Committee: Discipline
Decision Date: 11 Dec 2012
Summary:
On December 11, 2012, the Discipline Committee found that Dr. Rivlin committed an act of professional misconduct, in that he has been found guilty of an offence that is relevant to his suitability to practise, and has engaged in disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional conduct. Dr. Rivlin admitted to the allegations.
On or about December 21, 2010, Dr. Rivlin pleaded guilty in the Ontario Court of Justice to one count of fraud over $5,000 and one count of possession of a prohibited weapon with ammunition. Convictions were entered on the basis of Dr. Rivlin's admissions to fraudulently billing OHIP in the amount of $168,794.21 between September of 2000 and February of 2008, while he was out of the country. He also admitted to illegally possessing a prohibited firearm and ammunition in a locked safe at his residence, which he had, at a patient's request, agreed to store in his safe after the patient inadvertently left it in his office, until the patient's return to Canada from the United States. It was seized by police during the execution of the search warrant in March of 2008.
In the criminal proceedings, Dr. Rivlin was given a ninemonth conditional sentence with three months house arrest, followed by a twoyear term of probation. He was also prohibited from billing OHIP for the duration of his conditional sentence and probation. At the time of his guilty plea and sentencing, Dr. Rivlin made restitution to OHIP.
The Discipline Committee ordered a public reprimand, a 12month suspension of Dr. Rivlin's certificate of registration and costs of $3,650.