DISCIPLINE SUMMARIES
have a secret sexual affair, on again and off again, in 2011 and 2012.
ORDER The Discipline Committee ordered: revocation of Dr. Margaliot’ s certificate of registration; a reprimand; reimbursement to the College for funding provided to patients under the program required under section 85.7 of the Code, by the posting of an irrevocable letter of credit to guarantee payment in the amount of $ 16,060; and payment of costs to the College in the amount of $ 15,000. For complete details of the Order, please see the full decision at www. cpso. on. ca. Select Find a Doctor and enter the doctor’ s name.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Dr. Margaliot waived his right to an appeal and the Committee administered the public reprimand.
DR. BARBARA ANNE PILARSKI
PRACTICE LOCATION: Toronto AREA OF PRACTICE: Family Medicine
HEARING INFORMATION: Admission; Agreed Statement of Facts; Joint Submission on Penalty
On October 31, 2016, the Discipline Committee found that Dr. Pilarski committed an act of professional misconduct, in that she engaged in an act or omission relevant to the practice of medicine that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional. Dr. Pilarski, a family physician practising medicine in Toronto, received her certificate of registration authorizing independent practice in Ontario in 1990. Dr. Pilarksi provided home care visits to Patient A, an elderly patient. In the course of treating Patient A, Dr. Pilarski received and accepted gifts from her patient, including jewelry and money. Patient A was a patient in Dr. Pilarski’ s office practice from 1991 until 2006. In 2006, Patient A asked
Dr. Pilarksi to see her at home as it was difficult for Patient A to get to Dr. Pilarki’ s office. At the time, Patient A was in her 80s. Dr. Pilarski agreed to make home care visits for Patient A beginning in 2006. Dr. Pilarski also took over care for Patient A’ s elderly husband and provided treatment to him at home from about 2008 until he was moved to a care facility in 2011. Patient A’ s husband died in 2013. Dr. Pilarski continued providing home care visits to Patient A up until approximately 2014, when Patient A’ s adult child made a complaint to the College pertaining to Dr. Pilarski’ s dealings with her mother. Between 2006 and 2014, Dr. Pilarksi treated Patient A for a variety of age-related health issues and primarily for long-standing anxiety and insomnia that were treated with medications, including Halcion, along with counselling from Dr. Pilarksi. Patient A and her husband were financially well-off and came into substantial money in approximately 2007. In early 2014, Patient A’ s adult child requested that Dr. Pilarski return the gifts Patient A had provided to Dr. Pilarski over the years. On January 16, 2014, Dr. Pilarski returned jewelry and other assorted items to Patient A’ s adult child. An evaluation concluded that some of these items amounted to $ 8,150. Dr. Pilarski advised the College that she had kept all the items together over the years in order to return them at some point to the family. Dr. Pilarski accepted a blank cheque from Patient A in the amount of $ 5,000, dated May 2010. Dr. Pilarksi inserted her husband’ s name on the cheque as payee. Dr. Pilarski used the money to buy a fireplace, chairs and artwork to create a spa like retreat for her patients in her waiting room. Dr. Pilarski returned the $ 5,000 to Patient A by way of a cheque dated October 13, 2016. In the summer of 2010, Dr. Pilarski accepted a gift of a few hundred euros from Patient A to be used by Dr. Pilarski’ s children on a family vacation.
ORDER The Discipline Committee ordered: a reprimand; a three-month suspension of Dr. Pilarski’ s certificate of registration; successful completion of individualized
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DIALOGUE ISSUE 1, 2018