policy matters
First-come, first
served approach
clarified in policy
C
ouncil has approved
a policy that sets out
how the first-come,
first-served approach
to accepting new patients applies
in various practice settings.
Council approved the Accepting New
Patients policy following an external consul-
tation (see below).
During the consultation, many respondents
expressed support for the policy require-
ment that physicians accept new patients on
a first-come, first-served basis, particularly
as a means to prevent discrimination. This
support was also illustrated in the results of
an accompanying survey, with approximately
77% of survey respondents agreeing that the
first-come, first-served approach helps physi-
cians to satisfy their legal obligations under
the Ontario Human Rights Code.
The policy clarifies that the first-come,
first-served approach does not prevent physi-
cians from determining when their practice
is “closed” and therefore not accepting new
patients. Physicians, however, must make
these determinations in good faith.
The policy also sets out limited excep-
tions to the first-come, first served rule. For
example, physicians may limit the health
services they provide based on their own clini-
cal competence and/or scope of practice. If
External Consultation
Dates held:
Dec. 12, 2016
- Feb. 10, 2017
# of Respondents:
108
Breakdown of respondents:
Changes Made in
Response to
78% physicians
Feedback:
11% public
6% organizations
5% other health-
care organizations
YES
NO
Issue 2, 2017 Dialogue
29