Case of the Month
The Case
In addition to considering complaints from patients, the College’s Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee also considers cases where a physiotherapist may not be meeting their professional obligations.
Each year, physiotherapists are required to complete a mandatory self-assessment exercise called PISA – which stands for Professional Issues Self-Assessment. PISA is an online multiple-choice exercise with no pass or fail, it just needs to be completed.
In this case, the College became aware of a PT who did not complete PISA by the specified deadline, however records indicated that the physiotherapist not only received but opened numerous email reminders.
After several emails and automated phone calls, the College sent a formal letter via email to the physiotherapist to inform them that they would be referred to the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee if they didn’t complete PISA in the next two weeks. Again, the physiotherapist received and opened the email but did not complete PISA.
When contacted by a College investigator, the PT said they had never received any information about PISA and that they no longer used the email address that the College had on file. The PT noted that they were using a different email address, however the College did not have a record of the physiotherapist making this change to their information.
They also indicated that they “forgot” to do PISA since they had been working too much. This physiotherapist was the only person who was unable to complete this mandatory requirement.
The Rules
As a registrant of the College, it is the physiotherapist’s professional responsibility to complete an annual self-assessment (PISA). The College supported the PT in completing PISA by sending numerous reminder emails that were successfully delivered and opened, along with automated phone reminders. Further, the College offered an extension to the deadline to avoid having the case go to the committee.
In addition to not completing the PISA module on time, the PT did not reply appropriately or within a reasonable time to a written inquiry from the College, which is an act of professional misconduct.
The physiotherapist also told the College that they no longer had access to the email address on file, however the College’s mail delivery system showed that emails were delivered, opened and that the PT clicked on links within more than one email. The responses from the PT were misleading and unprofessional.
Physiotherapists are required by law to keep their information up to date. This includes public-facing information such as employment sites, but also contact information including an email address. PTs must inform the College in writing of changes to their contact information within 30 days of the change, and the information must be updated in the PT Portal.
The Outcome
There are several professional responsibilities that physiotherapists are required to maintain. In this case, the Committee was concerned that the PT did not understand or fully appreciate their responsibilities as a regulated health professional – including communication with the College, completing mandatory activities such as PISA, and keeping their information up to date.
The Committee was also concerned that the physiotherapist’s actions and responses did not show an appropriate level of understanding or self-reflection.
As a result, the physiotherapist received a caution that will permanently appear on the Public Register.
what a joke