Claudia Gómez had just moved to Canada from Colombia when she says she had a traumatic experience with a gynecologist.
She said she entered a Pap smear and, instead, she was given a biopsy, without warning.
“I was alone, I had no way to protect myself. I began to bleed and she said she could suffer pain for a few days,” Gomez said, remembering the experience that said it happened four years ago.
“I didn’t know the system and I thought I had no other option.”
After CBC Toronto was the first to inform about a Toronto gynecologist linked to a possible exposure to infections transmitted by the blood, several patients contacted their own negative experiences with Dr. Esther Park. Many of them were new in Canada, and said not knowing the language or how to navigate the medical system made it more difficult for them to complain, something that defenders say it is a broader problem throughout the medical care system.
Toronto Public Health (TPH) notified about 2,500 patients who may have been exposed to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV in the Park clinic due to inappropriate cleaning protocols, including speccultures that are not disguised before they were cleaned, and “significant surverter” of the disinfection solution. TPH says there are no updates to share in research and that there are no confirmed infections related to practice.
Gomez said that after the experience, he ended up going to a close profit organization that provides immigration and settlement for help. There, he said, he received medications for pain, a pad and a safe place to rest. At that time, I did not know that I could file a complaint through the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO). And as a newcomer, he felt he had no voice.
“My English was bad, I felt desperate,” he said.
Natalie Mehra is the executive director of Ontario Health Coalition, a non -profit organization that advocates protecting and improving medical care. She says that people are already very reluctant to complain about doctors.
“People are afraid to do so and there is a great imbalance of power. Language barriers can make access worse,” he said.
“I would always encourage people to present a complaint to the University. They do an investigation, and that is important because if there really is a problem, that is really the sole responsibility.”
CPSO says that the interpreters available to help
The CPSO is also investigating the Park in relation to infection control problems in its practice. He has not shared details or the number of complaints presented about Park, citing confidentiality restrictions.
The CPSO Medical Registry says that Park’s license has been restricted to December -based gynecology.
In a statement to CBC Toronto, the CPSO says that it aims to provide the public with access to services and support in the language of their choice. “For example, with the support of an audio interpretation service, patients calling the university can connect with an interpreter in one of the 240 languages,” the statement said.
“The interpreter can facilitate communication and ensure that any questions or concern is presented accurately.”
The reaction is coming after CBC News was first to report on hundreds of patients exposed to a risk of infection in a Toronto gynecologist office. More patients have been sharing their negative encounters with the doctor. Talia Ricci of CBC has more than one patient who filed an official complaint years before the reports of a risk of infection.
Syed Hussan is the executive director of Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, an organization led by members that advocates workers and immigration justice. He says that there must also be more measures to ensure that people in power positions who work with a vulnerable population are responsible and educated on appropriate protocols.
“As long as it has a system based on complaints and not on a system based on the proactive application, people without being able to protect themselves,” he said.
Doctor, the clinic does not offer an answer
CBC Toronto has made multiple attempts to contact the clinic, but has not provided any response. The answering machine of the office establishes that Park withdraws and is closing the office in April.
Meanwhile, Gomez now works in medical care as an occupational therapist. Looking back, I would like to have spoken.
“At one point, I just wanted to give up, stay with the disease and see what happens because I couldn’t come back there,” he recalled.
Since then, Gomez has found a new gynecologist through the non -profit organization that was supporting her when Toronto was moved for the first time.
She expects her story to encourage more patients, especially new women in Canada, to present a complaint or say something if they do not feel that their health is not in the right hands.
