Patients of Toronto gynecologist linked to infection risk say they flagged negative experiences years earlier

Talia Ricci · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 13, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

Years earlier immoderate 2,500 patients of a Toronto gynecologist were warned astir a imaginable corruption hazard linked to improperly cleaned tools, Rachael Millanta filed a ailment astir her acquisition astatine the clinic.

After CBC Toronto was archetypal to report on Dr. Esther Park's office where Toronto Public Health said earlier this period that cleaning protocols were not being followed, respective patients person travel guardant to stock their antagonistic encounters with Park, galore expressing their vexation that their voices weren't being heard. 

Millanta was 1 of them.

Millanta said she filed a ailment with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) successful April 2021. She said she was asked idiosyncratic questions by Dr. Park with the doorway open and told to undress from the waist down while the doorway remained open.

CBC News has seen the documents filed to the CPSO. In her complaint, Millanta wrote that erstwhile she asked for a gown oregon covering, she was told she should person brought her ain from home.

"She told maine to screen myself with my clothes...I was wearing tights astatine that time, truthful that was not peculiarly great, but I didn't truly cognize what to do," Millanta recalled successful an interrogation with CBC Toronto.

After that, Millanta said she was fixed a achy interior introspection that she did not consent to, which caused her to bleed. Millanta said she was besides fixed a medicine with nary accusation connected what it was oregon immoderate details of her aesculapian condition.

Millanta said she called her parent successful tears afterward and filed a ailment with the CPSO close away.

Complaints astir 'feeling rushed oregon not feeling afloat informed'

She said she received a effect from the assemblage respective months later, successful which Park refuted astir of Millanta's claims.

"The Respondent says that portion she regrets the Complainant is unsatisfied with her level of professionalism, she disagrees with this concern," the papers read. Park's effect successful the papers besides claimed to beryllium wide astir the introspection process and mentation of the prescription.

The college's decision, dated Sept. 21, 2021, included issuing "advice connected nonrecreational connection and empathetic, delicate engagement; that it is not due to permission it to the diligent to petition draping oregon to bring it from home...to guarantee a implicit gynecological past and appraisal and that documentation is broad and adequately bespeak details of the consultation."

In its response to Millanta, the CPSO noted determination had been aggregate complaints against Park.

"The Respondent's past of anterior complaints astatine the College includes matters wherever patients person conveyed sometimes feeling rushed oregon not feeling afloat informed by the Respondent," the documents said.

CPSO says it can't stock fig of complaints

The CPSO says it's investigating Park successful narration to corruption power issues successful her practice.

CBC Toronto asked the assemblage for the fig of complaints filed against Park. A spokesperson said they couldn't supply that accusation owed to confidentiality restrictions. Further details connected the college's doc registry amusement Park's licence has been restricted since December 2024.

CBC Toronto contacted the clinic, but a staff subordinate said Park would not comment.

The office's answering instrumentality says the doc is retiring, and that the session volition beryllium closing successful April. The CPSO said it can proceed an probe portion a doc remains registered with the college, arsenic good arsenic after they resign oregon allows their registration to lapse.

"Patients tin besides record a ailment with CPSO aft a doc ceases to signifier wherever the interest oregon behaviour relates to the clip erstwhile the doc was a member," the assemblage said successful a statement.

Sandra Cole, another former diligent of Park, stood outside the session with a motion this week. Her extremity was to pass patients, and request accountability, she said.

"We request to commencement exposing these doctors and we request to commencement exposing the College of Physicians and Surgeons and their deficiency of accountability erstwhile and for all," she said, adding that she felt dismissed by the doc and had concerns astir Park not changing her gloves. 

The CPSO said successful a connection to CBC News that it "takes each concerns earnestly and is committed to ensuring the information of patients."

Lawyer points to ineligible options 

Kristina Maitland, an associate aesculapian malpractice lawyer astatine Neinstein Personal Injury Lawyers LLP, says if a diligent is not satisfied with a CPSO decision, there's besides the ineligible route.

"So if a diligent feels that the ailment process hasn't gotten them the solution they were hoping for oregon or the closure they want, a suit tin beryllium sometimes a amended enactment due to the fact that it is much focused connected ensuring that there's the betterment for the plaintiffs themselves, for the circumstantial harm they suffered," Maitland said.

Maitland said it's important that patients question a ineligible sentiment arsenic soon arsenic imaginable aft an incident to marque definite they're alert of their options and debar immoderate issues with regulation periods.

Toronto Public Health says the session corrected the corruption power issues and that it had nary ongoing concerns aft Oct. 10.

But for patients similar Millanta, the antagonistic acquisition she had remains with her.

"It was without question the astir traumatic acquisition I've had with immoderate aesculapian professional, perchance anyone, astatine all."