DISCIPLINE SUMMARIES
physical examinations and assessments that seemed to be in an identical template for nearly every visit, missing vital signs, and a lack of any differential diagnosis and treatment plan in any of the entries.
It was found that Dr. Barnard failed to maintain the standard of practice of the profession in his care of Patients D, E. and F.
DISGRACEFUL, DISHONOURABLE AND UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT Patient B became Dr. Barnard’ s patient in 2012 and his wife, Patient C, became Dr. Barnard’ s patient in 2013. During a double appointment in 2013, attended by both Patient B and C, Dr. Barnard became upset when asked to complete a Functional Abilities Form for Patient B. He told Patient B to“ come back when you have your head screwed on right.” Patient B and C left the office. A few days later, they received a letter from Dr. Barnard, sent by courier, terminating both patients from his practice. The letter and termination were unexpected. Prior to the termination, Dr. Barnard had requested a consultation with a specialist for Patient C. Shortly after the last appointment, and before receiving the termination letter, Patient C received a call from Dr. Barnard’ s office indicating the date and time for the specialist consultation. On the scheduled date in July, Patient B and Patient C attended at the specialist’ s office for the consultation. However, when they arrived they were told that although Patient C had been booked for an appointment, it had been cancelled. Dr. Barnard did not advise Patient C at any time that he had cancelled her consultation with the specialist. Dr. Barnard engaged in disgraceful, dishonourable and unprofessional conduct in the manner in which he terminated Patients B and C from his practice, in cancelling Patient C’ s specialist consultation and in failing to notify her of the cancellation. On January 20, 2017 Dr. Barnard entered into an undertaking to the College 2017, by which he had agreed, among other things, that, effective March 17, 2017:
• he shall no longer practise family medicine and shall no longer bill the Ontario Health Insurance Plan. Dr. Barnard may only provide certain aesthetic and cosmetic services and may provide nutritional counselling. Dr. Barnard shall post a clearly visible sign in the waiting rooms of all his practice locations, which states as follows: " Dr. Barnard must not practise family medicine or provide any OHIP-insured service.”
ORDER In light of Dr. Barnard’ s undertaking that, effective March 17, 2017, he shall no longer practise family medicine and shall no longer bill the Ontario Health Insurance Plan, the Committee ordered: a four-month suspension on Dr. Barnard’ s certificate of registration; terms, conditions and limitations on Dr. Barnard’ s certificate of registration; a reprimand; and payment of $ 5,000 in costs to the College. The restrictions on Dr. Barnard’ s practice include: no longer prescribing or recommending human chorionic gonadotropin for the purpose of weight loss; having clinical interactions with no more than 48 patients per day, at a rate of no more than six patients per hour within each hour; no longer issuing new prescriptions or renewing existing prescriptions for narcotic drugs, narcotic preparations, controlled drugs, benzodiazepines, other targeted substances and all other monitored drugs.
Dr. Barnard shall retain a clinical supervisor and only practise under the supervision of the supervisor for a period of four months. Approximately, six months after clinical supervision, Dr. Barnard shall undergo a period of reassessment. Dr. Barnard shall cooperate with unannounced inspections of his practice locations and practice charts. Dr. Barnard shall post a sign in the waiting room in a clearly visible location stating that Dr. Barnard must not prescribe the above-mentioned substances. Dr. Barnard shall consent to the College making inquiries of the OHIP, the Drug Program Services Branch, the Narcotics Monitoring System, and / or any person who or institution that may have relevant information, in order for the College to monitor and enforce his compliance with the terms of this Order. 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. Barnard waived his right to an appeal and the Committee administered the public reprimand.
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DIALOGUE ISSUE 2, 2018