DISCIPLINE SUMMARIES
to a patient and providing indirect instructions to the
nursing staff.
When the patient had left, Dr. Baird asked the
nursing staff whether the instructions were under-
stood. Nurse A jokingly stated that she did not
understand. Dr. Baird turned around in his chair
to face Nurse A, patted his knees and said: “Nurse
A come and sit on my lap so that I can spank you.”
This comment was made in front of the nursing staff
and two patients. Nurse A and her nursing colleagues
then left the area.
Nurse A was upset and offended as a result of Dr.
Baird’s comments. At the end of the shift, Nurse
A informed Dr. Baird that she felt uncomfortable,
embarrassed and insulted by his comments. Dr. Baird
apologized and stated that it should be taken as a joke.
Nurse A filed a formal complaint against Dr. Baird.
As a result of the complaint, Dr. Baird agreed to
provide a formal letter of apology and to seek profes-
sional coaching with respect to eliminating inap-
propriate comments in the workplace, demonstrat-
ing professional conduct and developing a sense of
empathy in order to understand how his comments
can impact others.
Dr. Baird successfully completed the professional
coaching.
Recent amendments to the RHPA expand the range
of sexual acts that are subject to mandatory revoca-
tion. The sexual abuse found in this matter – remarks
of a sexual nature made by Dr. Baird to Patient A
– requires a reprimand, but does not require manda-
tory revocation. The appropriateness of the penalty of
suspension of Dr. Baird’s certificate of registration in
the circumstances of this case was not at issue; rather,
the length of the suspension and other aspects of the
order were in dispute.
ORDER
The Discipline Committee ordered: a two-month
suspension of Dr. Baird’s certificate of registration;
successful completion of individualized instruction
in medical ethics; a reprimand; reimbursement to the
College for funding provided to Patient A, by post-
ing an irrevocable letter of credit in the amount of
$16,060.00. Dr. Baird was also ordered to pay costs
to the College in the amount of $5,500.00.
For complete details, please see the full decision at
30
DIALOGUE ISSUE 3, 2018
www.cpso.on.ca. Select Find a Doctor and enter the
doctor’s name.
At the conclusion of the hearing, Dr. Baird waived his
right to an appeal and the Committee administered the
public reprimand.
DR. PETER PAUL BARANICK
PRACTICE LOCATION: Ottawa
AREA OF PRACTICE: General Practice
HEARING INFORMATION: Admission; Agreed Statement of
Facts; Joint Submission on Penalty
On June 12, 2017, the Discipline Committee found
that Dr. Baranick committed an act of professional
misconduct in that he has failed to maintain the
standard of practice of the profession.
Dr. Baranick is a general practitioner practising at
Appletree Medical Walk-in Clinics in Ottawa. He
obtained his medical degree from the University of
Ottawa in 1973 and has held an independent prac-
tice certificate from 1979 to 1982 and from 1989 to
present.
2012 Practice Re-Assessment
On February 15, 2010, Dr. Baranick signed an
undertaking with the College to practise under clini-
cal supervision, to successfully complete a medical
record-keeping and an ethics course, and to undergo
a re-inspection of his practice.
The College retained an independent medical
expert to conduct the re-assessment of Dr. Baranick’s
practice pursuant to the 2010 undertaking. The med-
ical expert indicated that although Dr. Baranick is
an experienced clinician who has worked in primary
patient care for most of his career, he had recently
made the transition from working in the emergency
department of a hospital to seeing unscheduled pa-
tients in a number of ambulatory clinics.
The medical expert reported that Dr. Baranick ad-
mitted that he sees too many patients during his shifts,
and this may be one factor that has resulted in poor