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Wu, Howard

CPSO#: 67746

MEMBER STATUS
Revoked: Discipline Committee as of 17 Oct 2019
CURRENT OR PAST CPSO REGISTRATION CLASS
None as of 05 Apr 2002

Summary

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Former Name: No Former Name

Gender: Male

Languages Spoken: Cantonese, English, Mandarin

Education: Queen's University, 1994

Practice Information

Primary Location of Practice
Practice Address Not Available

Professional Corporation Information


Corporation Name: Howard Wu Medicine Professional Corporation
Certificate of Authorization Status: Inactive: Jan 20 2020
 

Medical Records Location

Instructions/Address:
Patients looking to obtain a copy of their medical record may write to Smart Health Medical Clinic, Unit 9, 4080 Steeles Avenue East, Markham, ON, L3R 4C3.
Date Received: 09 Jul 2020

Specialties

Specialty Issued On Type
Family Medicine Effective:05 Jun 1997 CFPC Specialist

Postgraduate Training

Please note: This information may not be a complete record of postgraduate training.



University of Toronto, 01 Jul 1994 to 30 Jun 1995
PostGrad Yr 1 - Family Medicine

University of Toronto, 01 Jul 1995 to 30 Jun 1996
PostGrad Yr 1 - Family Medicine

University of Toronto, 01 Jul 1996 to 30 Jun 1997
PostGrad Yr 2 - Family Medicine

Registration History

Action Issue Date
First certificate of registration issued: Postgraduate Education Certificate Effective: 01 Jul 1994
Transfer of class of registration to: Independent Practice Certificate Effective: 30 Jun 1997
Transfer of class of certificate to: Restricted certificate Effective: 05 Apr 2002
Terms and conditions imposed on certificate Effective: 05 Apr 2002
Terms and conditions amended by member Effective: 30 Apr 2004
Terms and conditions amended by member Effective: 11 May 2005
Terms and conditions amended by Executive Committee Effective: 30 Jan 2008
Terms and conditions amended by Discipline Committee Effective: 25 Apr 2009
Suspension of registration imposed: Discipline Committee Effective: 23 Jun 2009
Suspension of registration removed Effective: 23 Oct 2009
Terms and conditions amended by member Effective: 27 Jul 2011
Terms and conditions amended by member Effective: 22 Mar 2013
Terms and conditions amended by Discipline Committee Effective: 29 Apr 2013
Suspension of registration imposed: Discipline Committee Effective: 01 Jun 2013
Suspension of registration removed Effective: 01 Dec 2013
Terms and conditions amended by member Effective: 02 Feb 2016
Terms and conditions amended by member Effective: 08 Mar 2016
Terms and conditions amended by member Effective: 23 Jul 2018
Terms and conditions amended by member Effective: 20 Aug 2019
Terms and conditions amended by member Effective: 12 Oct 2019
Revoked: Discipline Committee. Effective: 17 Oct 2019

Previous Hearings

Committee: Discipline
Decision Date: 17 Oct 2019
Summary:

On October 17, 2019, the Discipline Committee found that Dr. Howard Wu committed an act of professional misconduct, in that he failed to maintain the standard of practice of the profession in his care of patients; he engaged in an act or omission relevant to the practice of medicine that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional; he has been found guilty of an offence that is relevant to his suitability to practise; and he has had a conflict of interest. The Discipline Committee also found that Dr. Wu is incompetent.

Dr. Wu is a 50 year-old family physician who received his certificate of registration authorizing independent practice from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario in June 1997. He completed his medical degree at Queen’s University in 1994, and his postgraduate training in family medicine through the University of Toronto in 1997. At the relevant time, Dr. Wu practised family medicine in Markham, Ontario at the Smart Health Medical Clinic.

Registrar’s Investigation re Death of Patient A

On June 3, 2016, the College received a letter from the Chief Coroner for Ontario describing concerns about the care and treatment that Dr. Wu provided to Patient A in November and December 2015, specifically regarding Dr. Wu’s approach to medical assessment and care of a febrile neonate (a newborn with a fever). Patient A died on December 3, 2015 in hospital of E.coli sepsis due to meningitis.
He was 19 days old.

The College appointed investigators on June 23, 2016. A physician was retained as a medical inspector to provide an independent opinion regarding Dr. Wu’s care of Patient A. The medical inspector interviewed Dr. Wu, and reviewed Dr. Wu’s office chart as well as hospital and ER records.

In his report, dated September 28, 2016, the medical inspector opined that the care Dr. Wu provided to Patient A did not meet the standard of practice of the profession and displayed a lack of knowledge, skill, and judgment. The medical inspector was concerned regarding Dr. Wu’s chart note that he recommended the patient, a newborn, be given water and vitamin C-rich juice when he saw him on November 25, 2015. The infant’s elevated temperature reported in the subjective notes on that date was concerning and Dr. Wu should have recommended the mother bring her son to hospital immediately. On a subsequent visit two days later, the temperature was still elevated at 37.4°C and the inappropriate recommendation to add water was repeated in the chart. Dr. Wu also used an infrared thermometer to measure body temperature in the context of evaluating a potentially critical illness, which is not recommended. The medical inspector further opined that Dr. Wu’s clinical practice, behaviour or conduct exposed or was likely to expose newborn patients to harm or injury.

Dr. Wu failed to maintain the standard of practice of the profession and was incompetent in respect of his care and treatment of Patient A.

Registrar’s Investigation re Medical Devices

Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (“Sun Life”) wrote to the College expressing concern regarding Dr. Wu’s completion of medical supply claims. Sun Life had received a “very high quantity of medical supply claims bearing referrals” from Dr. Wu, and, because it suspected there was no medical necessity
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underlying the claims, Sun Life had requested medical notes from the patients. Upon review, as noted by a Sun Life medical consultant, the clinical notes were all in the same format and cited similar complaints, stated that investigation had been refused by the patient, and contained identical treatment plans. There was no medical support for prescription of the devices. Sun Life also noted connections between Dr. Wu and the medical supplier, Health A. Smart Wellness Centre (also known as ‘Health Aid’), namely that Dr. Wu’s administrator was a director of the wellness centre.

College investigators were appointed as a result, and another physician was retained as the second medical inspector. She reviewed patient charts from Dr. Wu’s office and corresponding information from Sun Life, and interviewed Dr. Wu.

Dr. Wu does not admit but does not contest that, as he stated in his interview with the second medical inspector, he received financial compensation in respect of the patients to whom he prescribed the medical devices from the wellness centre that supplied the devices:
- the proprietor of the wellness centre had access to Dr. Wu’s computer system;
- the wellness centre would schedule patients for Dr. Wu to see;
- he prescribed those patients braces and other medical devices;
- this took place between 2011 and 2015;
- he was paid $100 per patient per year for every patient to whom he prescribed medical devices and referred to the wellness centre next door.

As the second medical inspector found, Dr. Wu failed to maintain the standard of practice of the profession in his care and treatment of nineteen patients (i.e. all of the patient charts reviewed by the second medical inspector) presenting with musculoskeletal complaints who were referred to him from the wellness centre next door, for example in the use of multiple bracing at a single visit or over several visits in a short period of time, lack of investigations, and lack of follow-up. While the second medical inspector did not find that Dr. Wu’s behaviour or conduct exposed the nineteen patients whose care she reviewed to harm or injury, she did find that his care displayed a lack of knowledge, skill and judgment.

The College investigator sought more information and documentation from Dr. Wu regarding his financial relationship with the wellness centre. However, Dr. Wu advised that he was unable to provide the information requested, by letter dated April 12, 2018.

In a prior investigation in 2013-2014, Dr. Wu provided responses to the College asserting that he had no financial interest in the sale of braces/medical devices which were sold by the same wellness centre next to his clinic, and that there was no conflict of interest in relation to Dr. Wu’s prescription of braces and the payment for these devices to the wellness centre. Dr. Wu does not admit but does not contest that the information Dr. Wu provided to the College at that time was untrue. Dr. Wu’s assertions to the College are contained in prior correspondence dated October 8, 2013, October 24, 2013, November 25, 2013, and January 15, 2014.

Dr. Wu admitted that he failed to maintain the standard of practice of the profession with respect to the nineteen patients whose care was reviewed by the second medical inspector. Dr. Wu does not contest that he had a conflict of interest and engaged in disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional conduct with respect to his financial relationship with the medical devices supplier. Dr. Wu does not contest that he also engaged in disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional conduct in failing to disclose this
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financial relationship to the College in a prior investigation and in providing untruthful information regarding to the College about it.

Registrar’s Investigation regarding Eye Examinations

On April 2, 2015, the College received information from an investigator at Sun Life raising concern regarding claims submitted for eye examinations by Dr. Wu. Sun Life had received approximately eight hundred eye examination claims for services rendered by Dr. Wu between January 3, 2012 and March 20, 2015. To determine whether eye examinations were within Dr. Wu’s scope of practice, Sun Life had sought to contact Dr. Wu on four occasions, but he had failed to respond. Dr. Wu apologized for failing to respond to the email from Sun Life in a letter to the College investigator on June 7, 2018.

The College initiated an investigation. It faced challenges in obtaining Dr. Wu’s patient records for review during the course of its investigation. The College began to seek the records in the summer of 2015. Dr. Wu advised in November 2015 that none of the twenty-five individuals whose records were sought (based on claims having been submitted to Sun Life for eye examinations he conducted) were “patients of his clinic,” but instead were “customers of Fuji Optical Company.” Between November 2015 and September 2016, the College attempted to retrieve Dr. Wu’s medical records in respect of these patients from Fuji Optical, eventually being provided with eight two-page patient charts in September 2016. Dr. Wu advised he had no document, file, record, or other material in relation to any of the listed individuals.

The College retained a third medical inspector to provide an independent opinion regarding Dr. Wu’s care and treatment of patients based on seven patient charts that were able to be retrieved from Fuji Optical as well as fifteen other patient records regarding eye care obtained from Dr. Wu’s office in 2017. The third medical inspector also interviewed Dr. Wu.

The third medical inspector’s report was received on April 4, 2017 and addendum received on April 11, 2017. As the third medical inspector concluded, Dr. Wu did not meet the standard of practice of the profession in the care and treatment of the twenty-two patients whose charts were reviewed. The refractions he performed were incomplete with key elements not being performed. Major elements of the exam were missing in periodic oculo-visual assessments. Dr. Wu lacked both knowledge and judgment, for example having trouble in the interview describing basic instruments used for refraction or articulating the basic steps refracting a patient. Dr. Wu had advised the third medical inspector in his interview that he was no longer performing refractions or complete eye examinations. The third medical inspector opined that if Dr. Wu were to continue to perform refractions or complete eye examinations, there would be significant risks to patients, with risk to children and older patients in particular.

As the third medical inspector observed in his report, Dr. Wu submitted claims to the Ontario Health Insurance Plan for periodic oculo-visual examinations performed in his office, without performing minimum elements required by the Schedule of Benefits.

Dr. Wu provided a response to the third medical inspector’s report. Upon reviewing it, the third medical inspector provided the College with a further report containing his reply, dated November 12, 2017. The third medical inspector remained concerned that Dr. Wu had gaps in his knowledge of the basic technique of refracting and had trouble identifying basic equipment. Some charts did not identify pre-op
3
 
vision and none identified post-op vision. Nor was the third medical inspector confident that Dr. Wu was in a position to identify issues that required directing the patient to a doctor for a proper examination. There continued to be concerns regarding Dr. Wu’s in-office examinations and the specific charts reviewed.

Dr. Wu admitted that he failed to maintain the standard of practice of the profession in his care and treatment of the twenty-two patients whose charts were reviewed by the third medical inspector and that he was incompetent in respect of his care and treatment of these patients. Dr. Wu admitted that he engaged in disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional conduct in respect of his failure to respond to Sun Life’s inquiries, in submitting claims to OHIP that were not appropriately supported by his records and failing to ensure appropriate storage and maintenance of his medical records.

Reassessment of Family Practice

On March 8, 2016, Dr. Wu entered into an undertaking which required him to complete professional education, including clinical supervision, and to undergo a reassessment. Dr. Wu had entered into the 2016 Undertaking as a result of a prior unsatisfactory reassessment of his family practice, performed in March 2015 by a physician assessor, who had found that Dr. Wu had failed to maintain the standard of practice of the profession and showed a lack of judgment in his care of four patients and in maintaining proper hygiene.

As required by the 2016 Undertaking, Dr. Wu completed a medical record-keeping course offered by the University of Toronto and completed summaries regarding his review of a number of policies, guidelines, and clinical issues. Dr. Wu also completed a period of supervision from March 2016 to July 2017.

A second physician assessor was retained by the College to reassess Dr. Wu’s practice under the terms of his 2016 Undertaking. The second assessor reviewed twenty of Dr. Wu’s patient charts, observed Dr. Wu’s encounters with six patients on November 29, 2018, performed an infection control office inspection, and interviewed Dr. Wu. The second assessor’s reassessment report was received January 8, 2019 and his addendum report received January 21, 2019. As the second assessor found, Dr. Wu failed to maintain the standard of practice of the profession and displayed a lack of judgment in his care of three patients, placing them at risk of harm.

Dr. Wu admitted that he failed to maintain the standard of practice of the profession in his care and treatment of the three patients identified by the second assessor. Dr. Wu admitted that he was incompetent in his care and treatment of one patient whose care was reviewed by the second assessor in what he identified in his report as Chart #1. In that case, Dr. Wu failed to conduct a pertinent history and investigation in managing a patient with suspected angina.

Registrar’s Investigation regarding Offences

On August 24, 2017, the College received an anonymous letter alleging that Dr. Wu “was suspended from driving and again recently for Criminal Code violation,” and that the information was not contained on the College’s public Register, which should be remedied.

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The College initiated an investigation. It obtained Dr. Wu’s criminal record and driver’s licence history from the Ontario Provincial Police (“OPP”) on August 31, 2017. As they indicate, on September 10, 2015 Dr. Wu was convicted of dangerous driving under the Criminal Code, and on January 9, 2017, Dr. Wu was convicted of driving while disqualified under the Criminal Code.

Additional information obtained from the OPP on January 4, 2018, demonstrates that on August 4, 2014, Dr. Wu was arrested on Highway 407 by the OPP and charged under the Criminal Code with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, flight while pursued by a police officer, and assault with intent to resist arrest, as well as offences under the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act and the Highway Traffic Act.

As a member of the College, Dr. Wu was required to complete an annual renewal report. On May 20, 2015, Dr. Wu completed his Annual Renewal Report to the College. In it, he answered “no” to the question, “Since April 1, 2014, have you been charged with any offence in Canada or elsewhere?” This was untrue.

On September 10, 2015, Dr. Wu attended court in Newmarket, Ontario, where he pleaded guilty to the charge of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle under the Criminal Code (s. 249(1(a)) and received an absolute discharge for the dangerous driving charge. He was prohibited from driving for one year under the Criminal Code. He also pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle without insurance under the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act (s. 2(1)(a)) and was fined.

Nonetheless, on May 20, 2016, Dr. Wu answered ‘no’ to the following question on his Annual Renewal Report to the College: “Since April 1, 2015, have you been charged with and/or found guilty of, any offence in Canada or elsewhere? (Include all offences under the Criminal Code of Canada, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Food and Drugs Act, the Health Insurance Act, and/or related legislation in any Province or jurisdiction. In addition, include any other offences related to the practice of medicine.”). Dr. Wu’s response was untrue.

On September 5, 2016, Dr. Wu was arrested by the York Regional Police and charged with driving while disqualified under the Criminal Code and operating a motor vehicle without insurance under the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act. On January 9, 2017, Dr. Wu pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified under the Criminal Code, receiving a fine and a prohibition from driving for one year.

Nonetheless, on May 15, 2017, Dr. Wu answered ‘no’ to the following question on his Annual Renewal Report to the College: “Since April 1, 2016, have you been charged with, and/or found guilty of, any offence in Canada or elsewhere? (Include all offences under the Criminal Code of Canada, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Food and Drugs Act, the Health Insurance Act, and/or related legislation in any province or jurisdiction. In addition, include any other offences related to the practice of medicine.).” On October 18, 2017, after having been contacted by the College investigator in August regarding this matter, Dr. Wu emailed the College’s “Membership” email address, stating, “I am writing to correct one of the mistake [sic] I might have made on the renewal of membership last time. I was convicted criminally because [sic] driving disqualify. Please correct the mistake I might have made filling out the questionnaire.”

Dr. Wu admitted that he engaged in disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional conduct with respect to his failure to disclose to the College, as required, the information relating to have been charged with
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and found guilty of offences. Dr. Wu admits that he has also been found guilty of offences relevant to his suitability to practice.

Disposition

On October 17, 2019, the Discipline Committee ordered that:
- Dr. Wu attend before the panel to be reprimanded
- the Registrar revoke Dr. Wu’s certificate of registration, effective immediately

- Dr. Wu to pay costs to the College in the amount of $31,110.00 within thirty (30) days of the date of its Order.


Decision: Download Full Decision (PDF)
Hearing Date(s): October 1, October 15, 17, 2019

 

Committee: Discipline
Decision Date: 29 Apr 2013
Summary:

On April 29, 2013, the Discipline Committee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario found that Dr. Howard Wu committed acts of professional misconduct in that, he failed to maintain the standard of practice of the profession and, he engaged in an act or omission relevant to the practice of medicine that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional. The Discipline Committee also found that Dr. Wu is incompetent.

Dr. Wu is a family physician practising in Markham. As a result of five investigations into his practice, the ICRC referred allegations to the Discipline Committee by notices of hearing dated July 6, 2011 and September 5, 2012.

On July 27, 2011, Dr. Wu signed an Undertaking not to prescribe narcotics or other controlled substances (Restricted Substances), subject to the engagement of a College-approved Clinical Supervisor. Following an investigation into Dr. Wu's compliance with the Undertaking, the ICRC referred an additional allegation of disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional conduct by breaching his Undertaking to the Discipline Committee by notice of hearing dated April 4, 2013.

Dr. Wu admitted that:

he failed to maintain the standard of practice and is incompetent in his chronic pain practice in relation to forty charts as detailed in the reports of the medical assessors.

he failed to maintain the standard of practice in his family practice in relation to five charts, as detailed in the report of a medical assessor.

he failed to maintain the standard of practice and engaged in disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional conduct with respect to his delegation of controlled acts in relation to three charts as detailed in the report of a medical assessor.

he engaged in disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional conduct by breaching his Undertaking as follows:

a) by issuing a prescription for Testosterone on August 10, 2011 before engaging a Clinical Supervisor acceptable to the College;

b) between June 2012 until October/November 2012 by failing to ensure his Clinical Supervisor co-signed patient charts to indicate he approved of the prescription for each and every Restricted Substance prescription issued by Dr. Wu;

c) by failing to ensure the charts co-signed by his Clinical Supervisor for two patients on December 4, 2012 accurately reflected the prescriptions issued to the patients; and

d) by failing to include required information in his log pertaining to prescriptions for Restricted Substances in relation to five patients.

The Discipline Committee ordered and directed that:

The Registrar suspend Dr. Wu's certificate of registration for a period of six (6) months commencing June 1, 2013.

The Registrar place the following terms, conditions and limitations on Dr. Wu's certificate of registration:

(a) Dr. Wu shall not issue new prescriptions or renew existing prescriptions for any of the following substances:

(i) Narcotic Drugs (from the Narcotic Control Regulations made under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, S.C., 1996, c. 19);

(ii) Narcotic Preparations (from the Narcotic Control Regulations made under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, S.C., 1996, c. 19);

(iii) Controlled Drugs (from Schedule G of the Regulations under the Food and Drugs Act, S.C., 1985, c. F-27); and

(iv) Benzodiazepines/Other Targeted Substances (from the Benzodiazepines and Other Targeted Substances Regulations made under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act., S.C., 1996, c. 19)

(collectively referred to as the "Restricted Substances")
 
(A summary of the above-named drugs [from Appendix I to the Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties] is attached hereto as Schedule "A" [to the Order]; and the current regulatory lists are attached hereto as Schedule "B")

(b) Dr. Wu shall post a clearly visible sign in his waiting room in the form set out at Schedule "C" [to the Order]. For further clarity, this sign shall state as follows: "Dr. Wu cannot prescribe Narcotic Drugs, Narcotic Preparations, Controlled Drugs, Benzodiazepines and Other Targeted Substances." A sign reflecting this restriction will also be posted in Chinese.

(c) Dr. Wu shall not delegate to any other person any Controlled Act as that term is defined in the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991.

(d) Approximately one month after the completion of the suspension required by paragraph 3 of this Order, Dr. Wu shall undergo an assessment of his family practice by a College-appointed assessor (the "Assessor(s)") at his expense.

The Assessor(s) shall report the results of the assessment to the College. Dr. Wu shall abide by any recommendations of the Assessor(s).

(e) Dr. Wu shall consent to the sharing of information between the Assessor(s) and the College as any of them deem necessary or desirable in order to fulfill their respective obligations.

(f) Dr. Wu shall co-operate with unannounced inspections of his office practice and patient charts by the College for the purpose of monitoring and enforcing his compliance with the terms of this Order and will make his OHIP billings accessible to the College for this purpose.

Dr. Wu appear before the panel to be reprimanded.

Dr. Wu to pay costs to the College in the amount of $3,650 within thirty (30) days from the date of this Order.


Decision: Download Full Decision (PDF)
Appeal: No Appeal
Hearing Date(s): April 29, 2013

 

Committee: Discipline
Decision Date: 12 Jan 2009
Summary:

On January 12, 2009, the Discipline Committee accepted Dr. Wu s admission and found that he engaged in acts of professional misconduct by contravening a term, condition and limitation on his certificate of registration and by engaging in disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional conduct by breaching an April 2002 undertaking to not perform nerve blocks in his practice of medicine.

On April 24, 2009, the Discipline Committee ordered the following penalty:

1. The Registrar suspend Dr. Wu s certificate of registration for a period of six months to commence within 60 days of this order, two months of which shall be suspended upon Dr. Wu s successful completion, at his own expense, of the College s Medical Ethics and Informed Consent Course.

2. That the following terms, conditions and limitations be imposed on Dr. Wu s certificate
of registration:

(a) That Dr. Wu be prohibited from performing any nerve blocks in his medical practice;

(b) That Dr. Wu provide a signed consent allowing the College to have access to his OHIP billings;

(c) That Dr. Wu shall submit to and not interfere with unannounced inspections of his office(s) and practice(s) and patient charts by a College representative for the purposes of monitoring and enforcing his compliance with the terms of this Order. If monitoring reports are satisfactory to the College and compliance demonstrated, monitoring shall cease after a period of 5 years;

(d) That Dr. Wu post a sign, in a visible location in his office, in both Chinese and English, that he is prohibited by the College from performing nerve blocks, and that a signed consent be enclosed in each patient s chart, that they have been informed of this restriction;

(e) That Dr. Wu will have a monitor present for all chronic pain patients, at his own expense and pursuant to the following terms:

(i) That the monitor shall be a member of a health profession pursuant to the terms of the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, S.O. 1991, c.18, who is aware of the terms of the Order and acceptable to the College;

(ii) That the monitor keep a log of all chronic pain patients seen, and submits this to the College quarterly with a written report on Dr. Wu s conduct;

(iii) That the monitor signs and dates contemporaneously the corresponding entry in the medical record;

(iv) That monitoring may cease two years from the date of this Order providing the College is satisfied that Dr. Wu has been compliant with this Order.

3. Dr. Wu shall appear before the Committee to be reprimanded, and results of this proceeding shall be included on the register.

4. Dr. Wu shall pay costs to the College of $3,650 within 60 days of the date of this Order.


Decision: Download Full Decision (PDF)
Appeal: No Appeal
Hearing Date(s): Jan 12, 2009

Concerns

Source: Member
Active Date: October 12, 2019
Expiry Date:
Summary:
Summary of the Undertaking given by Dr. Howard Wu to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, effective October 12, 2019:

Dr. Wu is the subject of a referral to the Discipline Committee into allegations of professional misconduct and incompetence in his family medicine

As a result of the referral, Dr. Wu must not practise medicine until the matters currently referred to the Discipline Committee are disposed of by a panel of the Discipline Committee.

 

Source: Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee
Active Date: March 28, 2019
Expiry Date:
Summary:
Caution-in-Person:



A summary of a decision of the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee in which the disposition includes a "caution-in-person" is required by the College by-laws to be posted on the register, along with a note if the decision has been appealed. A “caution-in-person” disposition requires the physician to attend at the College and be verbally cautioned by a panel of the Committee. The summary will be removed from the register if the decision is overturned on appeal or review. Note that this requirement only applies to decisions arising out of a complaint dated on or after January 1, 2015 or if there was no complaint, the first appointment of investigators dated on or after January 1, 2015.



See PDF for the summary of a decision made against this member in which the disposition includes a caution-in-person.
Download Full Document (PDF)

 

Source: Other
Active Date: February 6, 2018
Expiry Date:
Summary:
FINDINGS OF GUILT

Howard Wu was found guilty of the following offence:



1. Driving while disqualified, contrary to Section 259(4) of the Criminal Code of Canada.



DATE: January 9, 2017

SENTENCE: 1 year driving prohibition; Fine of $1000; Victim Surcharge of $300.

 

Source: Member
Active Date: March 8, 2016
Expiry Date:
Summary:
Summary of the Undertaking given by Dr. Howard Wu to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, effective March 8, 2016:

Dr. Wu was the subject of a College investigation into his standard of practice. As a result of the investigation:
• Dr. Wu will practise under the guidance of a Clinical Supervisor acceptable to the College for minimum 12 months;
• Dr. Wu will engage in professional education in medical record-keeping and infection control; and
• Dr. Wu’s practice will be reassessed by an assessor selected by the College approximately 6 months after the end of the period of Clinical Supervision.

 

Source: Member
Active Date: February 2, 2016
Expiry Date:
Summary:
Summary of the Undertaking given by Dr. Howard Wu to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, effective February 2, 2016:



In addition to his previous Discipline Committee order that prohibits Dr. Wu from prescribing narcotics and controlled substances, Dr. Wu shall not prescribe monitored substances.

CPSO will be closed on March 29, 2024. We will re-open on Monday, April 1, 2024, at 8:00 am.