College Connection | Summer 2026
Legacy Council considers next steps for PRMR program
College Connection | Summer 2026
Legacy Council considers next steps for PRMR program
The Legacy Council met on June 16, 2026. Highlights and replays from policy discussions are available at cvo. org / Council. Legacy Council meets again in September. The public is welcome to watch Council via the livestream; please contact the College to attend in-person. The Legacy Council considered the following items in June:
Peer Review of Medical Records( PRMR) Evaluation
The PRMR program promotes quality medical record-keeping through peer assessment, feedback, and continuous improvement. The Legacy Council reviewed and accepted a report on the program’ s effectiveness.
Overall, the research on data from 2019 to 2024 indicated the PRMR program is achieving its intended outcomes as a quality improvement tool. The research identified recurring deficiencies, including challenges with assessment and diagnosis documentation, informed client consent, subjective history documentation, and selected record management practices.
These same areas were consistently identified by peer reviewers as opportunities for improvement. Areas of consistent strength are patient identification, dating of records, general requirements, and medical treatment documentation. The review also found participants see educational value in the PRMR to assist with identifying opportunities for improvement.
The report’ s recommendations focus on written prescriptions, targeted education for recurring deficiency areas, and ongoing monitoring. The report“ Evaluating the Impact of the Peer Review of Medical Records Program,” and a replay of the Legacy Council’ s discussion are posted on the website.
PRMR Program Transition
The Legacy Council also discussed the transition of the PRMR program with the establishment of the College of Veterinary Professionals of Ontario( CVPO). Currently, record-keeping requirements are in Ontario Regulation 1093 and the Professional Practice Standard: Medical Records under the Veterinarians Act.
The CVPO includes a new mandatory quality assurance program. The College wants to ensure any necessary reassessments would be complete before proclamation of the CVPO. It is anticipated the requirements and expectations for record-keeping by members under the Veterinary Professionals Act will move from regulation to College policy.
The Legacy Council discussed the options for the transition and decided to have one additional random selection for the PRMR this year. The next Quality Assurance Committee will recommend whether the PRMR will continue as part of the CVPO’ s quality assurance program. A replay of the Legacy Council’ s discussion is available on the College website.
Year 3 Strategy 2026
The Legacy Council reviewed the Year 3 Outcomes Report for Strategy 2026. In its objective to champion legislative reform, progress continues towards implementation of the Veterinary Professionals Act with policy development, minor legislative amendments, program development and communications.
In the area of improving access to veterinary services, work includes the national pilot project on limited licensure, a project focused on leveraging team-based care, education on spectrum of care, a shelter medicine advisory group, and an advisory group exploring workforce data. For the objective focused on creating space for innovation and technology, achievements include regulatory sandbox projects bringing innovative approaches to care delivery.
The fourth objective is promoting One Health. Work in this area includes improving access to veterinary care in First Nations communities in Northern Ontario and continued work in antimicrobial stewardship. And the last objective, focusing regulation on people and context, includes ongoing work with the Ontario Collaborative for Well-being in Veterinary Medicine, training on inclusivity, and a people and context lens to aid with reviewing programs and policies. The year 3 outcomes report is posted on the College website.
cvo. org / Council
Public confidence in veterinary regulation cvo. org 2