REPORTS FROM COUNCIL
lationship is already in place between the individual and member at the time the health-care services are provided ; the member provided the health-care services to the individual in emergency circumstances or in circumstances where the service is minor in nature ; the member has taken reasonable steps to transfer the care of the individual to another member or there is no reasonable opportunity to transfer care to another member .
Council ’ s proposed regulation recognizes the unique nature of psychotherapy and the particular vulnerabilities of patients undergoing psychotherapy and therefore extends the time that an individual is considered a patient . The proposed regulation also reflects the current expectations of those providing care to patients in the most vulnerable of circumstances , as outlined in the College ’ s Maintaining Appropriate Boundaries and Preventing Sexual Abuse policy .
We will be consulting on the proposed regulation shortly . Stay tuned .
Continuity of Care – Draft for Consultation
We are currently consulting on our Continuity of Care policy and its four draft companion policies that address different elements of continuity of care . We now want to hear your feedback on the expectations that we have drafted .
The draft umbrella Continuity of Care policy sets out the principles of professionalism that underpin the companion policies and the general expectations that have broad application . The companion policies set out expectations regarding specific elements of practice and are : Availability and Coverage ; Managing Tests ; Transitions in Care ; and Walk-in Clinics . Council directed that , given the breadth and scope of this project , these policies should have an extended consultation to allow the profession and other stakeholders the opportunity to provide meaningful comment . The consultation is now open and runs for six months and we invite members to provide their feedback by December 9 , 2018 . In recognition that there are a number of health-system factors that are beyond the control or influence of individual physicians , the policy ’ s working group put its focus on developing policy expectations related to those elements of continuity of care where physicians do have a role to play . The College ’ s recommendations regarding broader systems issues that can be a barrier to or facilitator of continuity of care will be set out in a separate ‘ white paper ’ at a later date . The policy ’ s working group includes family physicians and specialists , physicians who work in teaching and community hospitals as well as members of the public . The article about the draft policies is on page 11 .
Rescindment of Methadone By-law Council has rescinded the Methadone by-law to allow the transition of the Methadone Committee from a by-law committee to a specialty panel of the Quality Assurance
PHOTO : CLAUDIA HUNG
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DIALOGUE ISSUE 2 , 2018