Consultations

A ‘suite’ of draft policies relating to continuity of care has been approved by Council for external consultation. The suite of draft policies is comprised of a foundational Continuity of Care policy, referred to as the umbrella policy, as well as four companion policies that set out expectations regarding: Availability and Coverage; Managing Tests; Transitions in Care; and Walk-in Clinics.

We are now inviting feedback on the suite of draft policies from all stakeholders, including members of the medical profession, the public, health system organizations, and other health professionals. Visit the dedicated consultation page to view further information and provide your feedback.

We are inviting feedback on the College’s Disclosure of Harm policy. This policy sets out the expectations of physicians in situations where a patient has experienced harm in the course of medical treatment.

Please see our consultation page for additional background and to provide your feedback.

The College is undertaking a combined consultation on the following three policies:

• Anabolic Steroids, Substances, and Methods Prohibited in Sport
• Female Genital Cutting (Mutilation)
• Fetal Ultrasound for Non-Medical Reasons

The purpose of this consultation is to assess whether these policies are useful to physicians and members of the public, to identify whether there are other resources that physicians and members of the public consult for guidance on these issues, and to determine whether there is value in the College providing guidance on these issues.

Please see our consultation page for additional background and to provide your feedback.

A draft of the Closing a Medical Practice policy has been approved by Council for external consultation. This draft policy is an update to the current Practice Management Considerations for Physicians Who Cease to Practise, Take an Extended Leave of Absence or Close Their Practice Due to Relocation policy and sets out expectations for physicians when permanently closing a medical practice.

We are now inviting feedback on the draft policy from all stakeholders, including members of the medical profession, the public, health system organizations, and other health professionals. Visit the dedicated consultation page to view further information and provide your feedback.

The College is currently reviewing the Prescribing Drugs policy in accordance with our regular policy review cycle. This policy sets out the College’s expectations for all physicians who prescribe drugs or provide drug samples to patients. The policy also includes guidelines for preventing medication errors and appropriately prescribing narcotics and controlled substances, including opioids.

We are reviewing the policy to determine how the policy can be improved in order to ensure it reflects current practice issues, embodies the values and duties of medical professionalism, and is consistent with the College’s mandate to protect the public. As part of the review, we are inviting feedback from the profession, the public and other stakeholders on the current policy. Visit the dedicated consultation page to view further information and provide your feedback.

The College is currently reviewing the Medical Records policy, in accordance with our regular policy review cycle. The policy explains how medical records must be kept and outlines general requirements regarding the collection, use, security, storage, and disclosure of patients’ personal health information with respect to both paper and electronic records. In addition, the policy sets out requirements regarding retention, access and transfer of records, along with the specific information that must be included in records and how it must be documented.  The policy contains specific requirements in regard to records for procedural medicine.

The purpose of the policy review is to ensure the policy reflects the medical records issues often encountered in medical practice, embodies the values and duties of medical professionalism, and is consistent with the College’s mandate to protect the public. As part of the review, we are inviting feedback from the profession, the public and other stakeholders on the current policy. Visit the dedicated consultation page to view further information and provide your feedback.

The College is currently reviewing the Maintaining Appropriate Boundaries and Preventing Sexual Abuse policy, in accordance with our regular policy review cycle. The policy helps physicians understand and comply with the legislative provisions of the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA) regarding sexual abuse. It sets out the College’s expectations of physicians to maintain appropriate boundaries and not become sexually involved with patients, former patients in certain circumstances, and persons closely associated with patients.

The purpose of the policy review is to ensure the policy reflects the boundaries and sexual abuse issues often encountered in medical practice, embodies the values and duties of medical professionalism, and is consistent with the College’s mandate to protect the public. As part of the review, we are inviting feedback from the profession, the public and other stakeholders on the current policy. Visit the dedicated consultation page to view further information and provide your feedback.

This consultation is now closed. The College’s Ensuring Competence: Changing Scope of Practice and/or Re-entering Practice policy received final approval from Council on February 23, 2018, and is now an official policy of the CPSO. View a summary of the feedback received and revisions undertaken.

This consultation is now closed. The College’s Public Health Emergencies policy received final approval from Council on February 23, 2018, and is now an official policy of the CPSO. View a summary of the feedback received and revisions undertaken.

The College is seeking feedback on proposed amendments to the Independent Health Facilities - Clinical Practice Parameters and Facility Standards for Diagnostic Imaging guidelines. The document is being updated in accordance with the College’s regular review cycle.

The primary purpose of this document is to assist physicians in developing their own quality management program and act as a guide for assessing the quality of patient care provided in diagnostic imaging facilities.

We are now inviting feedback on the draft amendments from all stakeholders, including members of the medical profession, the public, health system organizations and other health professionals. Visit the dedicated consultation page to view further information and provide your feedback.

The College is currently reviewing the Confidentiality of Personal Health Information policy, in accordance with our regular policy review cycle. The policy sets out physicians’ legal and professional obligation to protect the privacy and confidentiality of patients’ personal health information.  It also outlines the limited circumstances where the disclosure of personal health information without a patient’s consent is permitted or required by law.

The purpose of the policy review is to evaluate the current policy in light of recent changes made to the Personal Health Information Protection Act.  Further, our aim is to ensure the policy reflects confidentiality issues often encountered in medical practice, embodies the values and duties of medical professionalism, and is consistent with the College’s mandate to protect the public. As part of the review, we are inviting feedback from the profession, the public and other stakeholders on the current policy. Visit the dedicated consultation page to view further information and provide your feedback.

This consultation is now closed. The College’s Uninsured Services: Billing and Block Fees policy received final approval from Council on November 30, 2017, and is now an official policy of the CPSO. View a summary of the consultation process, including an overview of the feedback received and revisions undertaken.

The College is proposing an amendment to sections of Ontario Regulation 114/94 which deals with the College’s Out-of-Hospital Premises Inspection Program (“the College’s Program”).  The amendment will provide the College with authority to enter and inspect premises where fertility services are performed, regardless of whether anesthesia or sedation is used.

This proposed regulation amendment was prompted by a request from the provincial government that the College implement a quality and inspections framework for the delivery of fertility services across the province. The College believes that bringing facilities that offer fertility services, regardless of anesthesia or sedation, under the College’s Program is an important step in ensuring patient safety is protected.

We are now inviting feedback on our proposed regulation amendment from all stakeholders, including members of the medical profession, the public, health system organizations and other health professionals. Visit the dedicated consultation page to view further information and provide your feedback.

This consultation is now closed. The College’s Ending the Physician-Patient Relationship policy received final approval from Council on May 26, 2017, and is now an official policy of the CPSO. View a summary of the consultation process, including an overview of the feedback received and revisions undertaken.

This consultation is now closed. The College’s Accepting New Patients policy received final approval from Council on May 26, 2017, and is now an official policy of the CPSO. View a summary of the consultation process, including an overview of the feedback received and revisions undertaken.

In 2015, the government requested that the College establish a quality and inspections framework for out-of-hospital premises and hospitals offering fertility services. The CPSO Expert Panel on Fertility Services developed a draft document “Applying the Out-of- Hospital Premises Inspection Program (OHPIP) Standards in Fertility Services Premises” (a “Companion document” to the OHPIP Standards) to help fertility services practitioners plan for and participate in their inspection-assessments. The document is intended to be used in conjunction with the OHPIP Standards.

We are now inviting feedback on our draft Companion document from all stakeholders, including members of the medical profession, the public, health system organizations and other health professionals.

Visit the dedicated consultation page to view further information and provide your feedback.