Dialogue Volume 12 Issue 4 2016 | Page 11

We want your feedback during consultations
reports from council

Changes proposed to policies

We want your feedback during consultations

photos: D. W. Dorken
This is an overview of the discussions and decisions made at the December Council meeting.

New drafts have been developed for both the Accepting New Patients and the Ending the Physician-Patient Relationship policies, and the College now wants to hear what you think. Overall, the general expectations that are set out in the current policies have been maintained in the new drafts. For instance, as in the current Accepting New Patients policy, physicians must employ the first-come, first-served approach when accepting new patients into their practices. Content has been added to the policy to explain how the first-come, first-served approach applies in various practice contexts. It is also made explicit that introductory meetings, such as‘ meet-and-greet’ appointments, or other tools such as medical questionnaires, must not be used to‘ vet’ prospective patients and determine

whether to accept those patients into their practice. The Ending the Physician- Patient Relationship draft policy has been reframed to focus more directly on the conflicts that can arise between a physician’ s professional and ethical obligation to provide care to an individual patient, and their additional obligations to staff, other patients, colleagues, and their own health. The draft is also now more explicit that the policy’ s expectations apply equally to physicians practising in all speciality areas, not only family medicine. To read the full drafts of both policies, please visit our Consultations page at www. cpso. on. ca
Marijuana for Medical Purposes Policy The College’ s Marijuana for Medical Purposes policy has been revised to reflect the federal gov-
Issue 4, 2016 Dialogue 11