We know physiotherapists are sometimes compelled by their employers to provide services in a way that does not meet the profession’s clinical or ethical expectations.
And sometimes business operators engage in behaviour that physiotherapists aren’t even aware of, but can still get the PT in trouble: they use the physio’s name for bad advertising or billing practices, for example.
A bad work environment can lead to poor quality care, safety issues or misuse of health system resources—and that’s no good for patients.
The problems that we see at our College are shared by many other health professionals in Ontario. As you know if you’ve been here before, our College is working with a group of partners to advocate for clinic regulation in Ontario. This is not a government-directed initiative, but came from the desire of Colleges’ to protect patients.
Of course, lots of clinics are already regulated by other regulators or other entities, but many places that deliver health care are not regulated in any way.
There are currently thirteen regulators, including us that may join in the next little while. Together, we have developed a draft proposal about how clinics could be regulated.
Clinic regulation would mean that businesses would be held to the same sorts of standards and expectations as individual health professionals.
At this stage, our proposal is aimed at YOU—do you think our proposed regulation would work? What are its strengths and weaknesses? Most of all, would it protect the public?
You should have received an email recently from the College inviting you to check out the clinic regulation consultation website.
The website has videos and lots of detail about the proposal and is set up to let you share your thoughts on the idea. Your are invited to webinars and town halls too.
Please pass this info along to your friends. Post it on Facebook, tweet it. Hey, tell your mom—I hear her Instagram is legendary.
All kidding aside, we need to hear from as many people as possible to refine our proposal so we can get it right before we take it forward to government and ask for a new law.
Physiotherapists, this is your moment!
Use the expertise and wisdom you’ve developed as health professionals to protect patients in a whole new way—by helping to shape meaningful change to the health system we all live with.
Check out the website, share your comments online, come to a town hall and let us know what you think.
Webinar ( Please Register Here):
Wednesday, November 18, from noon until 1 pm
Upcoming Consultation Dates
November 23
*Kitchener-Waterloo
6pm – 8pm
November 25
*Sudbury
6pm – 8pm
November 26
*Windsor
6pm – 8pm
December 1
*Ottawa
6pm – 8pm
December 2
*Toronto
6pm – 8pm
December 9
*Brampton
6pm – 8pm