Appletree Medical Group
reviews and complaints

I am filing this complaint as a concerned patient. I was assured that I was to get a medical exemption for a specific issue I had in the past. I was told not once, but twice that a doctor I was to see would sign off on said exemption. Not only did I drive 3 hours to meet with the doctor, I was told at the in fact that the doctor does not in fact sign off on exemptions. I am furious that I had to waste my time and gas only to be told that I wouldn't be granted a very needed medical exemption. I hope appletree are reprimanded .

I called Appletree medical group on Monday, September 13, 2021 to confirm my son's appointment for the same day in the afternoon only for the customer service representative to say that there was no appointment on file. Meanwhile, I had called them on the 21st of June 2021 to book this appointment on the phone since I had missed my 14th of June appointment. The lady on the phone was extremely unapologetic and said they only thing she could do was to book another appointment for the 29th of November 2021 with no guarantee that she will be sending me a confirmation of this appointment even after I complained that this was the same issue that happened the first time. I am extremely frustrated at to how nonchallant and careless a clinic is over the health of Canadians. This has to end.

The clinic often books patients as physicals when they are regular appointments. They also do not do prescription renewals over the phone for medication you have taken for years, this is so they can charge the public health system more money. So firstly, they charge more money for the incorrect appointment type, then for coming in to renew prescriptions when it could have been done by phone. I understand maybe seeing the doctor once or twice a year to renew prescriptions but every time? It is excessive and fraudulent.
They need to be investigated by the Ontario Ministry of Health #ontarioministryofhealth

Good day,

I did a virtual session but was instructed to visit the walk-in to get the warts treatment for my daughter since not much can be done over the phone.

I double checked and confirmed that walk-in where available at my location and made sure to be there early. To my surprise, I was told that no dr are present and that they're only doing covid testing. drove to the next location, wait for it to open. no dr. onsite and no walk-in.
Tried 3th location and was told that an appt. is needed.

I'm writing this complaint as I was unable to obtain/use my OHIP services, unless I want to go to the hospital and wait all day and get treated for simple warts. Tried 4 different clinics, no service available and the information provided is not accurate in terms of when a clinic is available and if taking walk-ins.

List of clinics visited...
2150 Robertson Rd
2948 Baseline Rd
3001 Carling Ave

This is even more frustrating when you add a toddler in the mix.
I'm just lucky I dint have to use the bus but my husband still had to take time to drive around for nothing and waste gas, etc. he works hard in the week, not fair to him either. What's the point of planing and checking if it's all lies and for nothing? The ripple effects are UN-calculable.

Where is the heath care? Why am I'm paying taxes?

On May 25th, 2021, I have visited Apple Tree clinic at 216 Montreal road and a nurse called Nengi gave me an incorrect dose on my third vial which was really strong, I was sick and in pain for almost a week And this might be normal! My swollen arm was red and painful and I had to keep the ice for 5 days in a row!
She chose the wrong strength of the drug and drew up an incorrect dose (triple more)! It is clearly mentioned on the injection serum that I am strongly sensitive. How come she did not pay enough attention.
I (patient) provide her my medication/ injection instruction but she said ok.
She made a huge mistake. I hope apple tree do something in this regard.

Sadaf

Yesterday at at pressed in Appletree clinic I went there it took me 40 minutes to get there it says on your website that you close at 6 o'clock I was there just after five and it was closed it seems like in then I called today and it's in they told me they close at five again but on their site it says 6 o'clock I would just like to I'm trying to complete because I would take time off work to go there and it's closed I'm just wondering why don't you go straighten out your make sure they change your times because people drive 40 minutes to get there I know that it is I was told that he did that every 30 minutes to update your system but guess what it's still says 6 o'clock and I got a phone there and now they're telling me it's 5Y on the website doesn't say six

On April 25, 2021, I spoke to a physician on the telephone due to the urgency of my issue. Family Physician office is closed on Sunday and I felt that my issue needed a quick response.
April 26, 2021- I went for blood work. I waited for the 7 required days before beginning to seek assistance.
I began getting emails closer to the ending of 7 day time line for retrieving test results.
I declined speaking to someone because I wanted my Family Physician to follow-up. I called your office telling the representative that I don't see the information on my Portal Account, left my personal Family Physician contact information and asked for her to figure out what is going on. At this time, I even had a Physician call and told me my results were OK. That is not exactly what I requested or how I responded when I received my email notification.

So, I was left calling the office several times, asking for clarification, asking for my results and telling them again I want my results sent ASAP to my Family Physician office. I received many replies and one representative told me about the Toronto account (I NEVER developed the account, who knows who did without my knowledge?)

I immediately want the Toronto Portal Account closed. (I know it exists saying I live in the Toronto area, I have actually logged on to see (All information posted to my Ottawa Account ASAP
Blood work results upload so my Family Physician can finally get the results

You guys should be very CAREFUL with patient's personal information, how you upload documents and ensure all communication is posted accurately... I actually took the time to call and pass along personal information that the representative never did. All this taken place at the end of the 7 day time frame, so exhausting!

I had an appointment booked with Dr. Rajpal Dayal through Appletree Medical Group's Virtual Care function. I logged into the link 5 minutes before my appointment. I waited for 30 minutes without any response. I then called Appletree contact number to inquire about this, and they said that Dr. Dayal was running behind schedule. Then I receive a message by Dr. Dayal in the portal saying that he can't reach me by phone or video and that he is "going to try again in 10 minutes". I reply saying "I'm here" (I never left the call), and he proceeds to cancel the appointment altogether. Completely unacceptable.

I had set up a virtual appointment to get my prescriptions renewed. The doctor didnt bother to look at my chart and refused to continue the appointment or refill my prescriptions when his lack of knowledge about me as a patient caused me anxiety and a panic attack resulting in needed my wife to speak for me. It seemed like he had no idea what my medications were for, when I told him even though I was taking the pills as prescribed I was still in enough pain that I still cant sleep properly he asked if I tried splinting my wrist which I have and it makes it worse if I sleep like that. All I had set the appointment up for was a prescription refill for the treatment plan the emergency room doctor had set up and to ask since the current amitriptyline dose wanst working if a higher does would be effective. He over stepped in his position and made the whole experience worse resulting in an anxiety attack due to him not answering my questions directly or in a way that wasnt confusing or condescending. After a year of pain the last two months of which have been so crippling I haven't been able to sleep or eat. I need proper pain management. And the hospital told me a walk in clinic would be able to help come up with a better plan for the pain management. But when I tell the doctor that my medication doesnt seem to be working properly he offered sub par advice. All in all im am extremely disappointed with how the situation was handled and I was treated

The Apple Tree Walk-in Clinic at 1595 Merivale Rd Ottawa has been closed since March due to Covid. However the waiting room is open as a corridor to access the Athletic Medical Care physiotherapy. This Corridor rented by Apple-tree is filthy with encrusted winter salt, cobwebs, stones, dried leaves. Appletree is responsible to keep yhis public area clesn.

I went to the Appletree after a back injury at work. I waited for hours to be seen. Once inside Dr. Dayal Rajpal came in. He was rushing, didn't listen to me. He didn't really examine me. Just quickly touched my back and said I am good to go. And to take some Tylenol for the pain. I could barely walk or sit. Worst doctor I have ever seen. Doesn't know how to talk or treat his patients.

Date of the incident: December 16th, 2019 (around 5.30 pm)

I was refused the service at Apple Tree on Carling Ave 1309. I came in, registered as usual, waited 1.5 hours and then a woman working there (medical assistant) told me that she will not let me in because I can not get a sick note via Telemedicine. I have politely told her that I have been at many Apple Tree locations in Ottawa and never had any issues receiving a sick note through Telemedicine since I have an ongoing condition.
The woman responded that she will not let me in and that I can not use Telemedicine to receive a sick note (which I knew was not true because I have read all the exclusion criteria for Telemedicine online and have received sick notes before using Telemedicine at least three times).
The lady got mad at me and was talking very unprofessionally and rude, she did not offer any solutions to this situation (I have already waited for 1.5 hours and was refused the service).

When I asked if she could tell me if there are any apple tree locations that have a doctor I could see at that moment, she replied with simple "no". But that was not true, when I left and checked the website, I could clearly see that there were a few Apple tree locations in Ottawa that had doctors on duty, this lady was not trying to help me, she just wanted to get rid of me for some reason.
I have never had such a terrible customer service at Apple Tree before and this is very upsetting.

I have spent 2 hours and was refused the service, left very upset, spend extra money on Uber to get to another Apple tree location where I ended up receiving a sick note via Telemedicine with no issues at all.

Decembre le 7 2019 ma fille est tomber malade j'ai appeler appletree sur baseline road et jai bien preciser deux fois si ils prennent des patients de 2 ans est demi la fille au telephone elle ma bien dit oui on va prendre ta fille de 2 ans et demi, je suis aller et c'est 30 minutes de chez moi, je lai enregistrer et apres 20 minutes d'attente la fille me dit on peut pas prendre ta fille de 2ans, je lui est bien dit j'ai meme appeler 2 fois pour vous dire ma fille a 2 ans est demi, elle me dit je ne sais pas c'est qui qui vous avez dit sa mais on peut pas la prendre, elle ma meme dit meme si tu va a l'autre appletree sur baseline ils vont pas l'axcepter tu dois la prendre a l'hopital, j'etait vraiment vraiment dessue du service a la clientele du appletree, je suis meme venue avec mon fils de 6mois et ils nous a mit dehors…

At 3:30 pm I met doctor rajpal dayal I told him I have pain in right leg up till my back
He was runnning in a rush like he ask me to cough then he said he has nothing to do with it?
He le ft after he renew my blood pressure pills which he brought more up.
As a patient I was expecting more care. He was even asking me what medication im taking well im not aware of medical terms he kept asking me, rushing me give me the name of medication... Help me... Then he left a bit come back wth the names. Gave me the prescription and went.
For over 20 min no one im in the room waiting for whats next untill I left my self.

Hi there,
This is Vishal writing from Ottawa. I had an appointment with doctor and my waiting time was supposed to be 2 hours. However, what had happened is, I ended up waiting for more than 2.5 hours . This was my first experience with apple medical center and It was worst. How could you guys made a patient wait? I have bacterial infection in my leg. I can't even sit comfortably And I waited that much. This isn't the service I was supposed to get. Kindly review it and try not to do this with any other patient.
Thanks and regards
Vishal Mor

I thought I was a patient of Dr. Gopi Arumagum's because I was told by him that me and my autistic teen son were. This was 3yrs ago, in June 2016. I don't even know where to begin. About 9 referrals to specialists were not made that he said he made. I paid for $50 to have papers for disability benefits. He took the money only to half fill the forms and then told me unless I was missing limbs, blind, etc., there was no way I'd be eligible. The disability benefits ppl told me he lied. He stole my money. Today, I was to refill my prescription only to find the doctor and the clinic went on vacation, leaving no notice online or otherwise. I don't know how I'll get my medication. A few months ago he referred us to a pain specialist for exrays etc. When the reports came back he said he was not responsible t reviewing them, which of course is incorrect. He's messed up my refills so often that our pharmacy head said she'd also file a formal complaint against him. I've suffered immeasurably because of his actions. I do have a new doctor but not until next month. Even a therapist I'm currently seeing has heard only negative things about him and the Appletree medical group. I'm filing a complaint against both company and doctor to the college of physicians and surgeons.

I called the main number to find out if there were any clinics presently open in Ottawa. They gave me an address for one. I drove across town to the clinic and when I got there I was told that they closed registration more than an hour ago. I called back the main number to ask why and they told me that they were supposed to be open for another two hours. What's the point of having a system for waiting times if you can't be open when you say you are?

I walked in at 645pm and the reception said they are closed, i said its not 7 yet she had a smerk on her face and said nope sorry not taking anymore people.
3 yrs ago i went here and i liked the Dr and i made them my family Dr for me. After this with the smart [censored] smile and refusing me im looking for another Dr now. She didnt even offer to make an appointment, i will return tomorrow, tell the Dr and also let him know im leaving, and i wont promote there sites or offices.

This was the absolute worst service I could possibly fathom. My new boyfriend and I both checked in to get STI testing as a form of precaution. We waited over an hour. When my boyfriend and I got called, we got placed in separate rooms. My boyfriend gets seen by the doctor first who lectures him about how we should only get tested if we have symptoms. That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. He was legitimately yelling. So much so that I could hear every word he was saying. He was going on about how we are wasting tax payers money. Does this doctor not understand basic sex-Ed? It is very important to get tested on a regular basis to ensure that there is no spreading of diseases - which do not always involve obvious symptoms. We are trying to be responsible and instead get lectured about not coming in until we show symptoms. Ridiculous. I can not believe this happened. We left and did not get our STI testing done. Waste of an hour. Please hold this doctor somehow responsible for his actions before he scares away young teens from getting needed STI testing and in turn, encourages the spreading of diseases.

A staff member divulged information without a signed consent form... I would like someone to please contact me via phone to discuss this...attached photo is proof provided by cas worker in court case [protected] or via email [protected]@gmail.com and or can someone please provide me with the consent form they had in order to speak to the cas worker...along with the name of yr employee that spoke to the worker