventually found it still in the photocopy machine.
When I asked to make an appointment, they said that I was not allowed to make an appointment.
I thanked them for wasting my time, and I left.
This place isn’t a health care practice. It’s a waste of taxpayers dollars and a barrier for people to receive necessary health care.

Positive: Great doctor (Dr. Greenaway) is absolutely amazing. So easy to talk to, and she never make me feel rushed about the appointment. There is nothing to complain here.
Negative: Rude and easily irritable reception staff. If this were United States, these reception staffs would likely be fired by now. The reception staff is not friendly, and every time I call to make an appointment, she makes me feel that I am ruining her day. I expect a better customer service, either that or a new one.

I am a relatively new patient of Dr. Toni Canton in Health Source Medical Clinic, and I am very pleased with her knowledge, intelligence, and what gets called «bedside manner.» She’s awesome!
I came to the clinic after horrible experiences with family doctors in Toronto (though excellent, world-​class care from specialists) during the eight years since I moved here from the US. One family doctor yelled at me for going to the emergency room after she treated me with penicillin for a penicillin-​resistant infection (the ER doctor was unhappy with the way the infection had been treated, and told me how important it was for me to have come to the ER when I did). After that experience, I sought another family doctor who not only tortured me with a pap smear, but also tried to tell me that there must be something wrong with me; fortunately she was fired from her practice she was so bad. My partner’s family doctor, who was willing to take me, does medical missionary work, which he broadcasts in his waiting room — great that he’s such a good guy, but I prefer not to be flooded with propaganda for someone else’s religion in the waiting room. My health was maintained by a fabulous acupuncturist and the staff of an excellent walk-​in clinic, but that’s not the same as actually having a good family doctor.
This clinic is amazing. The waiting room is actually beautiful in a clean, modern, good _​feng shui_​kind of way, unlike many TO clinics that have pretty crummy waiting rooms; the rest of the facility is equally nice. The staff are polite and professional, even starting to be friendly as I am more of a known quantity — I’m having lots of tests done that I deferred during the eight years in which I wasn’t well-​served by the Ontario healthcare system.
Dr. Canton is an excellent listener, able to hear what I have to say about my health and then work with that. She’s really smart and asks good questions; she’s polite, open-​minded, respectful and supportive of the fact that I see an acupuncturist regularly. She’s been expert about everything, and is eager to make referrals to the very best specialists and testing facilities; it is also great that they do some testing in-​house. She’s the first family doctor I’ve seen in Canada who has made me feel that the Canadian healthcare system can actually live up to its full potential by providing world-​class primary care, and my experience of the clinic reinforces this notion.
The staff have also been great. I’ve had lots of blood work done to make up for the fact that I’ve had no blood work done in Canada in eight years. Since in past I have fainted having blood drawn, I brought up this issue, which for me is about my blood pressure dropping during the blood collection. Rather than accuse me of being afraid of needles or pain (which has happened occasionally in the past and which isn’t the problem), the staff listened and arranged for me to be able to lie down during the blood work and afterwards until my light-​headedness subsided. The actual test was painless, which is not always the case.
All-​in-​all, as good as the best care I’ve had anywhere in the world (and I’ve lived all over), and way better than what I’ve seen elsewhere in Toronto!

I’m a patient of Dr. Bowen Chan, one of the 2 or 3 (I believe) doctors in this clinic. I’ve only had a couple of appointments with him but always find him pleasant, professional, easy to talk to, and reasonably on schedule.

I was so excited about this clinic because of their central location, the fact that they were accepting new patients and a female doctor was on staff. However after two appointments with Dr Lee, I can say with confidence that I will never return to this clinic and would discourage anyone else from stepping through the door. I found Dr Lee to be incompetent, unprofessional, judgemental, immature, and insecure with a nasty attitude. I believe that her personal judgements and prejudices interfere with her ability to give proper care.
My first appointment was awful, she was a terrible listener. Making judgements about my lifestyle that simply were not true. But I hoped that maybe it was a onetime thing and she was having a bad day. Second appointment I asked for a referral to a specialist for an unusual ongoing issue, she looked in her computer for 2 minutes and refused to give me a referral. Said my ongoing condition was normal and I would just have to deal with it. Dr Lee is not an expert in this field and couldn’t give me any advice on how to avoid, manage or cure this ongoing condition. In her warped mind, she thought she was doing a good job by not giving me any medical advice or giving me the tools to contact someone with the necessary knowledge. I pleaded, argued, and begged for the referral. The most I got was, she would do research, call some friends and get back to me. I didn’t expect to hear from her again but to my surprise I got my referral a month later. Four months later I saw the Specialist and he confirmed that my issue is not normal, its even a bit of a mystery even for him! and that I should contact him immediately next time symptoms arise.
I have no clue why this woman is a family doctor. Maybe she likes science, was good in school, and is ambitious, but it takes more than good grades and ambition to be a good doctor.

My partner signed on with Dr. Bowen Chan when HealthSource opened and we’ve referred many friends and clients since. Everyone has given positive reviews.
They are a family practice that happens to accept walk-​ins, but they are still growing so this is a rare opportunity to obtain a family doctor in central Toronto. Currently, there is Dr. Chan, Dr. Jung Hwa Lee and Dr. Carolyn Tisher. They are open, dynamic young doctors with an interesting breadth of experience between them. I’d strongly encourage anyone who is seeking a family physician to pay them a visit!

After being misdiagnosed at Downtown Doctor’s I decided to find a more reliable doctor, which just so happen to coincide with the opening of a new clinic down the street from me — The Health Source Medical Clinic. the staff are friendly and the clinic and is nicely designed; it’s very clean and bright. If I need to see the doctor I get an appointment within the week, if not the next day. There are a couple doctors in the office, but I go to Dr. Bowen Chan. He’s a really nice, friendly guy. He gets to know his patients, rather than just the symptoms. He answers any questions, gives honest advice (compared to doctors who regurgitate what they read in books) and never rushes the appointment. Can’t say enough good things about this place.