News
This is a reminder that the latest group of new standards will come into effect on February 1, 2025.
All physiotherapists and PT residents must follow the updated requirements as of February 1.
To support you in understanding the requirements and expectations, we have included key highlights from both standards below.
While these highlights provide a helpful at-a-glance look at what’s new or notable, all physiotherapists and PT residents are encouraged to read the standards in full to understand the complete scope of the new requirements.
As always, we’re here to support you in the delivery of high-quality care. If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact the Practice Advisors at advice@collegept.org or 1-800-583-5885 ext. 241.
Collaborative Care Standard
(Replaces the previous Collaborative Care Standard)
- 1. Collaboration Is at the Heart of Care
Patients and their substitute decision makers, caregivers, other healthcare providers, and members of your team are all partners in the delivery of safe, effective, and patient-centered care.
2. Know When to Involve Other Health Professionals
Refer or consult with another provider if their expertise better aligns with the patient’s needs and goals.
3. Check if Concurrent Care Is Right for Your Patient
Make sure that the concurrent approaches align, benefit the patient, and are a good use of resources before engaging in concurrent care.
4. Be Mindful About the Risks
Look out for risks such as conflicting approaches, inefficient use of resources, or the risks outweighing the benefits to patients. Take steps to manage risks.
5. Clearly Communicate If Discontinuing Care If you decide to decline or stop physiotherapy care in a concurrent treatment situation, explain your reasons to the patient and document the conversation.
Conflict of Interest Standard
(Replaces the previous Conflict of Interest Standard)
1. Patient Interests Always Come First
Avoid taking actions that could prevent you from prioritizing your patients’ best interests or that could compromise your professional judgement.
2. Know How to Spot and Address a Conflict of Interest
Be on the lookout for any real, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest, whether involving you directly or someone close to you. Take steps to manage them.
3. Just Say No to High-Risk Activities
Don’t exchange referrals for profit, agree to receive kickbacks for product sales, or accept incentives for under-treating or over-treating patients. Don’t refer existing patients to your own services without full disclosure and offering alternative options.
4. Be Transparent about Product Sales
If you sell products, let your patients know that it won’t affect their care if they purchase the products from somewhere else.
5. Disclose and Mitigate Unavoidable Conflicts When avoiding a conflict of interest isn’t possible, take steps to mitigate it. Fully disclose the situation to the patient, offer alternative options, and ensure all details are documented clearly and transparently.
Dual Practice Standard (New)
1. Be Transparent About Non-Physiotherapy Services
Clearly identify whenever you’re offering or providing services that fall outside the scope of physiotherapy.
2. Use Your PT Title Appropriately
Don’t represent a non-physiotherapy service as physiotherapy or use your protected title when providing non-physiotherapy services.
3. Don’t Blur the Lines
Maintain a clear distinction between physiotherapy and non-physiotherapy services in completing invoices and patient records, and when scheduling appointment times.
4. Prioritize Physiotherapy Services
If your patient comes in seeking physiotherapy services, prioritize delivering those services, even if you also offer other services.
5. Consent Is Key Obtain your patients’ informed consent for non-physiotherapy services by clearly explaining their implications and any known financial impact.
Infection Control Standard
(Replaces the Infection Control and Equipment Maintenance Standard)
1. Stay Sharp on Best Practices
Stay current with infection prevention and control practices by pursuing ongoing training and maintaining proficiency in best practices, as relevant to your work.
2. Consistently Apply Routine Practices
Conduct a Point of Care Risk Assessment to determine the necessary precautions and follow up with proper hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, and personal protective equipment as required.
3. Maintain a Safe and Clean Treatment Environment
Ensure all physiotherapy spaces and equipment are clean and disinfected between patient uses, and that materials and devices are safely disposed of.
4. Handle Equipment with Care
Use, clean, disinfect, and reprocess equipment according to manufacturer specifications, public health policies, and relevant legislation. Keep detailed records for any equipment that you reuse.
5. Know Ontario’s Infection Control Rules Be familiar with Public Health Ontario guidelines and your workplace safety responsibilities under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act.
