An Ottawa physician continues to treat male patients as he faces allegations of sexual harassment and abuse against a receptionist at an Appletree Medical walk-in clinic.

Dr. Megeri Ede, 80, is currently based at an Appletree clinic at 368 Slater St. near Lyon Street in downtown Ottawa. He is also listed as working at an Appletree clinic on Merivale Road and the Rideau-Friel Medical Centre on Rideau Street.

According to a notice of hearing filed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO), Ede is accused of sexually harassing one woman while she worked at the clinic and while she was one of his patients.

The document accuses Ede of hugging and kissing the woman, stroking her breasts, making sexual remarks and touching her inappropriately through her clothes.

The allegations date back to April and May of 2009 but the notice of hearing was not filed until April 2011. Ede is scheduled for a hearing in Toronto that begins Sept. 24.

Male patients only

Since June 2011, the CPSO has restricted Ede's practice so he can only treat male patients while alone. He can treat female patients but only with a "female practice monitor," documents show.

Ede continues to work at the Slater Street clinic, sometimes as the only doctor on staff, which has forces female patients to travel elsewhere for medical care.

"This physician has a practice that is restricted to males only. This is dictated by the CPSO and is not a preference or choice," Alison Green, spokeswoman for Appletree Medical Group, wrote in an email.

Ede also faces a discipline hearing in February for allegations he failed to comply with the CPSO's "medical records policy," saying he showed "disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional conduct."

That includes allegations he failed to maintain the CPSO’s standard of practice with 25 patients from January 2010 forward.

Ede could not be reached at his home on Friday and the CPSO said he has not filed a response to the allegations, which have not been proven.

Disciplined in 2005

This is not the first time Ede has faced a disciplinary hearing. In 2005, he admitted to encouraging patients to join a financial scheme while practising in Petawawa, Ont., west of Ottawa.

Ede told the CPSO he did not benefit financially from the scheme but said he tried to talk people into joining him in the venture in 2003.

He was fined $5,000 and forced to take a course on ethics.

Ede, who specializes in internal medicine, received his medical licence in 1978, according to CPSO documents, after graduating from the University of New Edinburgh in Scotland in 1964.

25875-Ede, M. NOH-113983