Albany Medical Clinic

This is probably the best walk in clinic I’ve been to in years. The downside is the wait times but overall the service has been exemplary. Receptionists have been courteous and efficient. The doctors have been very professional and more thorough than my family doctor.

When I moved to Toronto, I needed a new family doctor. I asked a few friends, and was recommended Dr. Podnieks. I booked an appointment and after a bit of paperwork ta-​dah! — a new family doctor. I didn’t have any of the headache I have heard others having finding a family doc (maybe I got lucky?).
I have always been happy with the service provided to me by Dr. Podnieks and her staff.
However, they lose a star because the washrooms in this building are super gross. I had to pee in a cup at the lab and I almost barfed at the washrooms. I then went down the hall to a more general public washroom and it wasn’t any better. I just threw the cup in the garbage and left.

Doctor was fine, but front desk staff are incredibly rude. I’d rather drive an extra hour than go back to this place.

There has been a bit of decline in service recently. The behaviour of one of the employees at the front desk was offensive. The walk-​in was jammed and they had to close early. They had to turn people away. I totally understand that. The one nasty lady, though, made sure she was doing it in the rudest way possible. I sat in a chair waiting for two hours and the way she was talking to people in person and on the phone I was really hoping someone would slap her. The two hour wait also really sucked. It’s happened the last two times I’ve had to go in. That said, the doctors I’ve seen at the walk-​in have all been excellent. No complaints about the actual care.

There are two issues I want to address.
Firstly, the care I get when I do see my doctor is good and it is handy to have all the facilities on site, blood work, X-​rays etc.
The second issue is that it is unbelievably hard to get an appointment. Very long wait time which is no good if you need to see your own doctor fairly swiftly. I have been trying tog get an appointment for over two weeks, that is just get the appointment mind. I was told to ring at 8am and go on a ‘same day’ visit but although I started ringing at 7.50 to be sure I was the first when I got through at 8am I was told there were no ‘same day’ appointments. Also, I find some of the receptionists to be very offhand and inflexible, lacking in empathy I’d say.
Had I known it would be so hard to be seen by your own doctor I would have gone elsewhere although my doctor is, as I said very good. Now, I am involved with several specialists in that building so it would be too difficult to move to another doctor. Quite frustrating.

I wish I could give a zero star rating. What kind of a doctors office turns away a patient who just had a baby and is in serious need of some help because it is «10 minutes before they close»??? If you post your hours, you should abide by them. Don’t rudely dismiss people with an attitude like we should have known better. This kind of arrogance makes me cringe. I suggest that you should all take your medical needs elsewhere as I am doing the same. I will never return to this heartless «doctors office» who does not even abide by their own posted hours. I will be spreading the word to all of my friends and family as well.

It took forever to book a family doctor. I’m not familiar with the Canadian health care system, but for what I have experienced I feel that I deserve better. I looked into this clinic and want to get a family doctor cause it has good reviews and it close to where I live. I went in for a couple of times for walk in. The first time I was seeing this doctor I said can I ask two questions, she told me «No I don’t have time, pick one question and ask me .» I was pretty upset with that visit. But I am willing to give it second try.
And considering its close and the infrastructure looks good I want to get a family doctor so I suppose if I was a patient here would be another story .
So I went on the website mid of May and choose a family doctor and booked an appointment on June 8^th and I was told lucky for most doctors have to wait for more than a month to get an appointment. A couple days prior to my appointment got a phone call saying the doctor wouldn’t see patients who had seen other doctors in the clinic before. I was surprise they didn’t tell me when I booked my appointment. I suppose this is not the first time it happened. And this only means I have to wait however long to book another appointment. He told me they could call me back and I could look into alternative possibilities.
I haven’t get any phone call and on June 9^th got a $ 70 bill saying I missed my appointment. I was frustrated and called the clinic and they told me to mail it back to them. I said you cancelled my appointment and sent a bill to me now I have to return it? Also I never get a call back for an alternative arrangement. The receptionist told me i should not have got angry at him and also says none of the doctors would take me as patient. I don’t argue further guess it’s not a good fit for me.

I came here around lunch on a Thursday and the place is busy. The lines are long and it seems that the doctors /​specialists juggles between two patients at a time. It’s conveniently located right beside Broadview subway station. Walk-​in clinic on the first floor and family doctors along with specialists on the other floors, each with their own reception. I came to see Dr. Nowtash (the optometrist here) for an eye exam and she was great. I’ll probably be back when I need another eye exam in a few years.

Came in at 8:30 on a Monday morning and had my exam, test run and prescription in hand by 9:00. So much faster than other walk ins I’ve been too and the staff were very friendly. Clinic was clean.

it’s a busy clinic but the receptionist runs things like she’s working the pass at the newest restaurant hotspot on a Saturday night. She took the time to chat with the younger kids to help put them at ease and at one point was struggling with communicating with an elderly woman with very limited English. Not once did she show the slightest bit of frustration. Once I was in to see the doctor everything was just as smooth. She was warm, kind and matter of fact,
Hopefully I won’t have need to anytime soon but I would make the trek to this clinic in a heartbeat. Hours are great and it seemed to me that they had specialty clinics in the same building but I’m not certain of that.

I’ve been here a few times and although the wait times can be long (which is expected for any walk-​in) the receptionists are wonderful. They are probably the friendliest receptionists I have ever met and not to mention, hilarious. Anyone feeling sick will instantly have their mood lifted by these ladies alone.

Good walk-​in clinic. I love that it’s open late. Wait times are long but this is typical of walk-​in clinics in Toronto (especially one that’s open later than others, like this one). This walk-​in is a one minute walk from the subway station which is very convenient. Pharmacy is right beside so it’s easy to fill prescriptions. Also located here is other departments such family doctors (appointments only), different tests can be taken here (such as blood tests, etc.), lab on site as well.
All the doctors that I’ve had there have been nice and efficient, especially Dr. Lam. She is totally a lamb:). I had a common infection that I’m prone to (which I told her about) so I’m very familiar with the symptoms. She wanted me to go upstairs to the lab to take a sample just to make sure it hadn’t progressed any further which I thought was extra nice. She’s extremely friendly and doesn’t just seem like she’s there to «do her job» as a lot of walk-​in doctors seem to be like.
The only complaint I have is that when you give your health card to the receptionist when checking in, they ask what your reason for visiting is. Not everyone likes to share their personal reason (and information) for wanting to see a doctor in front of the whole waiting room. Obviously if I’m walking in to a walk-​in clinic, I’m there to see a doctor so I don’t feel they need to know what the specifics are. Not much privacy there! Maybe instead of asking out loud, how about another approach? Maybe a form you can fill out? Other than that, no complaints here.

This place is my favourite walk in clinic for sure. It’s not perfect by any means but it’s not horrible either. I started coming to this place a little over a year ago. It’s a big place with oodles of different clinics depending on your medical needs. I would say 85% if my visits have been positive ones. The doctors & nurses have always been good. Some times the odd receptionist is a bit of a grump but over all it’s always been pleasant. Some times you see patients throw complete fits over the stupids things on the poor receptionist so I can sympathize with them if on is having a bad day. Over all I’ll be back when I need to be, if the place looks interesting to you I suggest you check it out.

Excellent staff (reception, nurses & doctor) especially a lady by the name Olivera.
I needed to be vaccinated for my trip to Asia last minute and was I was unable to find a place to take me ASAP. I called Albany travel clinic had a appointment within 24hrs I visited the travel clinic on the 3^rd floor. registered as a new patient and had a travel consultation (great advice & was given a care package by Dr.S.Tama.)
($ 55 for the consultation. cheapest I’ve researched in Toronto.) got my vaccinations/​shots and was out the door within an hour !! Very efficient staff. Thank you all at Albany Travel Medical Clinic.

I’ve only ever been to the walk-​in clinic, usually when I realize that OTC drugs and ginger ale aren’t going to make my throat infection go away and I decide to bite the bullet and get some antibiotics.
This place is always busy, even if you go first thing in the morning before it officially opens. I’ve never been the first one in line, despite setting an extra early alarm and booting it to the clinic as fast as my sickly body can move. That being said, the wait is a LOT better than I’ve experienced at other walk-​in clinics. The receptionist is to the point and tries to get everyone in and out as fast as possible. You do have to wear a super dopey face mask if you have a cough or throat problem, but trust me when I tell you that you will not be the only one suffering this embarrassing fate.
The doctors are quick but thorough and I’ve always left with the right prescription for antibiotics or cough syrup or inhalers or whatever I need to get over the nagging sickness. Last time I went, the doctor found out I didn’t have an insurance plan to cover prescriptions and was able to provide me with a sample nasal spray to get me through my latest ailment. Even though he isn’t my family doctor and sees hundreds of people a week, I was very grateful for the kindness (and spray) he extended in my direction.
This isn’t a place I visit willingly, but when illness knocks at my door and I Nyquil is no longer cutting it, this is the place I want to be.

I have used the walk-​in clinic and the lab here, and chose one of their GPs as my family doctor so now I go to regular appointments /​check-​ups as well.
The facility itself is very clean, modern, and bright (which is totally irrelevant as far as its medical capabilities, but it means that if you have an appointment with one of the family doctors the waiting area is actually quite pleasant). The location is very handy (less than 100 m from Broadview Station) so even though I have since moved out of the East End this continues to be my medical clinic of choice because it is not difficult to get to. The walk-​in clinic has long hours so it is possible to go after work, although predictably busy. If you talk to the receptionists at the lab they will tell you when the best times to go to the lab are (i.e. when it is least busy). If you have some flexibility in your schedule I recommend doing this rather than winging it as it does get busy.
Someone mentioned that the staff seem over-​worked, but I have always found them to be extremely helpful and pleasant — from the front desk staff who do reception and bookings to the doctor’s receptionists who I deal with in between appointments. I was waiting for some test results and the lady who called answered «How are you?» with an enthusiastic «Just peachy!» and actually joked pleasantly about the fact that the results were clear («Yay! So now we don’t have to see you!»). I cannot recall a single occasion where test results (good or bad) from another clinic were delivered in such a way that I got off the phone happier than before I answered it. That is pretty darned awesome.
Having the lab and many other services (e.g. physio) in the same building is also pretty sweet as it keeps things simple — I don’t have to travel around to get things tested or worked on.
When I had an urgent situation (car accident) and appointments were booking 6 weeks on, I left a message with my doctor’s receptionist (you always talk to a person rather than a voicemail, which I appreciate), explained why it was urgent, and that day was booked in for the next day after hours (my doctor stayed late to see me). This happened twice, so the fact that they have a system in place for special circumstances is really awesome.
Fact is, healthcare in Toronto kind of sucks because there are a lot more patients than there are doctors/​clinics and it is inevitably crowded and impersonal. I feel like the Albany Clinic is a great option even if it is busy.

I guess the clinic itself is ok but this CML blood lab working out of this building sucks!!! Wait time was way too long. I was there an hour after being told 30 mins. I ended up leaving without getting the work done.

Yeah, I’m writing a review on a medial clinic. Anyways… this is where I go to get my health-​on.
VIBE
The clinic used to be on the Danforth and now it’s on Broadview in a very modern building. It’s clean, modern and easy to access. It’s really all you need in a clinic.
Though now if you have a cold, the attendants ask you to wear one of those SARS masks. There is just no way to look good in one of those.
And the poor patient who had the doctor actually say to her: «You look like hell. No offence.» Ouch! What a way to make your patient feel like a million bucks! Really? Come on.
If you go here during the day, you may have to wait for up to an hour (even if you have a regular doctor). That said, on this visit (at about 6 p.m.), the doctor met with me within 3 minutes. Miracle! That never happens so kudos to the AMC for their quick and speedy service.
THE SERVICE
I thought I had impending bronchitis. I still don’t know what I have but my doctor seemed awfully cheery about it as he prescribed me moxicillian.
OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK
This ain’t Albany but I like this Albany (I don’t know… obviously I need to get better!).

I’ve been there numerous times to the walk-​in clinic. I’ve returned because it’s so convenient for me location-​wise, and I’ve never had anything really serious to deal with, only things like step throat. However, one time I was completely misdiagnosed and the medication they gave me to treat my eye completely complicated the condition. Returning to find out why my eye was deteriorating instead of improving, the next doctor I saw there told me to immediately throw out the prescription because it was meant for a completely different eye problem. Now that inspires confidence.
The reason why I really can’t consider entrusting my health to anyone at Albany is the result of my partner’s experience. Looking for a family doctor close to where we now live, he booked an appointment with a doctor at Albany who was accepting new patients. When he went to the consultation, the first words out of the doctor’s mouth were that he has no narcotics on the premises and he will no prescribe medicinal marijuana. My partner was looking for a check up, not a hook up. Seriously, that’s pretty insulting… and seriously unprofessional.
I realize this is just one doctor and doesn’t reflect an entire staff, but I’ve heard many stories from other people who have had negative experiences at Albany.

I had a surprisingly great experience here. Believe me, I wasn’t expecting it from past visits to walk in clinics but was pleasantly surprised.
I called ahead to see what the wait would be like and the receptionist was very pleasant and friendly. When I got there there was NOBODY waiting so I got in to see the doctor right away. The doctor was efficient, but very friendly and courteous as well as informative.
I imagine I got lucky and came at the right time (around 6pm on a Friday) but it far exceeded my expectations. It was also clean and had free parking out front and it’s very close to the Broadview subway station.
Edited to add: The other reviews seem to be for the old location, they’ve now moved to 807 Broadview on the main floor.