Schroeder Ambulatory Centre is opening its doors on October 1st with 10 clinics at launch, including primary care, all designed to provide a broad range of complementary services that empower patients to live a better quality of life.
Over the coming months, additional clinics will be added alongside a suite of surgical, GI endoscopy and diagnostic imaging services (pending ongoing accreditation)—all part of the Centre’s non-profit mandate to deliver highly efficient community-based healthcare that’s equitable, convenient and provides an exceptional patient experience.
The first clinics to open at Schroeder Ambulatory Centre are being overseen by a team of leading physicians, all of whom are bringing their deep medical expertise to the launch of the Centre’s inaugural clinical programs:
Primary Care
Lead physician: Dr. Curtis Foong
Dr. Curtis Foong is a family physician with the East GTA Family Health Team and a surgical assistant at Scarborough Health Network. He holds a BSc in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology from the University of Toronto and a Master of Health Informatics from the University of Waterloo.
As a former web developer, Dr. Foong applies digital tools to improve patient outcomes and experience. Online booking, secure messaging, patient questionnaires, appointment reminders, and virtual care are integral to his practice. He has developed digital solutions to automate workflows and incorporate artificial intelligence into clinical and administrative processes.
Outside clinical practice, he serves on the boards of the Scarborough Family Physician Network and the Scarborough Ontario Health Team (SOHT) Collaboration Council, co-chairs the SOHT Digital Health Committee, and is a Clinician‑Teacher with the University of Toronto’s Department of Family and Community Medicine, contributing to their digital health initiatives.
Pain Management
Lead physician: Dr. David Sussman
Dr. Sussman also holds a Master’s degree in Education, which fuels his passion for teaching and curriculum design. He is actively involved in medical education at all levels, with a particular focus on postgraduate training. Whether developing curricula, mentoring trainees, or evaluating programs, he is dedicated to advancing medical education and preparing the next generation of physicians to excel in both clinical and academic settings.
Outside the clinic and classroom, Dr. Sussman has a curiosity that extends well beyond medicine. He is deeply interested in aerospace and aviation medicine, exploring how physiology and performance intersect in extreme environments. This diverse set of interests underscores his belief in lifelong learning and in applying knowledge across disciplines.
Bringing together clinical expertise, research, and a strong focus on education, Dr. Sussman is dedicated to improving the lives of people living with chronic pain while also inspiring and training future healthcare professionals.
Geriatrics
Lead physician: Dr. Fabio Varlese
Dr. Fabio Varlese is a prominent Specialist in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine. He graduated Summa Cum Laude at the University of Rome, and later became a diplomat with the American Board of Internal Medicine specializing in Internal Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Health System.
He then specialized in Geriatric Medicine at the University of Toronto and he is licenced to practice medicine in Canada, Italy and the United States.
Dr. Varlese is the former Medical Program Director of the Rehabilitation Department and the Acute Care Unit at Baycrest Health Sciences, where he oversaw the development of new national standards of excellence in the care of the elders.
In addition to his current responsibilities as Staff Specialist at Baycrest Health Sciences and Mt. Sinai Hospital, he is the Honorary Medical Director at Villa Colombo Vaughan and the VP of Medical Affairs and Chief of Staff at Runnymede Hospital.
Dr. Varlese’s expertise in the fields of geriatric and acute care has inspired his interest in preventative medicine.
His work is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life and developing innovation to reduce unnecessary suffering from preventable diseases by treating symptoms and early warning signs of disease.
Dr. Varlese is the founder of the Toronto Clinic, an Executive Health Centre at the forefront of the highest standards of medical care, personalization of service, Precision Medicine and medical innovation serving the corporate executive world.
He is the founder of Global Medical Consulting, a satellite entity of the Toronto Clinic which addresses rare and life altering medical conditions, helping patients find innovative breakthrough treatments that can improve health outcomes.
Dr. Varlese currently holds the rank of Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto and both his academic and professional work have honoured him with numerous prestigious awards.
Orthopedics
Lead physician: Dr. Christopher Lu
Dr. Chris Lu is an Orthopaedic Surgeon at Halton Healthcare. He has worked at Georgetown Hospital for over a decade. He attended medical school at the University of Glasgow and completed his Orthopaedic Surgery residency at the University of Manitoba. This was followed by two fellowships at the University of Toronto: one fellowship in Lower Extremity Reconstruction at Mount Sinai Hospital, and one fellowship in Foot and Ankle Surgery at Toronto Western Hospital.
Areas of focus
- Ankle instability / sprains
- Ankle ligament reconstruction
- Ankle OCD lesions
- Os trigonum
- Ankle arthritis
- Ankle arthroscopy
- Arthroscopic Subtalar fusion
- Arthroscopic ankle fusion
- Lisfranc injuries
- Midfoot arthritis
- 1st MTP arthritis and MIS Bunion and Hammer toe surgery / forefoot reconstruction.
Neurology
Lead physician: Dr. Hamza Jalal
Dr. Hamza Jalal is a board-certified general neurologist with specialty training in neuromuscular medicine and electrodiagnostic (EMG) studies. He holds an EMG certification from the Canadian Society of Clinical Neurophysiologists (CSCN) and completed his neurology residency and fellowship at the University of Toronto.
In addition to his broad neurology practice, Dr. Jalal has special interests in headaches and neuromuscular disorders. Patients appreciate his comprehensive, holistic, and lifestyle-focused approach, combined with evidence-based medical treatments. He also has a strong interest in leveraging the latest technology—including artificial intelligence and advanced digital tools—to optimize workflows and deliver timely, efficient, and comprehensive care that prioritizes patient outcomes.
He practices full-time in Markham and Richmond Hill, Ontario, where he is dedicated to providing accessible, high-quality neurological care to the community.
Urology
Lead physician: Dr. Dean Elterman
Dr. Dean Elterman is an Associate Professor of Urology at the University of Toronto, sub-specializing in functional urology. He holds the Lang Family Endowed Chair in Urologic Innovation. He has pioneered the introduction of new methods to treat BPH including Aquablation, Rezum, Optilume and Optilume BPH, iTIND, UroLift and more. He is the recipient of the 2022 SIU Innovators award, leads numerous clinical trials in BPH and neuromodulation, and has published over 240 peer reviewed manuscripts including the lead author of the Canadian guidelines for Male LUTS/BPH.
As an attending urologist at the University Health Network (Toronto), his clinical and research interests include voiding dysfunction, novel technologies for benign prostate enlargement (BPH), sacral neuromodulation, male incontinence, and men’s health.
Gastroenterology
Lead physician: Dr. Zane Gallinger
Dr. Zane Gallinger completed his Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Toronto in 2012. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine and his fellowship in Gastroenterology at the University of Toronto, earning certification from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in both disciplines.
He also completed a Master of Science at McMaster University and an Advanced IBD Fellowship at The Mount Sinai Hospital (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai) in New York City. His interests focus on medical education, competency-based training, and quality improvement in gastroenterology, with a particular emphasis on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
He has authored more than 20 peer-reviewed publications across original research, reviews, case reports, and education/quality-improvement work—appearing in journals such as J Crohn’s & Colitis, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, and the Journal of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology—and he regularly presents his work at national and international conferences.
Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery (Ear, nose & throat)
Lead physician: Dr. John Lee
Dr. John Lee is Head of the Division of Rhinology and Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Toronto based out of St. Michael’s Hospital, Unity Health Toronto. He completed his residency training at the University of Toronto before pursuing an advanced fellowship in rhinology and endoscopic sinus and skull base surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. He subsequently completed a Master’s Degree in Heath Research Methodology from McMaster University.
Dr. Lee’s clinical and academic focus is advanced rhinology and endoscopic skull base surgery. He has authored over 100 publications, 15 book chapters and was the co-editor of the textbook “Handbook of Skull Base Surgery”. He has been an invited speaker at national and international scientific meetings and sinus surgery courses. Dr. Lee is a peer-reviewer for several rhinology journals and is on the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy. He also created the first app (iOS/Android) specifically designed for reviewing pre-operative CT sinus anatomy prior to endoscopic sinus surgery (“Sinus Surgery CT Checklist”).
In addition to his clinical and research interests, Dr. Lee is highly involved in teaching both undergraduate and post-graduate trainees. He has previously won both “Resident Teacher of the Year” and the “Resident Advocacy Award” from his department. In 2018, Dr. Lee was also the first faculty member from his department to ever win an “Excellence in Clinical Teaching Award” from the Professional Association of Residents of Ontario, one of only two distinctions given annually to any member from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto.
Plastic Surgery
Lead physician: Dr. Atul Keswarni
Dr. Atul Kesarwani obtained his M.D from the University of Ottawa in 1981. He trained as a Medical-Surgical Intern at the University of Western Ontario in London, returned to Ottawa for a General Surgery Residency, and then completed his Plastic Surgery Residency at the University of Toronto in 1987.
He started his surgical career at the Toronto East General Hospital in 1988, being involved in general Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, including Peadiatric, Trauma, Hand, Breast, Aesthetic, Microvascular, and Head and Neck Reconstruction. He had been Head of the Division of Plastic Surgery there for twelve years.
Dr. Kesarwani is the medical director of Cosmedical Rejuvenation Clinic, where he performs surgical and nonsurgical cosmetic procedures in Toronto, including breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, and other body contouring treatments. Dr. Kesarwani oversees all procedures performed at our facility. He has also been Head of the division of Plastic Surgery at the Toronto East General Hospital for 12 years. Currently, he serves as a lecturer in the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto.
Audiology
Akram Keymanesh, Doctor of Audiology
Akram Keymanesh is a Doctor of Audiology and the founder of Hearing Help Canada. She earned her Master’s degree in Hearing Science at Western University and her Doctor of Audiology at A.T. Still University. She is registered with the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO) and is a member of the Canadian Academy of Audiology and Speech-Language & Audiology Canada. She also holds a status-only lecturer appointment in the Department of Speech-Language Pathology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.
With more than 20 years of experience in both hospital and private practice, she has worked with patients of all ages, from pediatrics to geriatrics. She spent over a decade at Baycrest Health Sciences in clinical and research roles, and since 2021 has run her own practice in downtown Toronto, providing hearing care in the community and long-term care homes.
A growing number of physicians are joining the initial roster at Schroeder Ambulatory Centre with the goal of serving as many patients as possible—as efficiently as possible. The Centre is currently working toward accreditation as a licensing requirement which, once complete, will allow for colonoscopies, endoscopies, MRI scans and CT scans to be done on site. Licenses for X-ray and ultrasound are also underway.
Once all services are operational, the clinics at the Centre will seamlessly refer patients to surgeries, medical imaging and procedures all under one roof, making it quicker and easier than ever for Ontarians to access quality healthcare that reduces their pain and improves their mobility.
For more information, contact our patient services team.