MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Colleagues:
I
Steven Bodley, MD
College President
Much of what we heard
to date recognizes the
critical importance of
continuity of care
would like to begin this
letter by thanking so many
of you for participating in
the ongoing consultation
on our set of draft Continuity
of Care policies As we went to
press, more than 300 respondents
– the vast majority of whom are
physicians – had taken the time
to provide thoughtful and con-
structive feedback.
It is clear that the majority of
physicians understand that these
draft policies have been devel-
oped as a fundamental tool to
ensure patient safety and optimal
care. It is just a matter of working
together to get it right.
Much of what we heard to
date recognizes the critical im-
portance of continuity of care.
And while some of our draft
expectations received your sup-
port, you also raised concerns
about a number of issues. I can
assure you that we are listening
carefully to these concerns. We
are committed to ensuring that
t he policies reflect the College’s
mandate to protect the public,
but we also want to set out
expectations that are reasonable
and practical and that do not
burden physicians unnecessarily.
We extended our usual consul-
tation process from 60 days to six
months to give you ample oppor-
tunity to participate and inform
our work. We’re also commu-
nicating with the OMA to help
identify areas of consensus and to
help resolve any misconceptions
about what is required by the
draft policies. We’ll continue to
listen to your feedback through-
out the remainder of the consul-
tation period.
We are also undertaking other
activities in order to tap into
the expertise that exists among
physicians and our stakeholders.
We want to make sure that this
policy is informed by the experi-
ence and perspectives of those on
the front line.
Over the next several weeks, I
will be visiting a number of com-
munities and I hope to have the
opportunity to answer any ques-
tions you may have in person.
This policy offers an opportunity
to make a meaningful change,
but we need your input to ensure
that it is workable and that its
intent translates into better care
for patients.
**********
Our new Registrar, Dr. Nancy
Whitmore, has settled into her
position with enthusiasm. She has
already identified a number of
ISSUE 3, 2018 DIALOGUE
5