Resources

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• Policies

  Policies are standards of care approved by Council. Policies direct practitioners in making decisions about appropriate care and can be interpreted as legal advice.

  • Advertising by Physicians: Revised October 2004
  • After Hours Availability of Physicians: Issued November 1996
  • Charging for Uninsured Services: Revised June 2003
  • Conflict of Interest: Revised February 2005
  • Doctor Patient Sexual Involvement: November 1992
  • Physician Dispensing: Issued March 2008
  • Physician supervision of restricted activities: Issued September 2007
  • Physicians' Office Medical Records: Revised August 2005
  • Physicians Withholding or Withdrawing Services: December 2003
  • Practice in Association: Revised December 2003
  • Principles of Ownership: Revised November 2001
  • Re-Entry Into Practice: Revised June 2001
  • Reporting to the College: Revised August 2005
  • The Referral Consultation Process: Revised June 2003

  NOTE: The CPSA policy on Termination of Pregnancy was removed in September 2009. For advice on this topic, please refer to the Standard of Practice Moral or Religious Beliefs Affecting Medical Care

• Guidelines

  Guidelines are designed to aid practitioners in making decisions about appropriate care. This document does not define a standard of care nor should it be interpreted as legal advice. Variations in practice may be warranted based on the needs of the individual patient, resources, and limitations unique to the institution or type of practice.

  • Closing A Medical Practice: Revised June 2005
  • Competency Assessment and Surrogate Decision Making: Revised November 2002 
  • Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) Infection in Health Care Workers: Issued April 1994
  • HIV Infection in Health Care Workers: Issued September 1992
  • Medical Examinations by Non-Treating Physicians (NTMEs): Issued June 2000
  • Medical Practice Observation Experience: Updated April 2009
  • Opting Out of the Publicly Funded Health Care System: Issued June 2000
  • Physician Patient Relationships: Revised August 2005
  • Point-of-Care Testing - Guidelines for Physicians: Issued December 2007
  • Preventing Follow-up Failures: Revised August 2000
  • Reporting Unfit Drivers: Revised March 2003
  • Security of Mobile Computing Devices: Issued October 2007
  • Transition to Electronic Medical Records: Issued September 2004

  NOTE:  The CPSA guideline on Management of Chronic Non-Malignant Pain was removed in April 2010. For advice on this topic, please refer to the Canadian Guideline for Safe and Effective Use of Opioids.

• Other Resources

  This information is reference material only and does not represent an official College policy or guideline.

  • Guiding Principles for Ensuring Safe and Efficient Communication of Medication Prescriptions: Issued September 2007
    Co-authored by the CPSA, ACP and CARNA, this document will help physicians, pharmacists and nurses prevent medication errors and any resulting harm to patients arising from 1) the use of verbal prescriptions, or 2) the communication of prescriptions to a pharmacist through an intermediary.     
  • Consent for Minor Patients: Issued July 2006
    This information is designed to assist physicians who require consent from or on behalf of minor patients. This document is provided solely to help physicians interpret the new law. (additional resource: Messenger insert)
  • Data Stewardship Framework: Issued December 2006
    The Data Stewardship Framework is a comprehensive guide to the management of health information in the electronic world.
  • Lost or Stolen Medical Files: Issued March 2007