I was halfway through my Tuesday coffee when the email arrived – anonymous, hesitant, yet determined. “I’ve spent months trying to find someone who will listen,” wrote the 32-year-old mother from Sudbury. Her gynecological concerns had been dismissed by three different physicians as “just anxiety” before a fourth finally discovered stage II endometriosis.
Her story isn’t unique. According to new data released last week by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, complaints against obstetrician-gynecologists surged by 29% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year. The report highlights a troubling pattern of patients – predominantly women – whose concerns were minimized, dismissed, or inadequately addressed.
“Many patients describe feeling unheard during what are often vulnerable medical interactions,” explains Dr. Nisha Sharma, a health equity researcher at Women’s College Hospital in Toronto. “The power dynamics in gynecological care create barriers that particularly affect marginalized populations.”
The provincial data reveals three primary categories of complaints: dismissal of pain and symptoms, inadequate informed consent for procedures, and lack of trauma-informed care practices. Indigenous women and newcomers to Canada report disproportionately negative experiences.
When I visited the Scarborough Women’s Centre last month, intake coordinator Mei Lin described a pattern she’s witnessed firsthand. “Women come to us after they’ve been turned away from medical care. They’re told their pain is normal or they’re overreacting. The psychological impact of having your lived experience dismissed compounds the physical suffering.”
The surge in complaints parallels recent Statistics Canada data showing nearly one-third of women report postponing or avoiding gynecological care due to previous negative experiences. This hesitancy creates dangerous gaps in preventative health screening, notes a March 2024 report from the Canadian Women’s Health Network.
In Thunder Bay, midwife Janine Williams has observed the consequences of these gaps firsthand. “I’m seeing patients with advanced conditions that should have been caught earlier. When women don’t trust the system, they wait until things are unbearable before seeking help.”
The Ontario Ministry of Health acknowledged the concerning trend in a statement, pointing to recent initiatives including expanded training requirements for practitioners and the creation of specialized complaint navigation support for patients. But critics argue these measures fail to address systemic issues.
“This isn’t about a few problematic practitioners,” says Leah Cohen, director of patient advocacy at The Sunnybrook Centre. “It’s about medical culture that has historically minimized women’s pain and bodily autonomy. The increase in complaints actually represents progress – patients are finding their voices.”
Cohen’s perspective resonates with what many healthcare advocates describe as the “post-MeToo effect” in medicine – a willingness to question authority and demand accountability that was less common a decade ago.
Dr. Michael Richardson, chair of the OBGYN department at McMaster University, believes medical education must evolve. “We’re rebuilding our curriculum to emphasize communication skills and trauma-informed approaches alongside technical training. The evidence shows patient outcomes improve dramatically when they feel truly heard.”
Several community-based initiatives have emerged in response to the care gap. The Reproductive Health Access Project in Ottawa pairs patients with advocates who attend appointments, while digital platforms like HerVoice connect patients with vetted practitioners who specialize in complex gynecological conditions.
For Anita Benoit, a Mi’kmaq researcher at University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health, addressing the problem requires cultural transformation. “Indigenous women navigate layers of historical trauma when accessing reproductive healthcare. The complaint statistics show us where the system fails, but community-led approaches show us the way forward.”
When I followed up with the Sudbury mother who’d contacted me, she expressed mixed feelings about filing her formal complaint. “It felt both empowering and exhausting,” she told me. “But I keep thinking about all the women sitting in waiting rooms right now, doubting themselves because someone in a white coat told them it’s all in their head.”
Patient advocates emphasize that addressing the complaint surge requires structural change, not just improved bedside manner. Recommendations include expanded transparency in complaint reporting, cultural safety training, and restructuring appointment times to allow for meaningful communication.
The Health Quality Ontario benchmarking initiative now includes patient experience metrics alongside traditional outcome measures – a shift that Dr. Sharma calls “essential but overdue.”
As the province grapples with these challenges, the voices of patients offer crucial insight. “Being believed shouldn’t be a privilege,” says Cohen. “It should be the foundation of care.”
