On May 11, 2021, the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) referred a matter involving Paolina Spremulli to the Discipline Committee for a hearing.
The hearing took place on November 28, 2022. This matter was resolved by way of an Agreed Statement of Facts and a Joint Submission on Penalty.
Finding
The panel of the Discipline Committee issued a decision on the finding on November 28, 2022, on the penalty on November 28, 2022 and on costs on November 28, 2022.
After having considered all of the evidence, the panel found Paolina Spremulli to have committed the following acts of professional misconduct:
- paragraph 1 (failing to maintain the standards of practice of the profession);
- paragraph 18 (engaging in conduct or performing an act relevant to the practice of the profession that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional);
- paragraph 26 (failing to keep records in accordance with the standards of practice of the profession);
- paragraph 28 (signing or issuing a document containing a statement that the member knows or ought to know contains a false or misleading statement);
- paragraph 32 (submitting an account or charge for services that the member knows or ought to know is false or misleading);
- paragraph 33 (failing to take reasonable steps to ensure that any accounts submitted in the member’s name or billing number are fair and accurate); and
- paragraph 40 (continuing the treatment of a patient where it is no longer indicated, has ceased to be effective or is unnecessary)
Penalty
The panel ordered the following penalty, Paolina Spremulli will:
- Receive a reprimand at the conclusion of the hearing (delivered on November 28, 2022)
- Serve a 12-month suspension, beginning November 29, 2022 up to and including November 29, 2023
- While serving the suspension, Paolina Spremulli may not provide services as a physiotherapy assistant (PTA)
- Review a number of tools, standards and resources
- Successfully complete the ProBE program offered through CPEP
- Participate in practice enhancement coaching after returning to practice
While Paolina Spremulli is serving the suspension, she cannot use the title Physiotherapist, PT or any abbreviation there of. Paolina Spremulli’s name, PT title and/or registration number cannot be use for billing purposes while the suspension is being served.
The panel also ordered Paolina Spremulli to pay costs to the College in the amount of $10,000 to offset some of the costs associated with investigating and prosecuting this case.
As a part of the penalty, the Committee also issued a reprimand which read as follows:
Ms. Spremulli, the panel finds that your behaviour constituted serious misconduct and showed a lack of insight into professional standards and ethical practice, specifically as it relates to billing.
As a profession, we must maintain the confidence of the public, as well as all involved stakeholders such as third-party funders. The practice of falsifying records and submitting inaccurate invoices, in addition to the lack of clinical documentation, shows utter disregard for the College standards, and undermines the profession as a whole. Moreover, a loss in confidence from third-party funders could contribute to loss of access to physiotherapy care from those who truly need it.
We appreciate the fact that you’ve acknowledged your professional misconduct, and it is the panel’s hope that you will follow through the recommended remediation and return to practice with an understanding of your obligations as a registered healthcare professional.
We do not expect to see you in front of a discipline panel in the future.
You can read the full decision of the Discipline Committee of the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario at: www.canlii.ca