This doctor is by far one of the best doctors I have had the pleasure of dealing with. I went on a medical roller coaster after having a tumour removed from my finger, resulting in an extreme infection. Through the process I dealt with many doctors, all of them leaving me hopeless and in tears. Dr McLaughlin came along and compassionately supported me and went out of her way to follow up with me. Whoever has her for a GP hit the jackpot!!!

Submitted May 25, 2023

Dr Mclaughlin was my Dr and my 4 yr old since we moved to Courtenay, so 28 yrs. She was the best Dr I ever had and I have had a lot of different Drs. Compassionate, listens and was always spot on with her diagnosis and would refer to who ever you wanted to see. She will be great with teens, my Daughter loved her. I will miss her immensely but I have Dr Mc Callum and she if fantastic as well . Peggy Casey

Submitted July 5, 2022

The other comments here baffle me. If your contact details were up to date, plenty of notice of retirement was given and then some patients were kept on under Dr McCallum and some were advised to find a new GP and offered help to do so. You didn't do that then it is your loss.

As for the weight loss critique below, I am grossly obese and we've discussed it as part of a health plan but never, not even once, has she left me feeling maligned or dismissed because of my weight. Not once.

Sometimes she is late - so are patients and that has a knock-on effect plus you never know when an appointment will turn into an emergency. Nothing any more unusual than any other doctor.

Dr McCallum is taking over my husband and I as patient and we don't have any problems with her at all. My teens will be with Dr. McLaughlin at the Foundry when it opens this year; Dr. McLaughlin will be seeing youth/teen patients only and there is a huge need for that in this Valley.

Wishing her all the best in her move, she has been one of the best GPs we've had (and I've lived in multiple countries).

Submitted Jan. 17, 2022

She has been my doctor for 27 years, wonderful experience over the many years, except for the last year. I understand that she is retiring, however the way she has left her long standing patients is not professional. I was never notified until I heard a message on the voicemail of her retirement and now I need to find a doctor quickly for my medical condition. During covid, I had to relocate for my job, and I was removed from the patient list without any notice even though she verbally agreed she will keep me on until she retires. The staff was not helpful to find any answers on the reason. So wish me luck on finding a new doctor!

Submitted Nov. 22, 2021

We had some years of excellent care from Dr.McLaughlin but the past several have been rough. She’s been extremely dismissive of any concerns we’ve approached her with, and downright moody to interact with.

A few years ago she refused blood work for my husband, who was in his late 30s and hadn’t had any in his adult life. He wanted to see if he had any cholesterol or blood sugar issues because they run in his family. She told him not to worry about it and to come back once he was past 40. (He did, and the blood work showed raging diabetes and elevated cholesterol that would’ve been nice to catch a few years ago.)

If you are overweight, you can expect her to prescribe weight loss for any and all health concerns- a fact that is downright terrifying, as many non weight related health issues go unchecked and undiagnosed. She’s given a dismissive “I’ve heard keto is good” in response to a foot injury that wound up being from improperly fitted footwear (‘diagnosed’ and solved by a shoe salesperson a week later!) and walked out the door.

This sort of dismissive body shaming is why fat people avoid going to the doctor, and often get sick or die with illnesses going undetected. Doctors like McLaughlin don’t view them as people, and basically have a ‘come back to me when you’re thin’ model of care, as opposed to the Health at Every Size model that would see much fewer missed diagnoses and many more patients engaged with their care. It is a terrible feeling to be afraid of a doctors visit, and this issue could be solved by simply treating all patients like humans, and with care and attention.

When we were recently notified that Dr.McLaughin would be retiring this year, we breathed a sigh of relief. I don’t mean to slam her practice without acknowledging that she is also human and has possibly been burned out after a long career in the field. We’re thrilled that one way or another she’s realized she no longer has it in her to give great care to people who need it, and is moving out of the way for the next generation. We’re hopeful that Dr.McCallum will have a more modern, inclusive approach to healthcare.

Submitted July 21, 2021

She was my mom's doctor for decades. My mom had lung cancer 5 years ago and seemed to have gone into remission. We recently discovered that it metastasized to her brain. After many phone appointments, with my mom describing stroke symptoms down her right side she was finally seen in person. Dr McLaughlin got her in for an MRI the same day. That was the last she or her "locum" Dr. McCallum had anything to do with her. My mom is dying at home and not once has either of them called to see how she is or adjust her meds as she declined. Not once. Absolutely disgusting abandonment of a patient.

Submitted July 9, 2021

If you value your health, don't go to her. She cares more about her looks than yours. She is always late. Her partner that she brought in to basically take all if her patients is HORRIBLE. Janice only works 2 Days a week!!!!
She was a wonderful doctor, 20 years ago when I first started going to her, not any more. Wish me luck trying to find a new doctor now. Shame on you Janice McLaughlin, shame on you.

Submitted Dec. 14, 2020

I have seen this doctor for more than 20 years and she has always been very helpful, knowledgeable and supportive. However, the last several visit this is changing and she no longer is empathic, caring and I feel she is burning out, sadly. She used to be great but I am no longer happy to see her.

Submitted Aug. 24, 2020

She has been my Dr for 25 years + and has been great for both my husband and I through some pretty bad heath issues, to me I think she is top notch .

Submitted Nov. 4, 2019

When I first started seeing her, and for years after, Dr. McLaughin was helpful and empathetic. When my daughter became chronically ill at age almost 14, all that changed. She didn't listen to us. She blew us off, at every visit. She refused to test for Lyme disease, which my daughter has and if she had been treated early in the infection, it would not have become chronic. She treated my daughter as if everything she was going through was psychological. Which is very damaging for a teenager. She brought on another MD to partner with her, who treated my daughter and even worse. So disappointed. The damage she caused to my daughter's adolescence is truly unforgivable.

Submitted Sept. 20, 2019