Providing care for a monitored licensee

Licensees with identified health issues may be monitored by CPSBC to ensure ongoing fitness to practise. Health monitoring will be based on regular reports from care providers.

What care providers need to know

Health monitoring of a licensee with a health issue is based on regular reporting by the licensee’s care providers. The reports requested by CPSBC depend on the monitored licensee’s diagnosis.

To satisfy monitoring requirements, CPSBC must receive ongoing updates to ensure there are no current concerns about a licensee’s fitness to practise. CPSBC may request reports from a variety of care providers such as:

  • family physician
  • specialist (e.g. psychiatrist, neurologist)
  • counsellor or therapist
  • biological monitoring companies

Reports to CPSBC

Progress reports form an important piece of a licensee’s health monitoring and continued ability to practise medicine in British Columbia.

The progress reports confirm whether the licensee:

  • continues to be a patient
  • is compliant with treatment recommendations
  • is compliant with biological monitoring (if applicable)
  • is fit to practise medicine

CPSBC also expects a care provider to perform an appropriate history and clinical examination when preparing a report and rendering an opinion. This includes:

  • reviewing other health records
  • reviewing or ordering relevant investigations
  • a thorough medication history review
  • a PharmaNet search
  • a substance use history (if applicable)

Addressing concerns in a report

The monitored licensee is responsible for scheduling appointments every three to six months with their care provider.

A care provider should indicate it in their report if the licensee has not seen them or if they have unsuccessfully attempted to schedule an appointment with the licensee. The Health Monitoring Program will follow up with the monitored licensee directly.

Ongoing updates and correspondence between CPSBC and the care provider

Every three or six months, the Health Monitoring Program will check in with the care provider through a simple template form.

Email monitoring@cpsbc.ca or fax the form directly to the Health Monitoring Program.

Contact the Health Monitoring Program for template form

Duration of health monitoring

The duration of health monitoring depends on a licensee’s health condition. CPSBC will monitor for as long as a health condition is likely to have an impact on a licensee’s ability to work. 

It typically lasts two to five years and involves the recommendations of a care provider(s). The duration can be shorter if a licensee’s health improves to a stable state and the condition is well managed in relation to ongoing work. The duration may be longer or indefinite with a progressive, chronic, or recurrent condition. In the case of substance use disorders, health monitoring usually lasts a minimum of five years.

In all cases, CPSBC must be satisfied that the risk to patients and public has been mitigated, and must receive confirmation of fitness to practice and endorsement by the care provider that the condition is stable.
 

What if the monitored licensee asks to discontinue health monitoring?

While the intervals and duration of report requests are at CPSBC's discretion, care provider recommendations are taken into consideration.

Care providers are asked to make their recommendations in the comment section of the regular report. Care providers often suggest changing the reporting interval before recommending discontinuation.
 
Note: CPSBC may take other considerations into account. CPSBC also takes a holistic review of each case before deciding whether to discontinue a licensee’s health monitoring.
 

What if a care provider closes practice or retires?

If a care provider is planning to retire or close their practice, they are asked to take the following steps:

  • Send a separate note or indicate it on their report to CPSBC that they are retiring or closing their practice.
  • Indicate where to redirect requests for reports if they are referring the patient to a new care provider.

The monitored licensee can reach out to the Doctors of BC’s Physician Health Program. They can assist in finding a new care provider.