Professionalism, ethics, and wellness
All articles listed under "Professionalism, ethics, and wellness" category
Advice for physicians travelling across international borders and carrying devices that may contain patient information.
The likelihood of patients making a complaint is reduced when they perceive genuine care and concern, compassion, honesty, and acknowledgment of their values and preferences.
Physicians can take steps to address bullying and other abusive behaviours they may be subjected to by patients and their families, colleagues and other healthcare workers, and third parties.
An overview of how physician advisors support members’ health and wellbeing who are facing a medical-legal concern, legal action, or complaint.
For many physicians, a regulatory authority (College) complaint is stressful, but can be managed by speaking with the CMPA, assessing the complaint, and responding professionally and respectfully.
Documentation in clinical notes and reports to third parties should be factual, objective, and use a suitable tone of medical professionalism.
Physicians may face a privacy breach when viewing personal health information that is not required for current clinical care and without the patient’s or information custodian’s consent.
A review of the impact of incivility in healthcare workplaces.
Steps physicians can take if they receive results of a lab test they did not request.
Text messaging offers the potential for improved communication among physicians and healthcare teams, and using it appropriately can mitigate some of the inherent risks of this channel.
Physicians can successfully manage online ratings using a reasonable and measured approach.
Guidance for specialists on their ethical and professional responsibilities in accepting to care for new patients.
Points for physicians to consider if a journalist asks for an interview.
Here is our guidance for physicians who want to provide that emotional support to their peers without impacting medico-legal risk.
An overview of changes to federal and provincial privacy laws.
Answers to questions physicians have been asking about the use of AI scribe services
When physicians wish to record a clinical encounter, they should first obtain express consent from the patient and have in place security measures to ensure confidentiality.
Physicians owe patients a duty to keep their personal health information confidential, yet there are times when this conflicts with other statutory duties or with concerns for public safety.
Wellness strategies and resources for physician residents
Physicians may release a patient’s medical records to lawyers only with patient authorization or where required by law.
Guidance for physicians on assessing whether a chaperone is right for their practice.
How to respond to queries seeking to verify the authenticity of doctors’ certificates.
A review of the concept of collateral patient information, and advice for physicians on what to do with this kind of information.
Suggested ways that physicians can reduce the risk of privacy breaches when using fax to communicate confidential patient information.
An exploration of privacy and consent issues when using clinical images or recordings of patients to teach medicine.
Physicians participating in clinical research studies should be aware of their relevant legal, ethical, and professional obligations.
An overview of a physician's duty to maintain confidentiality and protect the privacy of patients' personal health information in instances of disclosure requests from third parties, including the police or other authorities.
Becoming familiar with the processes for legal proceedings and College complaints and knowing where to get support can help put medical-legal difficulties into perspective and alleviate emotional stress for physicians.
The physician's role in providing a child's medical information to a parent.
A complaint to a medical regulatory authority (College) initiates a process that warrants a physician's attention and timely response.
Key points for physicians to keep in mind if they are providing cosmetic medicine procedures.
The increased availability of genetic testing raises a number of medico-legal questions that physicians should consider.
Highlights from CMPA discussion paper “The role of physician leaders in addressing physician disruptive behaviour in healthcare institutions.”
Considerations for physicians when a prospective patient does not have a health card.
Individuals have a general right to access their personal information in independent medical examination files, but there are exceptions to what must be produced
Considerations for ending the doctor-patient relationship.
Dealing with the stress of a College complaint is easier when a physician understands the complaint process and receives support, advice, and coping strategies from the CMPA.
Physicians named in a hospital complaint can feel reassured that due process exists and will be followed, and that the CMPA is available to help.
Addressing privacy breaches has become more complex as the rules around notifying and reporting have recently changed or are about to change across the country.
As physicians age or they experience cognitive or health decline, they will want to be familiar with requirements set out by their College, and understand their ability and possible limitations to deliver safe medical care.
Physicians can be better prepared to transfer patient health information when they understand who has custody of and access to medical records.
A discussion of the principles of access, the challenges with access, and managing the risks.
When caring for patients, physicians can neglect their own health and well-being. Doctors should improve their self-care for their own sake, and for the sake of their patients and the healthcare system.
Physicians can take steps to mitigate the medical-legal risks of patients taking photos and making video and audio recordings during healthcare encounters.
Physicians should understand the role of coroners and medical examiners in Canada,
and how and when to provide information to them.
An overview of the principles of retention, sharing and transferring of medical records.
The circumstances under which physicians can treat themselves, family and friends are limited.
Protecting the privacy of patient information when using digital communication channels, including email, portals, and social media platforms.
How doctors can help protect their information technology systems from cybersecurity threats and what they should do in the event of a cybersecurity incident.
Physicians who do administrative work require liability protection for the professional medical tasks they perform and also for the non-clinical administrative tasks they perform in support of an organization.
Physicians should try to accommodate patients’ requests to limit access to their personal health information.
An overview of communication strategies physicians can use to help resolve conflict with other physicians or other healthcare providers.
While fatigue can negatively affect the performance of individual physicians, systematic and standardized approaches to teamwork and communication may help mitigate patient safety risks.
Actions physicians can take to mitigate potential risks of using patient portals to communicate clinical information with patents.
Physicians providing emergency care as good Samaritans often have questions about their legal and ethical obligations and the liability protection available to them.
Communication and conflict resolution skills may help physicians deal effectively and safely with challenging patient encounters.
Physicians regularly encounter patients or family members who behave aggressively and make demands that may be unrealistic and potentially harmful. In their medical practice, physicians need strategies and tools to manage conflict and such challenging behaviours.
Professional and ethical obligations to keep in mind when considering offering medical services through online virtual clinics.
When patients make requests for specific care providers, treatments, or services, physicians should assess whether they can reasonably accommodate such requests.
Strategies for managing the stress associated with transitioning to a new EMR system for managing patient records.
DISCLAIMER: This content is for general informational purposes and is not intended to provide specific professional medical or legal advice, nor to constitute a "standard of care" for Canadian healthcare professionals. Your use of CMPA learning resources is subject to the foregoing as well as CMPA's Terms of Use.
