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The second consultation on consent to treatment sought feedback from registrants and key health partners on revisions that were made to the draft practice standard after the first consultation to address aspects of informed consent related to vulnerable patients. To do so, the College conducted an in-depth engagement process, holding focus groups with registrants and other health-care professionals who work with patients who may experience challenges with the consent process. The College also sought feedback on a draft registrant resource which highlights key considerations brought forward during the engagement process and areas in which there may be challenges.

The consultation closed on February 10, 2023. A total of 88 registrants shared their feedback. The new Consent to Treatment practice standard and accompanying Consent to treatment – Equity considerations registrant resource were approved by the executive committee on April 14, 2023.

The first consultation on consent to treatment sought feedback from the profession, the public, and key health partners on the initial draft practice standard that outlines when a physician or surgeon must obtain consent from their patients and the principles they must abide by when doing so.

This consultation closed on June 13, 2022. A total of 267 physicians and surgeons shared their feedback on the draft Consent to Treatment practice standard, while 64 members of the public shared their related perspectives and experiences. The feedback received helped guide further edits to the standard and the development of supplementary resources.

The College held a consultation with the profession, the public, and key health partners on the current Advertising and Communication with the Public practice standard, which outlines how registrants must represent themselves and their qualifications if they choose to advertise to the public. This review resulted from recent bylaw amendments. Advertising, in the context of this practice standard, refers to any communication, including oral, print, or electronic, by or on behalf of a registrant to the public. Specifically, this consultation was to ensure the standard was clear within the newly added section: Use of the term “specialist.” A total of 102 registrants participated in this survey. The updated standard was published on October 21, 2022, following approval from the Executive committee.

The College also consulted with the public on a resource that outlines what is acceptable for a physician or surgeon to advertise to the public, and the rules they must follow when doing so. This consultation closed on December 8, 2022. A total of 27 members of the public shared their feedback on the draft resource. The feedback led to the final version, which was published in December 2022.

Closing date: November 29, 2021

In a second survey, the College sought feedback from the public, physicians and key health partners on the draft Indigenous Cultural Safety, Cultural Humility and Anti-racism practice standard. This practice standard was drafted with the BC College of Nurses and Midwives after extensive consultation with Indigenous people, registrants, the public and key health partners. A total of 123 physicians and surgeons and 23 members of the public participated in the survey. The College thanks all those who shared their feedback and anticipates publishing the new practice standard in early 2022.

Closing date: August 20, 2021

The College shared a survey with the public and physicians seeking feedback on the Treatment of Self, Family Members and Others Close to You practice standard. A total of 580 physicians and surgeons and 27 members of the public shared their feedback. The input received will be used to inform a revised practice standard which will be published alongside a new patient resource.

Closing date: July 12, 2021

The College shared a survey with the public and physicians seeking feedback on the draft Cultural Safety and Humility practice standard principles. These principles were drafted with the College’s partners from the First Nations Health Authority and BC College of Nurses and Midwives. A total of 245 physicians and surgeons and 35 members of the public participated in the survey. The College has also engaged an external consultant to guide in-depth conversations on the draft principles with Indigenous patients and physicians through virtual discussion circles. Feedback gathered from this consultation will inform a revised draft practice standard, which will be shared in a second round of consultation later in 2021.
 

Closing date: April 9, 2021

The previously titled Telemedicine practice standard was shared for extensive consultation, gathering feedback from 1,265 registrants (376 specialists and 889 family practitioners), 379 members of the public and numerous key health partners. The feedback received will be shared with the Patient Relations, Professional Standards and Ethics Committee to guide revisions to the practice standard and accompanying patient resource.

Closing date: November 27, 2020

The purpose of this consultation was to gather feedback from key stakeholders regarding appropriate use of social media and recordings of patients by physicians and surgeons.

A total of 216 physicians and surgeons shared their feedback on the draft Social Media and Photographic, Video and Audio Recording of Patients guidelines, while 54 members of the public shared their related perspectives and experiences.

The feedback received will help guide revisions to the guidelines and the development of a new patient resource.

Closing date: July 31, 2020

The purpose of this consultation was to gather feedback from the public on a new patient resource on sexual misconduct, as well as from physicians and surgeons on the draft Sexual Misconduct and Non-sexual Boundary Violations practice standards.

A total of 445 physicians and surgeons and 26 members of the public participated in this consultation. Members of the public provided helpful input on the clarity and appropriateness of the draft patient resource, including feedback on the chosen graphics.

The College will revise the patient resource and practice standards based on the survey results and after further discussion with the Patient Relations, Practices Standards and Ethics Committee.

Closing date: March 6, 2020

The purpose of this consultation was to gather feedback on the revisions made to the draft procedural pain management (PPM) standards following an initial consultation in 2019. This consultation addressed revisions made to:

• Procedural Pain Management (core standards)
• Procedural Pain Management – Emergency Cart
• Procedural Pain Management – Ultrasound Modality
• Procedural Pain Management – X-ray Modality

There were 79 participants in the online consultation, of which 76% identified as physicians, 16% identified as patients, and 8% identified as other.

The feedback from this consultation was used to guide further revisions to the draft standards. More information and the final approved version of the standards can be found here.

Closing date: November 26, 2019

The purpose of this consultation was to gather feedback from members of the public and physicians to help guide revisions to the College’s Complementary and Alternative Therapies practice standard.

A total of 523 physicians and 506 members of the public participated in the consultation. Of the public participants, 27% identified that they had been prescribed a complementary or alternative therapy by their physician. While some felt that their physician provided them with enough information, others felt that their physician did not explain the therapy appropriately before recommending it. Common themes from the written feedback highlighted the importance of patient education, obtaining proper informed consent and conducting on-going patient assessments to evaluate the effectiveness of the therapy.

The feedback gathered will be shared with the Patient Relations, Professional Standards and Ethics Committee and used to help draft a revised standard.

Closing date: September 4, 2019

The purpose of this consultation was to gather feedback from the public and physicians to help guide revisions to the College’s Independent Medical Examinations draft practice standard.

A total of 107 physicians and 21 members of the public participated in this consultation. Of the 21 public participants, 13 identified as having undergone an independent medical examination (IME). While some members of the public felt that the physician conducting the IME did so appropriately, others felt that the physician did not explain the process well enough, offered biased opinions, or treated them without compassion.

The feedback gathered will be shared with the Patient Relations, Professional Standards and Ethics Committee and used to help strengthen the draft standard.

Closing date: June 4, 2019

This consultation gathered feedback from 313 physicians and 20 members of the public.

The goal of this consultation was to assess public perspectives and experiences related to physicians’ advertising practices, and to gather feedback from physicians on the core standard principles.

Based on the responses received during this consultation, a new practice standard will be drafted then brought back to the College’s Patient Relations, Practice Standards and Ethics Committee for review.

Closing date: May 27, 2019

The purpose of this consultation was to gather feedback on the College’s draft procedural pain management accreditation standards:

• Procedural Pain Management (core standards)
• Procedural Pain Management – Emergency Cart
• Procedural Pain Management – Ultrasound Modality
• Procedural Pain Management – X-ray Modality

There were 554 participants in the online consultation, of which, 268 identified as patients. In addition to the online consultation many written letters and emails were received.

The feedback gathered from this consultation will be used to help guide further revisions to the draft standards before they are shared in a second consultation.

Closing date: April 30, 2019

The purpose of this consultation was to gather feedback on the College’s Charging Fees to Patients practice standard, which combined principles from two previously existing guidelines: Annual Fees to Patients and Missed Appointments.

A total of 310 physicians and 44 members of the public participated in this consultation. The public respondents provided insight into their past experiences; while some felt that their physician charged them an appropriate fee, others felt that they were charged a fee for inappropriate reasons and without adequate communication. Public participants also expressed that physicians should consider the patient’s ability to pay before charging a fee.

The feedback gathered will be shared with the Patient Relations, Professional Standards and Ethics Committee and used to help guide further revisions to the draft standard.

Closing date: January 31, 2019

The purpose of this consultation was to gather feedback on the College’s Conflict of Interest practice standard which was revised to include principles from the existing Conflict of Interest Arising from Clinical Research professional guideline, as well as new sections outlining conflict of interest as it relates to a physician’s relationship with industry and education.

A total of 109 physicians and 54 members of the public participated in this consultation. The main theme from public feedback was the desire for transparency; patients want their doctors to be up-front with them, and appreciate having full disclosure about any industry relationships their physician may have.

The College will further revise the Conflict of Interest standard based on the input received, and will seek approval from the Board to publish the revised version

Closing date: November 2, 2018

This consultation was held to gather input from physicians and the public on two practice standards related to medicine and commerce: Sale and Dispensing of Drugs by Physicians, and Promotion and Sale of Products.

Feedback was gathered from a total of 144 participants. Results from the consultation will be shared with the Patient Relations, Professional Standards and Ethics (PRPSE) committee who will review the practice standards on November 21, 2018.