A Standard of Practice is the minimum standard of professional behaviour and ethical conduct on a specific issue expected by the College.
A Practice Guideline is a recommendation developed by the College with which members should be familiar and follow whenever and wherever possible and appropriate.
Standards and Guidelines
Code of Ethics
The College’s By-Law 5 defines “professional misconduct”, “conduct unbecoming a medical practitioner”, “professional incompetence” and “incapacity or unfitness to engage in the practice of medicine”.
In addition to this By-Law, medical practitioners are expected to be familiar with the Canadian Medical Association’s Code of Ethics and Professionalism (“CMA Code”) and physician assistants are expected to be familiar with the Canadian Association of Physician Assistant’s Code of Ethics (“CAPA Code”). These documents have been adopted by the College as compilations of guidelines which provide common ethical frameworks for medical practitioners and physician assistants.
| Additional Information | |
|---|---|
| CMA Code of Ethics and Professionalism | |
| CAPA Code of Ethics | |
| By-Law 5: Definitions of Conduct Deserving of Sanction |
Mandatory Reporting
Physicians have a legal and professional obligation to maintain the confidentiality of patient information. There are circumstances, however, where physicians are required to report particular events or clinical conditions to the appropriate government or regulatory agency.
The list below does not represent an exhaustive list of physicians’ legal responsibilities with respect to mandatory reporting. Physicians must stay informed of their duties and should seek the guidance of legal counsel or the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) where necessary.