Information For...

• New Canadian Guideline for Chronic Non-Cancer Pain (May 3)
• College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta suspends Dr. Aubrey Levin (Mar 24)
• Doctors' regulatory body sees increase in number and complexity of complaints against Alberta physicians (Mar 17)

• Dr. Wlodzimierz Rydz disciplined by the CPSA (July 12)
• Dr. Lawrence A. Demco disciplined by the CPSA (Jan 28)

• About the College
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Publications
• Messenger Newsletter
• College Statistics
• CMA Code of Ethics

The College’s accreditation program adopts and enforces standards for the safe and effective delivery of medical services in Alberta. This includes accrediting various health care facilities and medical equipment registration.

Physicians have the right to charge for services not covered by the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan. This includes writing a doctor’s note, completing insurance forms and making copies of medical charts.

Under the Health Professions Act (HPA), information about physician-related complaints is confidential unless it leads to a formal discipline hearing. Hearings that result from complaints received on or after January 1, 2010 will generally be open to the public. Hearings that result from complaints received prior to the CPSA's proclamation under HPA must be resolved under the rules of the Medical Profession Act and will NOT be open to the public. Disciplinary decisions are published in The Messenger newsletter and on our website once the appeal period passes.
          Discipline Information about Physicians
          Complaint Statistics 

The CPSA Code of Conduct was developed to give more specific guidance to physicians about maintaining and promoting professional behaviour. The final document will be rolled out to the profession in the summer of 2009.

The CPSA Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Program reviews and assesses infection prevention and control practices in physicians’ offices and clinics.

International medical graduates (IMGs) are those who have graduated from a medical school outside of Canada (including Canadians). They must have an education and post-graduate experience similar to graduates of Canadian medical schools in order to obtain an Alberta medical license and practise independently in Alberta.

On April 1, 2009, the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) and the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) became law. The College supports TILMA and has an agreement with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC to accommodate this partnership between Alberta and BC.  

With regard to AIT, the College is concerned this agreement could reduce registration standards to the lowest common denominator and negatively impact patient care. We are working with medical regulatory Colleges across Canada and the provincial and federal governments to set a minimum licensing standard that all Colleges agree on. Our target date is June 2010. In the interim, the CPSA will not accept physicians from other provinces who do not meet our current licensing standards.

A guidance document, Managing Disruptive Behaviour in the Health Care Workplace, was developed with extensive input from a wide variety of sources and approved in principle by College Council. The document is currently being edited (summer 2010) and will be shared with the medical profession as soon as this process is complete.

The College’s Methadone Program provides physicians with a guide to safe medical practice when dealing with opioid dependant patients.

As of January 1, 2010, Alberta physicians are regulated under new legislation called the Health Professions Act (HPA). Standards of Practice are required under the HPA and were approved by College Council at its September 2009 meeting.

TPP was established in partnership with pharmacists and dentists to monitor the use of drugs prone to misuse and abuse for non-medical purposes.