DISCIPLINE SUMMARIES
Dr . Price provided details of his interactions with Patient A in response to the complaint . Some of these details were inconsistent with Patient A ’ s descriptions of his appointments with Dr . Price , including Dr . Price ’ s statement that Patient A refused , during an appointment , to consent to a physical examination . While Patient A denied ever having refused a medical examination by Dr . Price , the medical records provided by Dr . Price supported his version of events as set out in his response letter . A College investigator asked Dr . Price whether his chart entries were made contemporaneously to Patient A ’ s visits or whether there were any changes , additions or deletions made to any of the chart entries following the date-time of Patient A ’ s visits . Dr . Price wrote in response that “ All chart entries made regarding [ Patient A ]’ s visits were made at a time that was contemporaneous to the visits ” and “ All entries were made on the dates indicated in [ Patient A ]’ s records , and at the same time as the other entries included under each date-entry .” Dr . Price claimed this was consistent with his “ regular charting practice .” The College retained a forensic examiner who concluded that multiple entries in Patient A ’ s chart were written during different writing episodes from the remainder of the handwriting on that page . The College investigator sent the forensic report to Dr . Price in May 2015 and requested his comments . In his June 2015 response , Dr . Price did not dispute the forensic conclusions reached by the forensic expert . In his June 2015 response , Dr . Price advised the College , for the first time , of the following : ( a ) He frequently writes chart notes in different sittings and with different pens ; ( b ) It is often the case that chart entries are not fully completed at the end of the appointment ;
( c ) It is his practice to make additions to his charts when doing dictations , performing chart audits , and during subsequent visits ; d ) He is sometimes unable to complete his charting until “ a couple weeks ” after appointments or within a “ reasonable time period ” thereafter ; ( e ) He often brings his patient charts home to complete his charting ; ( f ) Entries are made from different locations at different times ; ( g ) He is present at the medical cannabis clinic only on Mondays and uses the rest of the week to complete chart entries ; h ) He cannot recall when he completed the entries in Patient A ’ s chart ;
( i ) He may have backdated his notes in Patient A ’ s chart ;
( j ) He may have written “ discussed pain Scale Score to be 20 ”, purporting to be written on the date in early April 2013 , after he received the late April 2013 document ;
( k ) He would have written the phrase “— Secretary feels threatened by conversation ”, purporting to be written in mid-April 2014 , at a later time ;
( l ) He may have written the phrases “ 1yr ”, “ no renewal ”, “ Refusing exam ” and “ May have to D / C licence if this continues ”, purporting to be written on a date in mid-January 2014 , weeks after mid-January 2014 .
REASONS FOR PENALTY AND COSTS The joint penalty submission included a three-month suspension and a number of terms on Dr . Price ’ s certificate of registration . The Committee considered the principles related to the determination of penalty and found that they were addressed in the joint submission . The Committee expressed its abhorrence of Dr . Price ’ s behaviour by means of the three-month suspension and the reprimand . Protection of the public , specifically the protection of current and future patients , is achieved with the stipulation that mandates the use of an electronic medical record-keeping system . Dr . Price will be expected to comply with the College policy on Practice Management while on an extended leave , thus protecting his current patients . The public will be protected in the future by the College ’ s monitoring of Dr . Price ’ s compliance with unannounced inspections of his practice locations and by making inquiries of the Ontario Health Insurance Plan and other persons or institutions . The penalty will serve to maintain public confidence in the integrity and reputation of the profes-
Full decisions are available online at www . cpso . on . ca . Select Doctor Search and enter the doctor ’ s name .
ISSUE 4 , 2017 DIALOGUE 87