In this issue: February 2016

• Physician-Assisted Death: College approves Interim Guidance
• Sex Abuse and Intimate Medical Encounters
• New Public Consultation: Physician Behaviour in the Professional Environment

Physician-Assisted Death: College approves Interim Guidance

The Supreme Court of Canada has spoken and we have responded

The CPSO has developed Interim Guidance on Physician-Assisted Death for doctors in Ontario. The document was developed in response to the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Carter v. Canada, in which the Supreme Court ruled that the criminal prohibition on physician-assisted death violates the Charter rights of competent adults, who are suffering intolerably from grievous and irremediable medical conditions, and seek assistance in dying.

The document was approved following a public consultation that ran from early December 2015 to mid-January 2016. Our guidance covers a variety of elements surrounding physician-assisted death, but here are some highlights that we feel are especially important to the general public:

• Criteria: What factors must be met for a patient to access physician-assisted death?
• Process: What steps are physicians advised to follow when providing physician-assisted death?
• Conscientious objection: When doctors oppose providing physician-assisted death on moral or religious grounds, what are their obligations?

For more information, please read the interim guidance in full.

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Sex Abuse and Intimate Medical Encounters

We’ve developed two new documents to help you if you think your doctor has crossed the line

It is never okay for a doctor in Ontario to have sexual relations with a patient, and any sexual contact between a doctor and patient is considered sexual abuse. This can include (but is certainly not limited to) a doctor touching you in a way that you felt was not medically necessary or appropriate, saying something sexually suggestive to you, or not giving you privacy while you were undressing before a physical examination.

If you’ve had this kind of experience with a physician, we’re here to help. As Ontario’s medical regulator, the CPSO is the body that investigates all complaints against doctors in the province – including sexual abuse complaints. We have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to sexual contact between a doctor and a patient, even when that contact would otherwise be considered consensual.

To help patients with the often-stressful experience of filing a formal complaint against a doctor who has sexually abused them, we have recently developed two new documents.

The first, Reporting Sexual Abuse – Do You Think Your Doctor Crossed the Line?, outlines the process for filing a complaint of sexual abuse against a doctor and outlines some of the questions you may have during this process. These questions might include:

• How do I recognize sexual abuse?
• Why should I tell the College?
• Will the doctor know I complained?
• If I make a complaint, how does the process work?

We are also proud to offer this document in 10 additional languages. To see the full list of translations, visit our Sexual Abuse Complaints page.

The second is called What to Expect During Medical Encounters. In this document, we summarize existing responsibilities that doctors have when treating you. These responsibilities are found in existing CPSO documents, and hyperlinks to relevant polices are included. We also identify things you are entitled to as a patient, so that you have a good understanding of what to expect during medical encounters and you can take an active role in your health care.

As always, if you believe you’ve experienced sexual abuse at the hands of an Ontario doctor, we urge you to contact us at 1-800-268-7096 ext. 629.

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New Public Consultation: Physician Behaviour in the Professional Environment

We want to hear from you!

How would you describe a doctor with disruptive behaviours? What professional behaviours do you expect when a doctor treats you, your family, or interacts with other health care professionals?

If you have opinions on these issues, we want to hear from you! We are holding a public consultation on Our Physician Behaviour in the Professional Environment draft policy until February 12, 2016. Disruptive doctor behaviour can have a negative impact on patient safety, health outcomes, and workplace environments. But what counts as disruptive behaviour? What are some of the core principles of positive physician behaviour in the professional environment? Is our draft policy useful and clear for patients?

Please review our draft policy and provide your feedback. You can share your stories or comments on our discussion board, or complete a brief online survey on our draft policy. Remember, the deadline to share your perspective is February 12, so don’t delay!

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We want to hear from you!