Annual Report 2019 | Page 30

Quality Care Most Accessed Policies in 2019 1. Medical Records 2. Transitions in Care 3. Availability and Coverage 4. Managing Tests 5. Mandatory and Permissive Reporting “With the launch of the program and the opportunity it represents to support a profession already dedicated to lifelong learning and improvement, we are showing Ontario’s doctors that the CPSO is here to work hand in hand with them,” said Registrar/CEO Dr. Nancy Whitmore. Guidance One of the CPSO’s key duties as a medical regulator is to provide guidance to Ontario physicians on professionalism and issues relevant to the practice of medicine. The guidance – often produced in the form of policies - also reflect relevant legal requirements found in legislation, regulation and by-laws. In 2019, the College provided key guidance to the profession on issues of Continuity of Care. A system of health-care that is connected and coordinated and ensures the exchange of information is critical to patient safety. While the CPSO recognizes that physicians are not solely responsible for ensuring that continuity of care is achieved, as there are often health system level factors beyond their control that impede or facilitate continuity of care, physicians do have a role to play given the prominent and important role they hold in the health care system. The CPSO’s approach has been to focus on those issues or elements of continuity of care that are within the control or influence of physicians In setting expectations pertaining to continuity of care, the College developed a set of interrelated policies addressing a range of issues. They are: Availability and Coverage, Managing Tests, Transitions in Care, and Walk-in Clinics. The policies and their accompanying advice documents, which were approved by Council in September, set our physician obligations and provide guidance around how these obligations may be effectively discharged. In 2019, the College provided key guidance to the profession on issues of Continuity of Care. A system of health-care that is connected, coordinated and ensures the exchange of information is critical to patient safety. Photo: iStockphoto.com 30 // CPSO ANNUAL REPORT 2019