from the registrar’s desk
Upon receipt of this information, the College will consider the accuracy of the data,
and the clinical context in which prescribing occurs, and will seek information from
the prescribing physician in order to better
understand and evaluate the prescribing.
It is the College’s view that prescribing
opioids under the right conditions is critical
for good patient care. Our goal is to better
understand the presence and level of risk
for patients and to work with physicians to
change practices where needed. Understanding and questioning prescribing practices is
not intended to discourage appropriate opioid
prescribing. In fact, refusing to prescribe
opioids to patients who need them or suddenly ceasing to prescribe to patients currently on opioid therapy can have significant
consequences for patient access and can even
increase the risk of overdose. The goal, as I
stated earlier, is to ensure that physicians
have the tools they need to prescribe safely
and with confidence.
We take the issue of unsafe prescribing very
seriously. If there is concern that a physician
is not practising at the expected standard of
practice, sanctions can range from restricting
practice, requiring the completion of remediation or to the most serious outcome of
revocation.
In this issue of Dialogue, we have a number
of articles devoted to different aspects of opioid prescribing, including interviews with two
physicians who recently gave presentations
here at the College.
Finally, if you are not already familiar with
our Prescribing Drugs policy, I encourage
you to go on our website and read up on the
helpful guidance available to you there.
Thank you.
MD
We Want to Hear from You!
Proposed Regulation Change:
College Oversight of Fertility Services
The College is proposing an amendment to sections of Ontario Regulation 114/94 which concerns the College’s
Out-of-Hospital Premises Inspection 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.
Visit the dedicated consultation page at www.cpso.on.ca to view further information and provide your feedback.
Email: [email protected]
The deadline for feedback is November 25, 2016. www.cpso.on.ca
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Dialogue Issue 3, 2016