Addressing a health concern
Assessing health conditions and medical evaluations
Once the Health Monitoring Program learns of a licensee’s heath condition, it will assess the impact on the licensee's ability to work.
Focus on patient safety
The Health Monitoring Program is focused on patient safety and it will not label judge or stigmatize licensees and their health conditions.
The program and its health-care partners conduct inquiries into health conditions and offer solutions for health-related leaves of absence and transitions back to work. Assessments are conducted through fair, consistent, evidence-based clinical processes.
Non-intrusive assessments
Assessments and monitoring will:
- be conducted through the least intrusive means possible
- rely on the licensee’s own information or seek information from licensee’s own care providers wherever possible
- only request information relevant to safe practice
Assessments
Assessments must include the following:
- information about the condition and its relation to a licensee’s practice
- risk assessment and mitigation
- recommendations for treatment to address the health condition to a point where a licensee can practise safely
- recommendations for management to ensure sustained safe practise
Possible assessment outcomes
The following outcomes determine the course of action appropriate for the licensee.
The health condition does not impact the licensee’s fitness to practise. This may require confirmation from the licensee’s treating physician(s).
A licensee will enter health monitoring if it’s determined their health condition could impact their fitness to practise.
During health monitoring, a licensee’s treating physician(s) must provide regular progress reports confirming that the licensee:
- continues to be a patient
- is compliant with treatment recommendations
- is compliant with biological monitoring (if applicable)
- is fit to practise medicine
A licensee may have their licence status changed to temporarily inactive for health reasons. This is an absence from practice while they address their health issues.
Once a licensee is ready to return to practice they must
- submit fitness to practise confirmation in writing from their treating physician(s), and
- consent to possible health monitoring.