I don't usually write long reviews, but this whole situation was so ridiculous that I feel like people should know what they might be dealing with.
I recently switched to a new family doctor in Barrie after being on a waitlist since August. As part of the process, I had to get my old medical files transferred. Simple enough, right? My new doctor faxed the forms, and Surrey Medical Centre confirmed they got them on April 29th.
And then... nothing. Absolutely nothing.
The Calling Marathon
I called the following Monday just to ask if they received the fax and how I could pay for the transfer. The receptionist told me her manager would call me and email me the invoice by the end of the day. She said it twice.
No call. No email.
I called again Tuesday. Same thing -- "She'll call you today."
Again, nothing.
Meanwhile, my dad's doctor handled his transfer in two days. My husband's doctor mailed him the invoice and he paid over the phone immediately. So clearly, this isn't some complicated process.
The Part That Really Got Me
By Wednesday, still no contact. I checked my junk mail constantly. Nothing.
Then Thursday came, and this is where it got weird. When I called from my number, it went straight to voicemail. No ring, no hold music, nothing. So I tried calling from my husband's phone -- it rang. I tried calling with No Caller ID -- it rang.
So at this point, I'm thinking... are they actually avoiding my calls?
I wasn't rude. I wasn't demanding. I was literally trying to pay them.
Finally Getting Through
When I finally got someone on the phone (again, only because I used No Caller ID), the receptionist immediately recognized my name and started explaining herself before I even said anything. That told me everything -- they knew exactly what they were doing.
She said that she handed her manager the file personally, and would call me. Funny, because that's exactly what she said the week before.
I asked to speak to the manager directly. When the manager- Nadia finally answered, she acted like she was doing me a huge favour by "saving me money" and only charging $35 because there were "a lot of files, but I'm only charging you for the past year." The cost was never the issue. The issue was the dodging, the excuses, the lack of communication, and the fact that I had to chase them for weeks over something that should've taken one phone call.
The Overall Impression
Avoiding calls, ignoring emails, promising callbacks that never happen... it felt shady and extremely unprofessional. I was patient and respectful every single time I called, and honestly, I feel like that patience was taken advantage of.
All I wanted to do was pay for my file transfer. That's it. Every other doctor's office handled this smoothly. Surrey Medical Centre made it a stressful, time‑consuming mess for no reason at all.
Honestly, if I could leave zero stars, I would. I don't like leaving negative reviews, but this experience really showed me how disorganized and dismissive this office is. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone who expects basic communication or professionalism. read more