Health-care regulators to launch consultation on proposed clinic oversight

The College of Chiropractors of Ontario (CCO) is participating in a working group with other Ontario health care regulatory colleges to explore the possibility of developing regulation for health-care clinics in the province.

This working group – which includes 12 professional health care regulators – will be launching a series of consultations beginning Nov. 18 to discuss whether Ontarians would benefit from a clinic oversight model, and what clinic regulation might look like in Ontario, the CCO said in a statement.

A number of health-care service providers in Ontario – such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, pharmacies, and medical and dental clinics – are regulated. However, there are many other clinics that currently have no regulatory oversight. The proposed clinic regulation aims to enhance oversight and “protect the interest of patients who receive health-care services from clinic.”

The launch of the consultation process will include a webinar that will take place on Nov. 18, and will be followed by six town hall events across Ontario to be held between Nov. 23 and Dec. 9. The consultation website will provide more information about why the colleges are exploring clinic oversight, how it might impact health-care practitioners, and the type of clinic oversight model that the 12 health regulatory colleges want to explore further, according to the CCO.

Consultations will take place in:
Kitchener – November 23, 2015, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Sudbury – November 25, 2015, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Windsor – November 26, 2015, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Ottawa – December 1, 2015, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Toronto – December 2, 2015, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Brampton – December 9, 2015, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

The CCO is encouraging chiropractors, chiropractic clinic owners and chiropractic patients to share their views about the proposed clinic regulation by participating in any of the town hall consultations and registering at ontarioclinicregulation.com.

Members of the clinic regulation working group include: CCO; College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario; College of Chiropodists of Ontario; College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario; College of Dental Technologists of Ontario; College of Kinesiologists of Ontario; College of Massage Therapists of Ontario; College of Naturopaths of Ontario; College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario; College of Opticians of Ontario; College of Physiotherapists of Ontario; College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario.