Because, we, as Canadians are not directly billed when going to see a family physician or specialist, we have become less aware of the charges that we are, in fact, paying for healthcare, as taxpayers. Dr. Jerry Tenenbaum who operates clinics in both Toronto and in Victoria B.C is a lesson to us all on contributing factors in the ballooning of healthcare costs. Dr. Tenenbaum shows just how one doctor can exploit and undermine our whole public medicare system through apparent selfish pursuits, avarice and sheer callous disregard.
Arguably, most doctors across Canada act responsibility when it comes to billing government on the costs of treating patients. However, all it takes is a small handful of doctors who have a sense of entitlement to squeeze the system for what it's worth, and then to rack-up billions of dollars in costs. Indeed, all it takes is a small handful of doctors driven by material pursuits over the lives of patients to entirely destabilize and deplete public finances on public healthcare.
In Dr. Jerry Tenenbaum's case, this doctor appears to be in the latter group of abusers of our valued system of public healthcare. Multiple complainants have posted online reviews on Dr. Jerry Tenenbaum's apparent McDonald's Drive Thru style exploitation of the elderly and other patients.
Dr. Tenenbaum appears to be systematically prescribing unnecessary or “dead-end” tests designed to drive-up medicare billing at taxpayer expense only to then tell patients at the end of MRI or other expensive tests that “they are fat, now go lose some weight” or “here's a Tylenol” at the end of it all.
Dezrin Carby-Samuels gas been one such patient of Dr. Jerry Tenenabum. For two years, Dr. Jerry Tenenbaum "poked" and "prodded" this once veritable super strong woman for test after test promising ameliorative treatment which never came. After tests which included MRIs, all she had to eventually show for her very extended long wait for treatment was Tylenol he prescribed, and chronic high blood pressure thanks to a nasal spray which he had been well-informed that she previously had allergic reactions.
Dr. Tenenbaum didn't appear to care though because now he could perform more tests! More tests, more money from you the taxpayer! As a result of Dr. Tenenbaum's apparent malpractice and callous disregard of ethics, Dezrin can no longer walk, write and talk.
And Dezrin was not the only patient whose life Dr. Tenenbaum has ruined. But does he even give a damn?
To make matters worse, Dr. Tenenbaum is leveraging and muscling the system through his seniority after having been in medical practice for many years to get tests that go nowhere. But, then again; more tests, mo' money! This has occurred while other patients who have ethical and possibly less senior doctors who actually need the tests to prescribe actual treatment are left to wait and wait.
Dezrin had thought though that Dr. Tenenbaum was using his authority in the system to expedite tests toward expediting treatment. However, it is apparent that she was sorely mistaken! Instead, it's apparent that Dr. Tenenbaum was simply trying to hasten his exploitation of our public medicare system.
If we, as Canadians, are to save our public healthcare system, it is vital that we hold such doctors accountable for their abuses of the system, and demand, if necessary that they resign their medical license in favour of doctors who genuinely want to help patients rather than to prop up their lifestyle.
A doctor ought to not be viewing their patients like the typical lawyer who wants to extract as much money as they can from their clients through so-called "billable" hours that often leave less affluent clients high and dry. But in this case, when a doctor approaches their patients in such a manner it is you the taxpayer who is being put needlessly into debt
Indeed, over 1000 signatories have, so far, sought to rally in support of Dezrin and against the macabre activities of Dr. Jerry Tenenbaum who also has turned a blind eye to Dezrin's further abuse by her husband.
Online petition is here - http://www.thepetitionsite.com/en-gb/takeaction/846/366/689/
On a back of a chocolate box Dezrin had wrote a note to Raymond, her son, tat “Dad abuses me”.
Such doctors are unethical and have no business being subsidizes at the expense of Canadian taxpayers who value our public healthcare system and expect that when they go for medical treatment, if required, that the doctor's priority is their betterment.
Being a doctor is among our most respected professions in our Canadian society, and we as Canadians cannot afford to have a complacent view on doctors who may be seeking to milk our healthcare system without any empathy in the welfare of their patients.
Harm done by doctors like Dr. Tenenbaum harm us all, and exploit the very system that is backbone of the quality-of-living that Canadians desire.
Here are some examples of patient reviews on Dr. Jerry Tenenbaum:
One patient in Toronto commented that ,“During my last visit to this doctor, I feel that he rushed things up. I thought the doctor would have discussed about the treatment with me a little bit longer but he did not. My meeting with him only did not even last for about 5 minutes before I went out of his office. I thought also he would have showed interest but he did not. I wouldn’t recommend this doctor to anyone.”
Yet another patient specifically made one rather long comment about his apparent “Drive Thru” practice on 15 October 2014 (unedited representation):
“This Dr. is useless. He is always in a a rush ( I am not sure why his office is almost empty when I go). I explained to him that my lymph nodes are swollen he tells me to get my family dr. to make a referral for a neck ultrasound...why can't he make the referral?. Now I have to go to my family dr to make an appointment (waste of the health care system). Then once the ultrasound is done I have to go back the family dr. to get a copy of the report (which is important because the technician said to me my lymph nodes are on the larger side of normal so I have to worry about lymphoma and should get ultrasounds once per year to monitor) but of course the hospital forgets to send the report to the family dr. My point here, he should be dealing with this, it is because of my sojgerns syndrome that I needed the tests in the first place. Now he doesn't even know that I should get the tests done once per year-because the lab report is somewhere in the wind but even if he did know he would probably make me go to the family dr. to make the referral every year ugh) When my endocrinologist wants a test done she makes the referral and so should my rheumatologist. He did initially diagnose my condition but any rheumatologist can order blood work and read the lab results all in all, he treats his practice like a McDonalds drive through and he is pretty useless.”
Another patient in Toronto similarly posts that, ”This doctor is very rude and arrogant. It seems like he's more concerned with getting you out of his office as fast as he can. Barely makes eye contact and truly lacks any remorse for your condition. This is my person opinion based on my experience with Dr. Tenenbaum.”
In Victoria, another patient documents “In my opinion, one of the worst specialist I have ever had to deal with. Every time I had an appointment there at his clinic, I could hear him tell all the patients the same thing "Exercise, loose weight, etc." When I went to him desperate to get answers, he was rude, insulted me and gave me the same answers I could hear him give all the other patients. Told me I was fat, lazy, and need more exercise. He was wrong. I found another specialist who has been great at helping me have a better quality of life without pain pills. I am also suspicious a lot of these comments on here with 5 stars are fake, probably his staff or the Dr. himself????? I am suspicious Dr. Tenenbaum is just running an MSP paper-billing-machine. I am suspicious Dr. Tenenbaum is abusing MSP billing, and acting incompetent in his level of expertise, that he claims he has.”
Indeed, could Dr. Tenenbaum himself be responsible for the apparent 5-star reviews that were all of a sudden published about him only after the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons began to investigate him?
Here's another review by a “satisfied” patient in Victoria:
“This is the one doctor I wish I had never seen. He originally gave me a dx back in 06, but failed to help me manage said dx. He chalked it up to me being overweight (he wasn't exactly a healthy weight, either!) and, even after losing all of my excess weight and doing a total lifestyle overhaul, I am still in constant pain. He didn't do anything to help me manage the pain levels. He only suggested I 'get more sleep' but refused to help me with that. As somebody that still struggles with chronic insomnia, getting 'more sleep' isn't always attainable! Thankfully, I have since found somebody with considerably more empathy, who has actually helped me with my pain issues. 8 years after dealing with this "doctor" and I'm finally seeing some progress!”
