FAQs

Physicians must be active on the CPSA register to maintain a Professional Corporation (PC) in Alberta. The PC will automatically close when the physician’s practice permit ends. We suggest contacting a lawyer/accountant before your PC ends. CPSA does not provide legal advice for PCs.

No. Ivermectin, just like any regulated drug in Alberta, is regulated by the Minister of Health under the Pharmacy and Drug Act and by Health Canada. CPSA’s role in prescribing any medication, including ivermectin, is to ensure that physicians are following the rules set by the Minister and by Health Canada. Physicians must also follow CPSA’s Standards of Practice.

We help ensure that the healthcare you receive from your doctor is safe, reliable, and meets high standards. By making sure physicians are qualified, accountable, and following the right practices, we protect your well-being. If there’s ever a concern with the care you or your loved ones receive, CPSA is here to listen and take action. Our work in the background helps build trust in the healthcare system, so you can feel confident in the care you get from your doctor.

To date, CPSA has not revoked any physician licenses for COVID-19-related complaints. Under the Health Professions Act, CPSA has an obligation to intake and investigate all complaints submitted by Albertans. If a complaint goes to a hearing, all discipline decisions, including the striking of any physician licenses, are posted on our website at https://cpsa.ca/albertans/albertan-complaints/discipline-decisions

CPSA  operates as an independent regulatory body and does not directly report to any single organization or government entity. However, we are accountable to the public we serve, the Alberta government through legislation, and our internal governance structure.

• ​​Public Accountability: Our primary accountability is to the public. Our role is to ensure patient safety by regulating physicians, managing complaints, enforcing medical standards, and ensuring professional conduct —acting in Albertans’ best interest.
• Government of Alberta: CPSA operates under the authority of the Health Professions Act (HPA), which is created and enforced by our provincial government. We must comply with this law and report activities to the Alberta government, ensuring we fulfill our mandate of protecting public safety.
• Internal Governance: We have an internal governance structure, including a council composed of elected physicians and public members appointed by the provincial government. This council oversees our operations, ensuring we are effective, transparent, and accountable to Albertans.

Yes! All provinces and territories in Canada have an organization similar to CPSA that oversees patient safety by regulating the practice of medicine.

These organizations, commonly referred to as Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons, are responsible for licensing physicians, setting practice standards, and enforcing disciplinary measures to ensure that doctors maintain a high standard of care.

We protect patient safety in Alberta in a number of ways. Ultimately, we safeguard patient safety by regulating who can practice, enforcing quality standards of care, and holding doctors accountable for their actions.

Licensing and Registration: We make sure that only qualified and competent doctors are licensed to practice in Alberta. Physicians must meet stringent educational, training, and ethical standards before being granted a license to practice in Alberta. 

Practice Monitoring: We regularly monitor physicians through assessments, audits, and peer reviews. This ensures physicians maintain professional competence and continue to meet the required standards to keep Albertans safe.

Handling Complaints and Discipline: We investigate complaints about physicians’ conduct or care. If a doctor is found to have violated professional standards, we can take action, including suspensions, fines, or revoking their license.

Continuous Education: We require doctors in Alberta to engage in ongoing education to keep up with medical advancements and ensure that they use the latest, evidence-based practices for patient care — ensuring they are skilled and knowledgeable enough to care for you and your family.

The short answer is that CPSA protects patients by regulating doctors, whereas the Medical Association advocates for Alberta’s doctors.

CPSA’s primary responsibility is ensuring that doctors meet specific standards of competency, ethics, and professionalism. The CPSA issues licenses to physicians, investigates complaints, and enforces standards to protect your safety. Essentially, we make sure that physicians in Alberta practice medicine in a safe, competent, and ethical manner.

• Reviewing data about your practice.
• Facilitation, whether by a colleague, supervisor, trained coach or facilitator or other individual who is qualified to assist you in reviewing your data constructively. You can also use a dedicated self-reflection module.
  • Resources and tools for self-reflection are available through the Physician Learning Program,  My Practice Improvement (MyPi) or MyL3Plan.
  • R2C2 is an evidence-based model for providing feedback and coaching through interactive conversation.
• Developing and documenting an action plan to identify all the elements expected from a robust quality improvement activity.
• Implementing your plan and evaluating your success.

Certain competence programs which also meet the requirements of a PPIP activity do qualify for CPD credits:

• A Group Practice Review (GPR) meets the requirements of PPIP’s standards of practice quality improvement activity. General practitioners and family physicians who participate in GPR are eligible for 13.5 Mainpro+ credits through the College of Family Physicians of Canada, while specialists may be eligible for Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credits through the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
• The Medical Council of Canada’s MCC 360 meets the requirements of PPIP’s personal development activity. General practitioners and family physicians who participate in MCC 360 are eligible for Mainpro+ credits through the College of Family Physicians of Canada, while specialists may be eligible for Maintenance of Certification (MOC) credits through the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

To find out if any other work you’ve done as part of a PPIP activity qualifies for CPD credits, please reach out to your national college.

Part of good medical practice is a commitment to lifelong learning.

At CPSA, we are committed to empowering physicians in their journey of professional growth and personal development. We know many factors contribute to physician health and productivity, and paying attention to these factors is an important part of providing patients with quality care.

Our goal is to support physicians in accessing resources and knowledge to incorporate continuous quality improvement into their practice, thereby fostering a quality culture for Alberta physicians. Recognizing that personal factors and system stressors can influence performance, we also focus on a physician’s personal development.

We want PPIP to empower physicians to “shift the curve” and continually strive for small changes that can make a difference, both personally and professionally, in pursuit of providing the best care for Albertans.

Our philosophy of physician performance is based on the Cambridge Model of Physician Performance[1], which recognizes that performance is influenced by competence, individual factors and system factors.

• The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the College of Family Physicians of Canada support and encourage the use of the CanMEDs framework, which recognizes that physicians must be more than just medical experts. Being a professional, a communicator, a collaborator, a leader, a health advocate and a scholar are all abilities required to be an effective physician.
• The Federation of Medical Regulatory Authorities of Canada (FMRAC) supports a physician’s continuous quality improvement, based around the CanMEDS roles (medical expert, communicator, collaborator, leader, health advocate, scholar and professional). Their system for practice improvement (pictured below) was developed with the understanding that each physician has a unique practice and therefore unique learning needs.

• The Institute for Healthcare Improvement in Quadruple Aim framework was designed to help healthcare organizations move towards collective goals. It encompasses enhancing patient experience, improving population health, increasing value and quality of care, and improving work/life balance of health care workers.

[1] Adapted from: Rethans, JJ, Norcini, JJ, Baron-Maldonado, M, Blackmore, D, Jolly, BC, LaDuca, T, Lew, S, Page, GG & Southgate, LH (2002). The relationship between competence and performance: implications for assessing practice performance. Medical Education (36) 901-909.

Facilitation is mandatory for a personal development activity, and is encouraged for the practice-driven and standard of practice activities. Facilitation helps with objectively interpreting the data, looking at it in context and identifying opportunities.

A facilitator can be a colleague, supervisor, trained coach or facilitator, or other individual who is qualified to assist you in framing your data in a constructive manner.

Dedicated modules for self-facilitated reflection are also acceptable. Resources and tools are available for self-reflection through the Physician Learning Program,  My Practice Improvement (MyPi) or MyL3Plan. Additionally, R2C2 is an evidence-based model for providing feedback and coaching through interactive conversation.

An important part of completing a PPIP activity includes creating an action plan to document how you plan to address and implement your opportunities for improvement.

We recommend using SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely) goals to increase the likelihood of success. You may also want to consider familiarizing yourself with the iterative nature of quality improvement, for example by reviewing the PDSA (Plan Do Study Act) cycle.

We have a template for an action plan on our website physicians can use, or you can create your own.

For a practice-driven quality improvement activity, you must review and reflect on data from your practice, such as scheduling, screening or reporting data, vital sign acquisitions, prescribing data or any other data is available to you that pertains to your specific area of practice.

Examples of data sources include:

• EMR data
• Patient access data
• MD Snapshot-Prescribing
• Primary Healthcare Panel Reports from the Health Quality Council of Alberta
• Compliance with reporting standards
• Feedback data from teaching
• Research/publication statistics
• Connect Care Dashboards/Reports
• Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network (CPCSSN)
• Requesting AHS Data Resources | Alberta Health Services

PPIP supports the use of data in an ethical manner. CPSA encourages physicians to use the following free resource and support tools if there are questions regarding ethical data usage: Alberta Innovates: A Project Ethics Community Consensus Initiative (ARECCI)

For a CPSA standards of practice activity, your data comes from a self-assessment of your adherence to a standard of practice relevant to your practice. For example, if you are a consultant physician, you can use elements of the Referral Consultation standard of practice as a benchmark. Your data may be drawn from reports you write, whether your assessment is directly of the patient or of investigations associated with the patient.

For the personal development PPIP activity, your data comes from feedback (for example, from learners, patients or colleagues) This feedback could be gathered through performance reviews from your colleagues, teaching evaluations or patient surveys.

If the physician retires prior to March 31st of the given year, CPSA will prorate the fee. However, the physician must advise CPSA of the retirement on or before the last day of February.

You will need to log into your CPSA Portal and complete the “Notification of Change” form. The “Notification of Change” form can be found on the portal’s main landing page, embedded as a link in the header text. A notes section is included at the end of the form for you to add any additional information.

To be eligible for re-registration, a physician’s permit needs to have been inactive for 90 days or less. The physician must notify CPSA by emailing registration@cpsa.ab.ca and indicate their intention to reactivate their permit.

After 90 days, a physician must re-apply in full by submitting a Review of Qualifications through physiciansapply.ca.

Approved sponsors will only need to pay the sponsor application fee for the first sponsor application form.

Yes, sponsors must have a practice location identified and a physician on CPSA’s General Register to provide clinical oversight.

Yes, approved sponsors can sponsor multiple physician positions. Approved sponsors must submit separate sponsor applications for each clinic location but can request multiple physician positions with each application.

Yes, sponsored physicians can practise from different clinic locations as long as the locations are associated with the same sponsor. However, sponsored physicians must have a primary clinic location. All clinics where the physician will work must submit an application and receive approval before the physician works at that location. The clinic locations must be included in the sponsor application form and Physician Sponsorship form.

No, sponsorship is only permitted to fill physician positions in clinics which are currently in operation.

Compounding is the combining, or mixing together, of two or more ingredients (of which at least one is a drug or pharmacologically active component) to create a final product in an appropriate form for dosing. It can involve raw materials or the alteration of the form and strength of commercially available products. Compounding also includes the process of reformulating a drug for a for a new therapeutic/medical use.

Compounding does not include mixing, reconstituting or any other manipulation that is performed in accordance with the directions on an approved drug’s label. (Source)

Physicians can only prepare their own compounds (e.g., allergy shots, sub-lingual serums) with approval from CPSA. To learn more about the compounding approval process, please contact CPSA’s Infection Prevention and Control program at (780) 969-5001 or ipac@cpsa.ab.ca.

Compounds made for subdermal and intradermal injections are required to be sterile and must be compounded in a location that meets the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) requirements. NAPRA standards must also be met to compound sublingual serums safely.

CPSA advises all physicians to obtain compounded products from an approved location, such as a compounding pharmacy or a regulated and routinely monitored commercial facility.

Yes. The goal should be to drop the allergen onto skin without the dropper touching skin. If the dropper touches the patient’s skin, it cannot be placed back into a well of allergen as this contaminates the supply. Once the drop has been placed on the skin, use only new, sterile needles to scratch the skin. Safely discard the needle after each scratch.

Multi-needle medical devices (e.g., spider-like plastic frames with eight small needles attached) are a safe, effective and efficient way to deliver testing. If single needles are used, a new, sterile needle is required for every skin prick or scratch. Discard any needle(s) after contact with a patient. Medical devices used for skin prick testing must have validated instructions for use and a medical device licence from Health Canada.

1. Always protect the bulk supply of allergen from contamination. Needles and droppers that have contacted the patient’s skin should never go back (i.e., “double-dip”) into a well or vial.
2. Avoid any “topping up” of allergen in wells when amounts are low. Instead of mixing new allergen product with old, discard the well or tray and use a new one.
3. Follow the instructions set out by the allergen manufacturer regarding handling, storage, refrigeration and re-use after opening and expiry of the allergen product.

As a rule of thumb, a needle must never be reused. After each prick or scratch of the skin, the needle(s) need to be safely discarded. Never place a used needle back into an allergen well. Wiping off a needle between uses is ineffective at removing germs, increases the likelihood of a needlestick injury and can negatively impact the accuracy of testing.

Historically, CPSA operated PHMP primarily in-house. Starting in late 2023, CPSA began transitioning health assessments, fitness-to-practise assessments and biological monitoring functions to external service providers. The program is now called Health & Practice Conditions Monitoring (HPCM).

In addition to ensuring compliance with updates to legislation, these changes align with available and prevailing approaches to physician health programs in North America, and best practices in safety-sensitive industries.

Now diagnosis, treatment and whether a regulated member’s health condition adversely impacts their ability to practise will be objectively determined by independent, experienced and trusted service providers.

Moving these functions to providers independent of CPSA supports regulated members in feeling more comfortable self-reporting, and more inclined to seek support when they need it.

Privacy has always been an important part of our work, and this new process will further safeguard the confidentiality of a regulated member’s personal and health information.

Find out more about HPCM.

If we become aware of a regulated member’s health condition, they may be referred to a third-party service provider for an independent medical assessment and health monitoring, if required.

Organizations with at least one regulated member on staff, or individual physicians who meet CPSA’s established and outlined criteria and competencies to provide independent medical examinations or health and/or biological monitoring services, with experience conducting guideline-driven, independent medical exams or biological monitoring, can submit their interest to CPSA’s Health & Practice Conditions Monitoring program to be a service provider.

Find out more about being a service provider

Any costs associated with independent medical examinations, health and/or biological monitoring  are set by the third-party service providers, CPSA is not involved in the determination of fees. The Alberta Medical Association has a guideline for uninsured services fees.

As per the Continuing Competence standard of practice (clause 16), these costs are the responsibility of the regulated member.

If you temporarily withdraw from practice while dealing with a health condition, your CPSA registration status can be updated to Active-Withdrawn from Practice and you will be unable to practise medicine until it is determined you can resume work safely.

Find out more about taking health leave.

It is CPSA’s responsibility to ensure patients receive safe care. Under the Continuing Competence standard of practice, a regulated member must participate in a competence assessment when directed to do so (which in this case refers to participation in health and/or biological monitoring). Failure or refusal to comply with Continuing Competence program requirements is considered unprofessional conduct and may result in a referral to Professional Conduct under the Health Professions Act (HPA).

Not all health conditions need to be reported to CPSA. You must report any condition, accident or injury to CPSA that is negatively impacting your work, or is reasonably likely to negatively impact your work in the future.

A health condition is a physical or mental health concern which could negatively impact the patient care provided by a regulated member. Conditions include (but are not limited to):

• Blood-borne viral infections
• Conditions affecting vision and hearing
• Neurological conditions affecting cognition, motor or sensory function
• Psychiatric conditions
• Substance use disorder
• Physical disability
• Metabolic conditions

For more information, see our Duty to Report Self standard of practice. To self report, you can contact HPCM directly or submit a notification of concern to CPSA via our website.

Dealing with a regulatory body such as CPSA can be stressful, so we encourage physicians to contact all available resources, including:

• AMA’s Physician and Family Support Program (PFSP) | Phone: 1-877-767-4637
• The Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) for legal counsel | Phone:  1-800-267-6522

In some circumstances, it is your duty to report another physician:

• You must report another physician to CPSA when you reasonably believe their conduct puts patients at risk, or is considered unprofessional conduct under the Health Professions Act.
• You also have a duty to report to CPSA if you’re treating a physician who has a health condition that may impact the safety of their patients.

Confidentially contact the Health & Practice Conditions Monitoring team, or submit a notification of concern via our website.

If your health condition is negatively impacting your practice, we may ask you to temporarily withdraw from practice.

On rare occasions, we may have to refer a matter to CPSA’s Complaints Director under section 118 of the Health Professions Act. This only happens if a there is reason to believe patient safety is at risk.

If you have a physical, cognitive, mental or emotional condition that is negatively impacting or reasonably likely to negatively impact your work, you have a duty to report your condition to CPSA.

A member of the Health & Practice Conditions Monitoring team will reach out for more information, to better understand the situation and its impact on your fitness to practise, and determine next steps. We will not ask you for any personal health information.

For more information, see our Duty to Report Self standard of practice.

• Fill out the section below outlined with a green box and the appropriate tests.
• Do not fill out the red section. This is for CPSA to attest the physician’s license.
• Inform the patient that they need to send the form to CPSA to have the report attested as proof you hold a valid Alberta Physicians License.
  • The patient can follow the instructions outlined in the patient FAQ here.

To submit your Overseas Medical Attestation report, read through the information below and send your report to CPSA by mail or courier.

• The form submitted must be the original document with the physician’s physical (wet) signature.
  • The physician can follow the instructions outlined in the physician FAQ here.
• CPSA only reviews the medical form signed by the physician. It is not necessary to include additional pages.
  • CPSA’s role is to verify that the medical exam was performed by a physician licensed to practice in Alberta.
• Upon receipt of the medical report, CPSA will:
  • verify that the physician holds an active license to practice within Alberta and
  • affix our signature, stamp and seal the report.
• The medical report and documents will be returned via the mailing or courier method provided. You must include a pre-paid return envelope along with the document.
  • The pre-paid envelope can have any return address for where you want it to be returned. Ensure you include:
    • Your address
    • VISA or employment office
      • Make sure to include all necessary documents/results, etc., within the package.
    • Company or individual helping with the application
      • Make sure to include all necessary documents/results, etc., within the package.
  • If no pre-paid envelope is provided, CPSA will return the document to the sender via regular Canada Post mail.
  • We recommend that the patient note any tracking numbers so they can view where the package is on its shipping route.
• CPSA aims to process the document and return it within 2 business days.
  • Time frames for returning the document vary depending on the speed of service chosen by the courier company and their availability to collect the document.
• In the event you must come in person to receive your attestation, please call 1-800-561-3899 and our support team will be happy to help you book an appointment.
  • CPSA is an appointment-only organization. We will try our best to accommodate your request.
  • Appointments are available on Tuesday afternoons, 1 pm – 3 pm, and Thursday mornings, 9 am – 12 pm.
  • If you are unable to make your 15-minute timeslot, please call 1-800-561-3899 and our support team will help you rebook your appointment.

How to mail or courier your report to CPSA:

Choose any mail or courier service type from the following list. Note: CPSA does not accept medical reports electronically, by fax or by copy versions.

• • Canada Post Regular Mail
  • Canada Post XpressPost
  • Purolator
  • FedEx

Mailing address:
CPSA (College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta)
Attention: Reception
2700 – 10020 100 ST NW
Edmonton, AB T5J 0N3

Additional information:

• CPSA is unable to attest other documents outside of the Overseas Medical Attestation.
• There is no charge for this service.

Applying to become a sponsor involves the following process:

1. Prospective sponsors complete a sponsor application form on cpsa.ca.
2. CPSA reaches out to prospective sponsors to advise where applications are incomplete/missing information.
3. Once an application is deemed complete, CPSA reaches out to prospective sponsors to pay the sponsorship fee.
4. A sponsorship committee reviews the sponsor application submission and makes a decision.

Prospective sponsors will receive an email within 2 business days confirming receipt of the application. CPSA will strive to complete the initial screening of the application for completeness within 2 weeks and the final adjudication of the complete package with a written decision within another 2 weeks; the total time should be about 1 month for applications that require little to no follow-up. If an application is incomplete and requires further follow-up during the initial screening, this will impact the timelines above. CPSA anticipates that our process will continue to become more efficient and timelier with increased experience in managing sponsorship applications.

Since 2015, Alberta Health Services (AHS) was the sole sponsor for internationally trained physicians going through CPSA’s assessment process. While AHS-sponsored positions will continue to serve communities with the greatest need, CPSA now welcomes individuals, organizations, corporations, and others with interest to apply to be a sponsor for a physician position in their desired community.

How will this change benefit patients in Alberta?

Like all provinces and territories across Canada, Alberta is facing a physician shortage. CPSA is expanding our sponsorship model to support improved access to community-based health care for patients in Alberta.

Who can become a sponsor?

Individuals, organizations, corporations, and others with interest may apply to be a sponsor for a physician position in their desired community. CPSA reviews all applications to make sure sponsors can meet their responsibilities to their community and to the physician who will fill the sponsored position.

Sponsorship is a step towards bringing internationally trained physicians into Alberta. Sponsors are responsible for recruiting physicians, which includes selecting the successful candidate to undergo CPSA’s assessment process.

Sponsors also play a key role in financially supporting the physician from CPSA registration and assessments through to independent practice in the community.

No. This is considered prohibited conduct and cannot be dispensed under any circumstances.

Yes, however blanket policies that exclude patients from receiving in-person care for failing to wear a mask cannot be instituted. Similarly, care cannot be refused to a patient or caregiver who cannot, or will not, wear a mask.

Physicians, physician assistants and clinic staff are encouraged to educate patients why a mask is recommended (e.g., protecting other sensitive patients in the clinic) and encourage masking by making masks readily available. Where individuals cannot, or will not, wear a mask as requested, clinic staff should pursue other options for providing care (e.g., having the patient wait outside, schedule a virtual assessment, booking them as the first or last appointment of the day to limit contact with staff). Understanding the patient’s perspective, answering questions and problem-solving together will enable the patient to appropriately navigate their own care and use of a face mask.

If a patient becomes physically or verbally abusive to a physician, physician assistant, clinic staff or other patients, they may be asked to leave the premises. Physicians are not expected to tolerate this type of behaviour and have the right to immediately discharge patients who act in this manner from their practice under the Terminating the Physician-Patient Relationship standard of practice. If a patient poses a safety risk to you, your staff or other patients, contact your local police department for assistance.

You can continue caring for patients while your facility is being assessed by a CPSA Assessment Coordinator, who will be in and out of your facility during the day. You may find it helpful to have an extra person on staff during your assessment. To make the process as smooth as possible, we also collect information about your facility before your assessment.

If you’re currently involved in the assessment process, you should have received credentials from CPSA to access a confidential SharePoint site where all your assessment information is stored and shared with you. Lost your credentials? Contact papt@cpsa.ab.ca.

Yes, patients require a referral from their physician to be treated at a psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy facility.

The standards are available to facilities once they have registered for assessment.

If you are eligible for the accelerated route to registration for IMGs, you will need to participate in Competency Assessments after you have successfully completed your supervised practice assessment. This is one of the ways CPSA ensures patients are receiving safe, high-quality care.

Physicians don’t apply directly for this route to registration. Your first step is to apply for independent practice. Our registration team will then review your application and let you know which route to registration you qualify for.

IMGs from approved jurisdictions who meet CPSA’s other registration requirements may be eligible for the accelerated route to registration. CPSA’s registration team reviews physician applications to determine their eligibility.

If you suspect a prescription has been forged (e.g. there is a dispense on PIN under your name that you do not recognize), consider contacting the pharmacy as a first step to confirm the forgery. Once confirmed, collaborate with the pharmacy that received and/or filled the forged prescription. Obtain and document as much information as possible related to the incident. Notify TPP Alberta immediately through our online forgery reporting form.

Registered members must not perform clinical work for 6 consecutive months to qualify for the non-clinical register. A registered member resuming clinical work in fewer than 6 months would not qualify for the non-clinical register.

If you qualify for the non-clinical register, the non-clinical register fee will apply until you resume clinical work.

If you stop performing clinical work after annual renewal closes, you will be responsible for the general or provisional registration fee until the time you begin the process of transferring to the non-clinical register. You must notify us 1 month in advance of your plans to transfer to the non-clinical register. Once approved, your remaining general or provisional registration fee will be prorated, taking into account the new non-clinical register fee.

Please contact us 1 month in advance of resuming your clinical work so we can begin the process of transferring you from the non-clinical register to the provisional or general register. Your general or provisional registration fee will be prorated for the remainder of that year.

Registered members must not perform clinical work—providing medical services or advice directly or indirectly to patients, including writing prescriptions and ordering diagnostic tests—for at least 6 consecutive months to qualify for the non-clinical register.

While you perform clinical services, you will not qualify for the non-clinical register.

As part of preparations for stopping your clinical work, you must notify us 1 month in advance by contacting registration@cpsa.ab.ca. We can then assess your situation to see if you qualify for the non-clinical register and, if so, begin your transfer.

Physicians and physician assistants who have active practice permits but are not engaged in any clinical work for at least 6 consecutive months may qualify for the non-clinical register. Clinical work refers to providing medical services or advice directly or indirectly to patients, including writing prescriptions and ordering diagnostic tests.

Registered members who have sanctions under Part 4 of the Health Professions Act (suspension, withdrawal from active practice due to a complaint) do not qualify for the non-clinical register.

No. An OAT approval is not required for prescribing buprenorphine for OAT, irrespective of formulation type.

Other formulations of buprenorphine for OAT include Sublocade®, extended-release buprenorphine injection, and Probphine®, subdermal buprenorphine implant.

While an OAT approval is not required, we expect physicians to to complete certification and training recommended by drug manufacturers for these products. Please refer to the respective product monographs for more information.

Buprenorphine OAT formulations are TPP type 2 drugs, and as such, do not require a TPP form or TPP registration to be prescribed.

Anyone who wants to know more about virtual care can review our standard of practice, outlining our expectations of physicians providing this care, or our advice document for Albertans on virtual care.

For more information, contact Chantelle Dick, Standards of Practice Advisor at standardsofpractice@cpsa.ab.ca.

Anyone with concerns about the care provided by an Alberta physician can file a complaint. If the care was provided by a doctor who is not licensed in Alberta, we can help direct you to the appropriate regulatory body.

If you’re using an online service or app, take the time to read and understand the privacy
policy. Typically, you will be asked if you agree to the terms and conditions of the policy
when you sign up. The best privacy policies are written in plain language. If it’s too
technical and difficult to understand, you might want to reconsider using the service.

Your doctor should also tell you if your information will be shared with any other healthcare
professionals or used for any purposes other than your care.

Patients have the best outcomes when their care is coordinated, so it’s a good idea to tell your primary doctor if you’re receiving care or advice from any other doctor, regardless of format or location. It’s likely the doctor providing virtual care will ask you the name of your primary doctor to keep them informed about your care. You can also ask for a summary of your care and provide it to your primary doctor yourself. That way, your doctors will better understand your medical needs and coordinate their care for you.

Web-based health services can be a convenient and easy way to access medical advice,
but it’s important to know where the doctor is licensed and whether they have the right
training and experience to provide safe, effective care.

Physicians providing virtual care to Albertans must be licensed with CPSA unless:

• the medical care is not readily available in Alberta (e.g., specialty care);
• the care is being provided to ensure follow-up or continuity of care to a patient who
  has relocated to Alberta, until the patient finds a local primary care provider;
• orthe virtual care encounter is for emergency assessment or treatment of the patient
  where there are no other care options available.

Be aware that other countries might not have the same clinical standards or privacy
requirements as Canada.

All doctors who participate in the online service should be listed on the service’s website,
along with information about their experience and training. It’s also a good idea to check
the website of the medical regulator in the doctor’s home jurisdiction for details about the
doctor’s credentials and discipline history. You can usually find out where the service is
located by looking at the contact information on the website.

To look up Canadian doctors, go to the appropriate provincial or territorial medical
regulator listed here.

Your doctor should provide you with instructions on what to do if anything goes wrong
during the virtual care appointment. If they don’t, ask what you should do if you get
disconnected.

You can ask the doctor’s office how to send any items that will make the visit more
efficient, such as symptom questionnaires or photos related to the medical problem.
Complete and submit any required forms to give your consent for the use of virtual visits,
including video appointments and text messaging.

Yes. The doctor will ask you about your health concerns, take a relevant history, conduct an
appropriate examination, request diagnostic tests if indicated, refer you for consultation as
necessary, give you their diagnosis, explain the benefits and risks of treatment options,
obtain your informed consent and ensure appropriate follow-up.

If a prescription is part of your treatment plan, it’s vitally important you tell the doctor
about any allergies and other medications or substances you may be taking (e.g., vitamins,
herbal supplements, over-the-counter medications, etc.); your safety depends on it.

The doctor should also advise you what to do in an emergency situation or if you need
medical attention between appointments.

There is no cost to Alberta patients for any services provided through publically-funded
healthcare programs, whether delivered by virtual care or in person. However, doctors may
charge a fee for uninsured services. Under our Charging for Uninsured Professional Services
standard of practice, doctors must inform their patients about any fees before providing
the service.

Private online doctor services and apps often do charge patients directly, either on a payper-visit basis or through a monthly fee. Pricing information should be posted on the website or app. Private health insurance may help pay these costs for patients with coverage.

If you’re unclear about fees or insurance coverage, ask for more information before
providing your payment information or using the service.

Patients can receive excellent care through virtual appointments, but it’s not appropriate
for every patient or every situation. It depends on your medical concern, if a physical exam
is necessary, and if you have access to other local resources you might need, like laboratory
testing or diagnostic imaging.

Doctors are not obligated to provide virtual care and may require you to attend your
appointment in person. What’s best for the patient drives the decision for whether to use
virtual care.

If the doctor thinks you need to be seen in person, they will make arrangements to see you
in the clinic or with an appropriate healthcare provider as close to you as possible.

Yes. You should be in a quiet, private space and use a secure connection (e.g., landline or
password-protected Wi-Fi) to help keep your information confidential. Don’t use a public
“hotspot” in places like a shopping mall or coffee shop, as these are not secure.

If your appointment will be by videoconference, check in advance that your Internet
connection is fast enough to support a good experience.

If you are outside Canada, your doctor may not be able to provide you with virtual care, as
they may not have the licensing or liability protection to do so. Speak to your doctor if you
have questions.

Not all apps have the appropriate security needed to keep your health information private
and secure. Your doctor may ask you to use a specific app or other technology to ensure
you are protected, but will consider what is easily available to you.

Virtual care is patient care provided remotely by a doctor using communication
technologies like telephone, email, apps, videoconference, and so on.

Virtual care can provide patients with access to doctors (including specialists) who practise
in other parts of the province, across Canada and in other countries. It can save patients
time and money by enabling them to connect with their doctor from their own home or other convenient location rather than travelling to appointments.

It depends on the complexity of the complaint and the evidence presented at the hearing.

Under the Health Professions Act, a Hearing Tribunal must deliver their written decision “within a reasonable time after the conclusion of a hearing”. A specific timeframe is not required.

In most cases, hearings are open to the public as per the Health Professions Act. Anyone interested in observing a hearing should contact CPSA’s Hearings Director’s Office for more information. Please note, there are circumstances outlined in the Health Professions Act which permit the Tribunal to close the hearing to the public.

If a physician or physician assistant is currently involved in the hearings process, a notice with the date of the hearing and charges will be published on CPSA’s website.

CPSA cannot comment on specifics, beyond what is published in the hearing notice, until the hearing has taken place and the Tribunal has delivered their decision in writing.

Once a written hearing decision is received, a release is distributed to the media and the decision is published on our website.

If a hearing is scheduled, a notice with the charges listed will be published to CPSA’s website on the physician’s public-facing profile, which can be found via our Find a Physician tool. Each profile has a Disciplinary Actions tab, under which any hearing notices and Hearing Tribunal decisions are published. This information is also accessible via the Hearings and Discipline Decisions pages on our website.

Hearing notices are unpublished from a physician’s profile once the hearing process is concluded, while Tribunal decisions are available for 10 years. If the hearing was related to sexual abuse or misconduct (effective April 1, 2019), applicable decisions will remain on the physician’s profile indefinitely.

Under legislation (Alberta’s Personal Information Protection Act), CPSA is unable to disclose information related to matters that may be under investigation, and cannot speak publicly about a complaint unless it has gone through a formal hearing.

Members of the media can submit questions or inquiries to CPSA’s Communications team.

Please note, CPSA is unable to reach out to community physicians to facilitate media requests. If you would like to interview a physician for a story, please use the Find a Physician tool on CPSA’s website to find one in your area who may be willing to help.

Under the Health Professions Act, the Complaints Director is delegated broad authority with respect to the complaints process, including but not limited to:

• Determining what action to take when a complaint is received.
• Making recommendations regarding interim suspensions or interim practice conditions.
• Conducting investigations or appointing an investigator to conduct an investigation, and making a determination about the complaint based on the results.
• Preparing written reasons if a complaint is dismissed.
• Presenting evidence and making submissions to a Hearing Tribunal.
• Making submissions at an appeal to CPSA Council or to the Alberta Court of Appeal.

The Complaints Director is not available to respond to general complaint inquiries.

Physicians with inquiries about complaints can email support@cpsa.ab.ca.

Please note, our Complaints Director or Senior Medical Advisors are not available to respond to general complaint inquiries or offer advice on the complaints process.

A physician can immediately discharge a patient if they are abusive, pose a safety risk, or fail to respect professional boundaries. Please see our standard of practice on Terminating the Physician-Patient Relationship to learn more.

If you need to dismiss a patient from your practice, you do not need to inform CPSA. Notify the patient in writing that they have been formally dismissed from your practice and ensure all relevant details are documented in the patient’s file.

If a patient becomes threatening and you feel your safety or that of your staff and colleagues is at risk, contact local law enforcement immediately

Yes, it is a physician’s responsibility to report a colleague if they have reason to believe their conduct is putting patients at risk, or may be considered unprofessional under the Health Professions Act.

Review our standard of practice on Duty to Report a Colleague to learn more and if needed, find out how to submit a complaint to CPSA.

Yes. A postgraduate trainee (also known as a resident) can provide medical services and associated activities such as prescribing within the context of their approved training program. Supervising physicians do not need to co-sign a prescription from a postgraduate trainee.

Prescriptions should clearly identify the prescribing physician as a resident of their respective program and include their printed name, contact number (which can be the phone number for the residency program), signature and CPSA registration number to aid in prescriber identification.

For Type 1 TPP-monitored medications, trainees must obtain approval from their program to register with Alberta’s Tracked Prescription Program (TPP Alberta) and use a secure TPP prescription form. More information on how to register can be found at tppalberta.ca/register.

Registration confirmation (e.g., for verbal Type 1 TPP prescriptions) and other TPP-related questions can be emailed to TPP.info@cpsa.ab.ca, or call 1-800-561-3899 ext. 4939.

CPSA maintains a list of all clinics in Alberta where patients can access Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT). Please note, appearing on this list does not imply endorsement.

Based on self-reported information provided by physicians on the annual renewal information form (RIF), we randomly survey physicians to both verify participation and gather further details and examples of PPIP activities that we can share with the rest of the profession. Survey questions include what type of data was used in the PPIP activity, what was the area of improvement the activity focused on, was an action plan documented and whether facilitation was used.

Physicians are not required to submit proof of all their activities to CPSA, but you may be asked to confirm the self-reported information from your RIF, so we ask that you retain your action plans and any documentation about your PPIP activities for a period of six years.

There are questions in CPSA’s Renewal Information Form (RIF) about PPIP, through which physicians self-report their participation in PPIP activities.

Your PPIP cycle is aligned with your continuing professional development cycle through the College of Family Physicians for Family Physicians or the Royal College Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. If you are unsure of when your current CPD cycle ends, please contact your national college.

CPSA must have access to patient information and records to properly investigate a complaint, and the physician involved in the care outlined in the complaint must also have access to this information to respond to the complaint. When a complaint is filed, complainants are asked to consent to the access and release of applicable patient records and medical information.

Patient privacy is taken very seriously. Any health information gathered as part of a complaint investigation is done so in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Health Information Act.

If CPSA receives a complaint about care you provided in an AHS facility, you can request access to health information related to this care held by AHS (such as patient records) for the purpose of responding to the complaint. Simply complete the AHS Physician Use and Disclosure of Health Information for Responding to a CPSA Complaint form and submit it to AHS as per the instructions on the form.

Members of the AHS medical staff can log into the AHS Unified Access Portal to access the form, FAQs and additional information.

Employers can require their staff to continue wearing masks and any other necessary PPE while working within the clinic as part of a workplace occupational health and safety policy aimed at protecting coworkers, patients and volunteers.

Not necessarily. As long as follow-up care will be arranged or provided going forward, an urgent assessment for/induction of Schedule 1 or 2 drugs would generally meet the criteria for a longitudinal relationship. It is understood that management of this nature is not a one-time interaction without follow-up.

No. The expectation is that at least one of these situations is met in order to prescribe opioids or other controlled substances.

Billing is not within CPSA’s purview. For more information, please contact the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan or the Alberta Medical Association. Inquiries could also be made to the health authority in the patient’s province.

Each province’s College of Physicians & Surgeons has different virtual care/licensure requirements. The requirements of the college in the patient’s new province would need to be determined and followed. Additionally, arrangements would need to be made for the patient to be seen in-person when necessary.

Each province’s College of Physicians & Surgeons has different virtual care/licensure requirements. Physicians are required to confirm with each province what the expectations are and comply accordingly.

If patients cannot be seen in person, the expectation is that the physician would arrange in-person care in a timeframe appropriate for the urgency of the matter. Arrangements would need to be made with the next most appropriate healthcare provider/service to have the person assessed in person (e.g., confirming with the referring healthcare provider that they will see the patient in person if necessary and ensuring the patient understands this arrangement).

No. We understand there are times when this is not feasible (e.g., patient lives in a remote location). The expectation is that the physician would arrange in-person care in a timeframe appropriate for the urgency of the matter. This might look like reaching out to the patient’s primary care provider or, if the patient does not have one, contacting local urgent care/emergency department to provide appropriate background information.

As long as in-person care can be arranged when necessary, this is acceptable; however, confirmation of liability protection should be obtained. The expectation is that the physician would arrange in-person care in a timeframe appropriate for the urgency of the matter.

Generally speaking, no. Providing virtual care to a patient while they are temporarily out of the province (e.g., vacation, work, school) is typically considered continuity of care. However, confirmation of liability protection should be obtained for patients who spend a large portion of their time out of the country (e.g., “snow birds” who are in the USA for months at a time).

Good prescribing practices begin with a good education. We frequently update our tools and resources to bring you the best and latest information, support best practices and help you deliver the safest and most effective patient care possible.

Antibiotics are not without risk. They can cause adverse effects, medical complications (e.g., C. difficile infections), antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and even negative social impacts decreased patient quality of life. AMR means losing access to essential treatments, turning everyday infections into complicated, life-threatening illnesses.

Any use of antibiotics can contribute to AMR, but over-prescribing or inappropriate use can accelerate it. Therefore, everyone needs to do their part and use antibiotics wisely.

Over 90% of all human antimicrobial consumption occurs in the community setting. Many of these prescriptions are for viral conditions that do not require an antibiotic.

The TPP Alberta Antibiotic Prescription Atlas shows that physicians prescribed 78% of all oral antibiotic prescriptions in 2020. The Snapshot offers an opportunity to reflect on your antibiotic prescribing and make practice changes if warranted.

This change will improve user experience for registered members by making it easier to access CPSA applications. Users will also be able to access multiple applications at once, which previously wasn’t an option.

Use the contact box below to request further support from our team. We will respond to all inquiries within one business day.

Concerns about the care provided by a physician assistant can be directed to CPSA as they fall under our regulation.

For questions or concerns about care provided by non-physicians and/or standards of accommodation received by a patient in a hospital, nursing home, non-hospital surgical facility or community program administered by, or under contract to, Alberta Health Services (AHS) or Covenant Health, contact AHS or Covenant Health, depending on the facility. If the concern is regarding a privately-owned facility, then please contact the management of the facility directly.

You may also contact the regulatory authority (e.g. Alberta College of Pharmacy for pharmacists, the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta for nurses) of an individual healthcare provider involved.

Prescribers must notify police and TPP Alberta immediately. You can contact us at TPPInfo@cpsa.ab.ca or 1-800-561-3899, ext. 4939, or submit a report via TPP Alberta’s website.

The prescriber should provide the following information to TPP Alberta:

• Prescriber contact information and registration number
• Date of loss or theft
• Tracking numbers of missing forms
• Name of the last patient prescribed a secure prescription
• The police file number and the investigating constable’s name and phone number

While this is not required, we encourage including details on circumstances related to the incident. Where available, this information is used in a de-identified format to inform guidance from TPP Alberta.

If a PA in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is seeing civilian patients in Alberta, they must register with CPSA.

No. Physician assistants cannot bill Alberta Health independently. PAs are paid by their group or Primary Care Network (PCN).

The Canadian Association of Physician Assistants (CAPA) posts physician assistant (PA) positions on their website free of charge for employers. CAPA can also email job advertisements to their Canada-wide membership (~700 PAs) for a fee of $250. See more information.

TPP pads are delivered by Purolator and someone must be available to sign for the parcel. Please note that we cannot accept out of province or PO Box addresses for deliveries.

If you are already registered for TPP Alberta, it can take up to 10 business days to receive your order.

If you are not yet registered for the program, please allow additional time for your registration to be processed. It can take up to 15 business days from the date your registration form is received for your first pad to be delivered. You will receive a welcome letter and information package once your registration has been processed and your first pad has been ordered.

If you have questions about the status of your order or registration, please contact TPP Alberta by email at TPPinfo@cpsa.ab.ca or phone at 1-800-561-3899 ext. 4939.

Yes, PAs will have to pay:

• A one-time registration fee of $400.00
• A practice permit annual fee of $537.50

Yes, PAs must renew their registration annually. Both a Renewal Information Form (RIF) and payment are due Dec. 31 each year. We will notify you by email when it’s your time to renew.

Previously, our process was to maintain a listing of PAs who voluntarily shared their names, credentials and contact information with us. As of April 1, 2021, PAs will need to formally register with CPSA.

PAs in Canada receive their medical education through university programs designed to meet competencies outlined by the Canadian Association of Physician Assistants (CAPA).  There are four PA education programs in Canada, and each program sets its own admission requirements.

1. McMaster University Physician Assistant Education Program
2. The Consortium of PA Education (University of Toronto, Northern Ontario School of Medicine and The Michener Institute for Education at UHN)
3. Canadian Forces Health Services Training Centre Program
4. University of Manitoba Master of Physician Assistant Studies

Under CPSA regulation, all PAs are required to formally register with CPSA.

As professionals supervised by physicians, PAs will be expected to follow all CPSA Standards of Practice and comply with CPSA continuing competence requirements.

On April 1, 2021, CPSA started regulating PAs. We have long supported physician assistant regulation, and have been engaged with PAs since 2010. Before the start of formal regulation, we had more than 60 PAs on our voluntary listing.

Registered PAs will continue to practise under physician supervision and like physicians, they will have to pay annual fees, hold liability insurance and follow CPSA’s Standards of Practice. They will also be responsible for complying with our continuing competence requirements.

This chart helps explain how PAs fit in among others who provide similar levels of care:

The services offered by a PA depend on the individual PA-physician relationship. Some PAs see and assess patients, take patient histories, perform physical exams, educate patients, perform procedures, assist in surgery and more. PAs provide these types of services under physician supervision.

Physician assistants (PAs) are healthcare professionals who have the knowledge, training and skills to provide a broad range of medical services within healthcare teams. PAs provide care to patients under the supervision of a physician registered for independent practice in Alberta.

Hearings are recorded by a Court Reporter, who can prepare a transcript upon request for a cost. Please contact CPSA’s Privacy Coordinator for more information.

Exhibits, however, are not part of the public record, therefore we cannot provide copies (even if the exhibits are entered as evidence and referenced in the Hearing Tribunal’s written decision).

If you are a member of the media, contact CPSA’s Communications Director. However, please note CPSA cannot comment on any part of a hearing process until the Hearing Tribunal has delivered their decision in writing.

Any other questions can be directed to the Hearings Director’s office.

No. To protect the integrity of the hearing process, we ask members of the public to sign an undertaking agreeing not to record the proceedings before we allow them to attend.

No, dipehnoxylate is not monitored by TPP Alberta. Veterinary practices do not need to report prescribing for diphenoxylate (brand name: Lomotil).

These scripts do not need to be sent in for manual data entry. For details, please contact ABVMA.

Chaperones are independent, appropriately trained individuals who work with physicians to observe examinations and/or procedures. Their presence helps support and protect both the patient and the physician.

• Developing an office policy regarding chaperones
• Ensure staff and patients understand and have access to it
• Proper implementation of policy
• Comply with CPSA’s Standards of Practice
• Communicate clearly and in plain language
• Explain why the sensitive exam is necessary, obtain informed consent, explain as you go and end by asking if there are any questions

Physician emails are collected and stored in our database as confidential information. Only the physician is able to provide you with their direct email.

Physicians update their practice information every year when they renew their practice permit (licence).  We also send several reminders to keep it updated throughout the year. When a physician forgets to inform us of changes, our data becomes temporarily outdated.

This may be because the physician is:

• Working in more than one location
• Only working part-time and/or random shifts
• Working under supervision and has no responsibility for office administration

Others simply choose not to provide CPSA with a public phone number. While we do require basic contact information, a phone number is optional.

No.

Yes. Some physicians offer patients the convenience of a set annual fee (block fee) that covers a basket of uninsured services. This is acceptable as long as:

• Paying for uninsured services is not a condition for access to insured services;
• The set fee includes only uninsured services;
• The patient understands what is and is not included in the block fee;
• The patient is aware of, and agrees to, the fee; and
• The patient has a choice between the set fee and a pay-as-you-go system.

Yes. Refilling a prescription by phone is an uninsured service, therefore the physician can charge a patient directly for this service. In many cases, the physician will want to see the patient before refilling a prescription to ensure the prescription is still appropriate.

Yes, but a physician cannot make you pay for emergency care in advance.

Note: If you have been in Alberta for more than three months, you should have your own Alberta Health Care number. If you moved to Alberta from another Canadian province or territory within the last three months, your physician can bill the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan for your care and be reimbursed by another province (except Quebec).

Yes. If you were informed of this policy/charge when you booked the appointment. Ideally, the physician should discuss the situation with you before charging you.

Note: A physician cannot deny any urgent care because of an unpaid bill.

Yes. If the service is not covered by the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan, physicians can bill patients directly. Your physician should inform you of the cost upfront and the expected payment method. We recommend you discuss the costs with your physician in advance before agreeing to the service.

You also have the right to request a receipt and ask when the uninsured service will be ready/completed.

If you’d like to learn more about whether the rate you’re being charged is reasonable, please feel welcome to contact the Alberta Medical Association—physician billing falls under their purview and they’ll be able to advise you on this. 

This will depend largely on the reason for your request. As long as the disclosure is not contrary to the express wishes of the patient, Alberta’s Health Information Act permits the release of certain medical information to close family members when it relates to:

• A descendant’s medical care
• The administration of a deceased patient’s estate

To obtain the records:

• Contact the physician’s office (if known) and provide them with a written request. The physician’s office will require the reason for your request and proof of your authority to obtain the records.
• For more information:
  • Contact CPSA at 1-800-561-3899 ext. 4926 or email publicinquiries@cpsa.ab.ca,
  • Refer to Alberta’s Health Information Act, or
  • Contact the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner at 780-422-6860 or 1-888-878-4044.

Your physician must retain a full copy of your records for 10 years following the last date you were seen or for two years after the age of majority or 10 years, whichever is longer. For more information, see our Patient Record Retention standard of practice.

You own the information within your patient record, but your physician is the official custodian of that record.

You have the right to access your record at any time unless your physician feels the information would be harmful to you.

Yes. Physicians may charge you for this service. If you are changing physicians, you may want to check with your new physician to see if a copy is needed. You will most likely have to pay an administrative fee of $25 or more plus photocopying charges.

If you are not the patient or the patient’s parent/legal guardian, you will need their written permission.

Your physician should acknowledge your request within 30 days. These are the rules for custodians under the Health Information Act (Part 2, section 8).

If your physician does not acknowledge your request within the 30-day period (i.e., does not respond at all about if, or when, they can provide the records) you can make a formal complaint.

You can also file a complaint if your physician agreed to provide you with the records, but has not done so within a reasonable time frame.

If you decide to file a complaint, please include a copy of your dated request or any subsequent requests. Note we can only accept complaints about physicians, not medical clinics.

Also see our CPSA Patient Record Retention standard of practice.

Provide your physician with a written request, then follow-up to ensure they received your request. Some medical offices may ask you to fill out a form.

If your physician is no longer practising, check with the clinic where they worked, as your medical record may still be on file.

If you are seeking your medical record from a hospital or government facility, you will have to contact the facility, not your physician.

For more information, see Alberta’s Health Information Act

See your family physician or a physician at a walk-in clinic to discuss your need for a referral.

You can also use CPSA’s “Find a Physician” search to find names of specialists, but you will still need to get a referral to make an appointment.

There are several ways to find a family physician:

• Use CPSA’s “Find A Physician” search
• Use the Primary Care Networks “Alberta Find A Doctor” search
• Ask friends or family members for a referral, then contact the physician to see if they are accepting new patients

If these options are unavailable to you, you can contact Health Link by dialing 811 from anywhere in Alberta for non-urgent health advice.

We recommend you tell your physician directly, write them a letter or fill out the information on our physician commendation page. If you write a letter, please send a copy to CPSA. We add all letters of commendation to the physician’s file.

Yes, Family Medicine physicians who have Recognized Training and Certification Outside Canada through the CFPC may be exempt from writing the TDM exam. To get exemption, we encourage you to apply to the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) for certification without examination before applying for the TDM exam. If CFPC sends you a notice recognizing your training, you may be exempt from writing the TDM exam. Once you get this notice and you meet all the other CPSA registration requirements, submit a Review of Qualifications through physiciansapply.ca and email a copy of your CFPC notice to: registration@cpsa.ab.ca

Also, Family Medicine physicians who complete their postgraduate training within Canada, but do not pass the LMCC or CCFP, are exempt from writing the TDM exam.

Yes, TPP Alberta monitors cannabis for medical purposes as Health Canada collects and publishes this data under federal legislation. Find more on Health Canada’s website.

Yes. Registration with TPP Alberta and use of the secure TPP Alberta prescription form is required when prescribing methadone and other OATs.

Your comparator group is based on the specialty information you provided in your most recent Renewal Information Form (RIF).

If you are a member of a Primary Care Network (PCN), you can also review information on your opioid, benzodiazepine/z-drug and antibiotic prescribing practices comparative to the other physicians in your PCN. This offers a reflection on your prescribing relative to colleagues with the most similar practice environment to yours (acknowledging there will still be some variations in practice, such as part‐time versus full‐time practice, patient complexities, etc.).

They are informed by guidelines, evidence of risk and best practice recommendations. To learn more, please visit the MD Snapshot-Prescribing page on CPSA’s website.

The dispensing information in PIN is entered manually at the community pharmacy level. While it’s rare, manual data input increases the risk of errors. If you notice an error on your MD Snapshot-Prescribing, please let us know by emailing AIR.Inquiries@cpsa.ca, so we can connect with the dispensing pharmacy about record correction.

There are several things you can do to get the most out of your prescribing profile:

• Read the whole thing. In addition to your personalized prescribing data, there is information on patients on multiple medications and/or receiving prescriptions from multiple prescribers.
• Review and reflect on your prescribing. Ask yourself what is working well in your practice and what you might need to modify. MD Snapshot‐Prescribing is a tool of self-reflection—your data is just one of many factors (patient, clinical and system) that impact your prescribing practice. Consider the information in your Snapshot within the context of your practice.
• Talk to your peers. Ask what has worked well for them and their patients. You may be able to help each other.
• Take advantage of our resources. To help you improve your practice, we have helpful links, additional information, support material and clinical resources available in our Resource bank.
• Claim Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits. Review your Prescribing Snapshot and claim uncertified Mainpro+ credits under the College of Family Physicians of Canada’s (CFPC) Assessment category. You can also complete a Linking Learning exercise to earn five Mainpro+ certified credits. Members of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) can claim MOC Section 3 credits. For details, refer to our Continuing Medical Education document.
• Begin a Physician Practice Improvement Program (PPIP) activity. MD Snapshot-Prescribing can be used as your source of objective data in PPIP’s practice-driven quality improvement activity. More information is available on our website.

We believe in supporting physicians through collaboration and providing tools that enable practice improvement, and MD Snapshot-Prescribing is one such tool. We hope your Prescribing Snapshot allows for meaningful self-reflection that increases your prescribing awareness and allows you to optimize care for your patients.

Reflecting on our strengths and identifying opportunities for change is the first step towards making personal improvements. When we are our best selves, we’re in a better position to help others.

Using personal reflection and feedback allows physicians to recognize the value of being their very best selves on a personal level. Here are some options to help you start on a path of personal development:

• Complete a multi-source feedback review (such as the Medical Council of Canada’s MCC 360 or Pulse 360). CPSA is currently covering the costs for physicians who volunteer to participate in the MCC 360 program.  To ensure there are no costs to physicians who choose to volunteer, please email ppip@cpsa.ab.ca to begin the initiation processes.
• Review patient feedback such as HQCA Surveying Patients About Primary Care Experience.
• Review feedback from peers, learners and patients with your direct supervisor or a facilitator. This feedback could be gathered through performance reviews from your colleagues, teaching evaluations or patient surveys.
• Physician wellness is critical as burnout and system stress impact performance. Resources to address these issues may be valuable options.
• Engage a peer for facilitated debriefing, to identify areas for improvement and for help establishing your action plan.
• Work with a certified coach to take a deeper dive into your personal development (one option is to engage a Certified Executive Coach).
• Develop an action plan.

Practice-driven quality improvement can be done individually (e.g. assessing your prescribing), by participating in a clinic group practice change (e.g. changing office processes to increase efficiency or access), or through a systems-level project (e.g. participating as a local leader in a multi-site, patient outcome initiative). Here are the basics to help you get started:

• Understand your practice through the use of data. For example:
  • Review prescribing data through MD Snapshot-Prescribing.
  • Identify and reflect on risk factors through your MD Snapshot-Practice Checkup.
  • Evaluate your clinic’s screening or processes (such as third next appointment availability) by looking at your EMR data.
  • Regularly study the Health Quality Council of Alberta’s panel reports or Alberta Health Services’ dashboard metrics.
• After reviewing your data and identifying improvement opportunities, develop an action plan.

A standards of practice quality improvement activity involves using CPSA’s Standards of Practice as a benchmark to reflect on your practice and identify opportunities for improvement. For example:

• Review your EMR data and self-assess whether you’re meeting the requirements of the Patient Record Content
• Once you’ve successfully reviewed and assessed your practice, use this information to identify opportunities for practice improvements. Then create an action plan to address gaps.
• Once you’ve executed your plan, evaluate its success using quality improvement methodology and determine your next steps.
• Then develop an action plan.
• If you’re part of a group practice, strengthen and enhance it through our Group Practice Review.

According to FMRAC’s statement on physician continuous quality improvement:

“Patients deserve and expect the best possible care from their physicians, and all licensed physicians in Canada must be able to demonstrate that they are sustaining and enhancing their competence throughout their careers.”

Read the full statement here.

You can ensure a smooth transition from the Provisional Register to the General Register by getting your Canadian Credentials, updating us with source-verified credentials, remaining in good standing with CPSA Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct, and keeping current with your Continuous Professional Development.

Each physician’s situation is assessed individually. We consider a number of factors, including any open CPSA complaints or interventions, non-compliance with the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) rules or practice restrictions or conditions, un-verified credentials, not completing at least 5 years of satisfactory practice in Alberta while on the Provisional Register, lack of evidence of good character or a history of serious professional conduct issues like professional misconduct, imposed practice restrictions or a failure to remediate quality-of-care issues with the Continuing Competence Program.

Physicians on the Provisional Register who were exempt from the Preliminary Clinical Assessment (PCA) part of their initial Practice Readiness Assessment are also exempt from the Summative Assessment (e.g. academic appointments). In these cases, CPSA will review their file near the expiry of their provisional registration to confirm they still meet all the requirements to transfer to our General Register, including being in satisfactory practice.

Details on your Provisional Registration can be found in your Registration Understanding Agreement. If you don’t have your copy available, contact physician.inquires@cpsa.ab.ca.

CPSA reviews your status every time you tell us about new certifications, or when you reach your five or six-year anniversary on the Provisional Register. We may ask you for information about your certifications at that time to help us determine if you are eligible for the General Register.

The use of medical cannabis is no different than any other therapy that may be considered as part of a patient’s overall care and deserves the same care and attention as any other diagnostic or management decision. The family physician is often (usually) in the best position to provide comprehensive care for their patients, as s/he is aware of the patient’s medical conditions and can counsel the patient about the relative risks and benefits of a proposed therapeutic decision. If other specialists are considering authorizing cannabis, the same considerations apply.

When physicians are employed by cannabis clinics merely to act as “authorizers”, the physician-patient relationship can be undermined. Physicians who work in cannabis clinics must comply with the standards of practice: Cannabis for Medical Purposes, Responsibility for a Medical Practice, Advertising, Patient Record Retention and Conflict of Interest and should be aware of their responsibilities before entering into this type of arrangement.
Individual physicians are responsible for:

• processes used to interview and counsel patients;
• advertising about the indications for medical cannabis;
• information provided about the products;
• clinic fees for providing services; and
• the accurate and secure documentation of the patient record.

If a physician cannot influence the factors above to comply with the standards of practice, s/he should not practice in this clinical setting.

Depending on the patient situation, medical history and clinical condition, the appropriate follow-up interval may vary from patient to patient. It is expected that physicians will assess risks for development of a cannabis use disorder at baseline and continue to monitor for this and safety of ongoing medical cannabis use periodically, at least once every six months. Refer to CPSA’s Cannabis for medical purposes standard of practice and related Advice document for more information.

Physicians are not obligated to authorize cannabis for medical purposes. Physicians must use their knowledge of the patient and evidence-based guidelines to decide whether or not to use (or approve) any therapy for a patient, recognizing that the best interest of the patient is paramount.

Physicians wishing to authorize medical cannabis for a patient must register with CPSA as a cannabis authorizer. This can be done via expressing interest to the Cannabis for Medical Purposes program at CPSA through an email or the online form on this page. There are no educational or experiential pre-requisites.

When you receive full accreditation status from CPSA, you can start sharing that you have CPSA accreditation.

You can continue caring for patients normally while your facility is being assessed. A CPSA Assessment Coordinator will be in and out of your lab during the working day. Having an extra person on staff during your assessment can be helpful. To make the process as smooth as possible, we also collect data about your facility before your assessment.

The standards are available to facilities once they have registered for assessment.

If you’re currently involved in the assessment process, you should have received credentials from CPSA to access a confidential SharePoint site where all you assessment information is stored and shared with you. Lost your credentials? Contact sleep.medicine@cpsa.ab.ca

Yes, an HSAT, like any other diagnostic test, needs to be ordered by a physician or qualified nurse practitioner.

It depends on the circumstance. Labs are responsible for identifying the type of service, the kinds of staffing, the necessary training and the level of supervision required to keep the scope of their work within the standards.

The requirements for technical personnel apply to all accredited sleep labs regardless of the level of testing provided.

Yes, as long as they meet the Alberta requirements for interpreting Sleep Medicine Diagnostic studies. If they provide this service more than 5 times a year, the physician needs to have a CPSA Independent Practice Permit, meet our standard of practice on Telemedicine and have CPSA approval to interpret SMD tests.

The length of the process varies and depends on the information and supporting documents you submit, as well as how accurate they are and how quickly you can submit them.

IMGs also have to get a work visa, complete immigration requirements and prove their credentials and skills are equivalent to a Canadian graduate’s.

Yes. Every physician practising in Alberta is required to have professional liability coverage.

No. An Alberta practice permit is valid only in Alberta.

Yes, but each province has a different process for reviewing applications. Your first step should be to set up a physiciansapply.ca account, then contact each regulatory body directly.

An IMG is an individual (Canadian or non-Canadian) who graduated from a medical school outside of Canada.

Yes. Every physician practising in Alberta is required to have professional liability coverage.

You must renew your registration annually by Dec 31 each year in order to continue practising and to bill the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan. You renew your permit by filling in CPSA’s Renewal Information Form and paying annual fees.

If you have been out of practice for more than three years, you need to reapply.

No. An Alberta practice permit is valid only in Alberta.

Yes, but each province has a different process for reviewing applications. Your first step should be to set up a physiciansapply.ca account, then contact each regulatory body directly.

For SROM, refer to Slow-Release Oral Morphine for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in Alberta. You can also refer to the CRISM National Guidelines for the clinical management of Opioid Use Disorders, the BCCSU’s Opioid Use Disorder Guidelines and the Canadian Opioid Use Disorder Guidelines (CAMH).

For more information, please contact Dr. Monica Wickland-Weller, Senior Medical Advisor at 780-969-4954 or OATinfo@cpsa.ca.

You can call the Alberta Health Services (AHS) Referral, Access, Advice, Placement, Information and Destination (RAAPID) call centre to consult with a physician specializing in opioid agonist treatment about your patient’s care.

Expert phone consultations are available from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, including weekends and statutory holidays.

RAAPID North: 1-800-282-9911 for patients north of Red Deer, Alberta
RAAPID South: 1-800-661-1700 for patients in and south of Red Deer

This telephone consultation service is for physicians seeking timely advice regarding prescribing drugs like buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone®), methadone or SROM, as well as treating patients with existing OUD.

You can also submit an eReferral advice request, which is a secure and efficient process within Alberta Netcare for physician-to-physician advice.

Send an advice request when you have a non-urgent question where you are seeking guidance with the management of a patient’s OUD or are wondering if a referral is appropriate. The response target is 5 calendar days.

If urgent advice is needed, contact the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program (AHS) by phone at 1-844-383-7688 or by fax at 403-783-7610

The OAT Initiation Approval is specific to the treatment of OUD only.

An approval to provide methadone for analgesia (chronic pain or palliative conditions) is no longer required. You may provide this prescription with TPP Alberta privileges. It is expected that methadone used in these situations will be provided in accordance with current guidelines, recommendations and best practices. If you are looking to refresh or improve your knowledge on methadone for analgesia, please visit Methadone4Pain.ca.

1. You will receive a letter of support and an information checklist from the initiating prescriber asking you to take over care of the patient and maintain their OAT prescription.
2. CPSA will receive the same letter of support and will provide you with an OAT Maintenance Approval.
3. You will have six months to complete Modules 5 and 8 of the Alberta Virtual ODT Training Program online. Upon completion of the module, you will receive a certificate of completion from the course, which you can forward directly to OAT.info@cpsa.ab.ca to fulfil the educational requirement. No other documentation is required.

If you provide maintenance treatment for more than one patient, a letter of support from the initiating prescriber is required for each patient. You will receive notification from CPSA that you have approval for each patient.

The Alberta ODT Virtual Training Program provides the required experiential training for an approval. If you would still like to work with a mentor for your own education, CPSA can facilitate this arrangement.

If you have taken the BCCSU-Provincial Opioid Addiction Treatment Support Program or the CAMH-Opioid Dependence Treatment Certificate Program, you will need to arrange for direct training, supervision and mentorship with an experienced, CPSA-approved initiating physician to complete your requirements for an approval.

Please contact us for further information at OATinfo@cpsa.ca.

1. Complete an approved educational training program (e.g., Alberta ODT Virtual Training Program, British Columbia Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU)–Provincial Opioid Addiction Treatment Support Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)–Opioid Dependence Treatment Certificate Program.
2. If you complete the Alberta program, they will forward a certificate of completion to CPSA.
3. If you complete a program other than the Alberta ODT Virtual Training Program, you will need to provide CPSA with a OAT Initiation Approval and your certificate of program completion in addition to evidence of experiential training, supervision or mentorship.
4. CPSA will review your completion certificate and evidence of experiential training, if required, and provide a letter of approval.
5. Once you have received CPSA OAT Initiation Approval confirmation, you can begin prescribing an OAT.

Under the Health Professions Act, medical lab assistants are an unregulated profession. Their employer is responsible for ensuring they have the right training and qualifications to perform their duties.

Labs develop and implement their own policies about how long to keep records. They are responsible to make sure the policy makes sense when balanced against the type of testing the lab performs, as well as best practice or regulations.

Accreditation standards are available to accredited labs through a secure online portal and to facilities seeking accreditation once they submit their application and pay fees.

No. CPSA doesn’t accredit these services in lab assessment.

Yes. You need to notify CPSA and schedule and on-site assessment.

No. Labs are responsible for finding their own External Quality Assessment (EQA) providers for EQA activities. If there are any concerns with your EQA provider, we’ll identify that at the time of your assessment.

physicians
dentists
podiatrists
veterinarians
registered midwives
pharmacists
registered nurses approved to provide extended health services OR using specific test order sets as part of approved, formal patient care protocols
optometrists
a member of the public if the person and the examination or procedure are part of a provincially-sponsored screening program

We issue certificates to labs once they are accredited. To get a copy of their certificate, contact the facility directly.

No. Third party testing like drug screening is not diagnostic, and does not require accreditation.

No. Facilities performing testing for research do not require accreditation.

No. Physicians only require accreditation if they are reporting results into Netcare or the patient record.

If your facility produces and reports diagnostic lab test results for patient management, you need to be assessed and accredited by CPSA.

Any time there is any change to your laser, how or where it is used, you need to notify CPSA. We don’t need to be aware of any routine maintenance.

Yes, but you need a separate Authorized Radiation Health Inspection Agency Compliance Verification Report for each location. You must also submit details about each site the laser will be used in.

Note: you pay one registration fee for each facility certificate.

Each year, we’ll send you a profile for active equipment in your facility. You must update all equipment profiles with any information that may have changed and return it to CPSA. In addition, we re-certify equipment every 4 years.

Yes. The laser must still be registered. Please contact Mark Rice, Director (OHS Act) Occupational Health and Safety Program Delivery Branch, for direction at 780-415-2400.

If it is a long-term loan, the physician should register the laser. If it is a short-term loan, the manufacturer should register it.

If you are renewing your registration and no changes have been made to the laser or facility, you can fill in our paper-based compliance verification report. To register a new laser please contact an Authorized Radiation Health Inspection Agency and schedule an on-site inspection.

Any time you purchase a new piece of laser equipment, modify existing equipment, renovate your facility, or move existing equipment, you need Authorized Radiation Health Inspection Agency testing before CPSA will register your equipment.

You receive a certificate after we review and are satisfied with the completed laser application form and the Authorized Radiation Health Inspection Agency verification report.

For class 3b and 4 lasers, you will need the manufacturer, model and serial number.

No, the Intense Pulse Light is a light and does not require registration.

Your manufacturer instructions should be clear about the laser class of your equipment, but generally:

Class 3b lasers are considered hazardous with direct exposure to the eyes
Class 4 lasers are considered hazardous to the eyes with both direct exposure and indirect exposure

No, we only register class 3b and 4 lasers owned and/or used by CPSA physician members, Alberta Health Services or medical education facilities.

All certificates have an expiry date. Owners must get their equipment re-tested, re-certified, and have a new certificate issued before the expiration date.

Owners can contact the CPSA prior to the expiration date to request a one-time only 60 day extension. If equipment is not re-certified, the equipment will not be registered and operation would be in direct contravention of the OHS Act and the Government of Alberta Radiation Program. Contraventions are escalated to the Radiation Program, Occupational Health and Safety Program Delivery Branch, Government of Alberta and are subject to investigation.

Yes. CPSA will also place restrictions on the your registration certificate for temporary or loaner equipment.

No. Authorized Radiation Health Inspection Agencies are only responsible for confirming your equipment is compliant with regulations. Submit your registration application to CPSA.

If your equipment is non-compliant, it must not be used. We put a stop on your equipment registration/re-certification until the Authorized Radiation Health Inspection Agency notifies us that your facility and/or equipment is compliant.

Medical imaging facilities, public dental facilities, podiatry offices, the Office of the Medical Examiner, and both Alberta technical colleges register their equipment with CPSA.

No. Computerized ECG reading is not advanced enough to replace an expert physician interpretation, even when used as a screening tool for excluding “normal” ECGs.

It’s not a requirement, but we strongly suggest that only cardiologists or CPSA-approved ECG interpreters read 12-lead ECGs.

You can interpret Holter monitors without CPSA approval.

No. Cardiac stress test (CST) interpretation requires a minimum of 2 weeks of full-time training with supervised assessment, attendance and interpretation of 100 or more studies under at least one cardiologist. If testing includes pharmacological stress testing, evidence of training and experience with these procedures is also required.

You will be referred to Continuing Competence’s Assistant Registrar to discuss alternatives.

Yes. Under the Health Professions Act, physicians must work with CPSA to assess their competence. Please see our standard of practice and program manual on Continuing Competence for more information.

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Physicians who review their Practice Checkup and are registered with the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) are eligible to claim uncertified Mainpro+ credits under the CFPC’s  “Assessment” category of credit. Additionally, a Linking Learning exercise can be completed to earn five Mainpro+ certified credits. Members of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) may claim MOC Section 3 credits.

You will be referred to Continuing Competence’s Assistant Registrar to discuss alternatives.

If selected by CPSA, yes. Under the Health Professions Act, physicians must work with CPSA to assess their competence. Please see our standard of practice and program manual on Continuing Competence for more information.

Yes. However, there must be no conflict of interest. This means patients cannot feel coerced to purchase from that pharmacy,. A physician’s ownership in a pharmacy must not impact his/her prescribing practices.

For further guidance, please refer to the Prescribing: Administration, Conflict of Interest, Code of Ethics & Professionalism and Relationships with Industry Standards of Practice.

Yes. According to the Office of the Information Privacy Commissioner, the pharmacist is not providing a “health service,” and a forged or stolen prescription does not contain “health information.” Fraudulent alteration of a prescription in any material respect means that this form is no longer “health information” and can be disclosed to the police.

Yes. Physicians may decide whether or authorizing the use of medical cannabis is appropriate for their patients. The physician must register with CPSA to authorize cannabis for medical purposes. For more information, please refer to Cannabis for Medical Purposes.

Please refer to our Opioid Agonist Treatment page for detailed information.

No. Specific details about the prescribing practices of individual physicians is not public information.

Physicians may provide a new prescription for a patient without seeing that patient in-person in accordance with current recommendations for virtual care. For more information, refer to the CPSA guidance document for virtual care.

If clinically appropriate, a physician may refill a prescription over the phone or fax without seeing a patient in person. Certain drugs cannot be verbally authorized or refilled as per regulations to the Controlled Drugs & Substances Act.

Fax direct from a password-protected EMR is currently the recommended electronic method of transmission. The password protocol is the prescriber’s direct authorization. For physicians participating in the PrescribeIT (Canada Health Infoway) pilot, the same considerations apply.

The following scenarios are acceptable:

• Prescriptions produced by computer, then hand-signed by a physician or with an electronic signature that is hand-initialed by the physician and given to a patient to take to a pharmacy.
• Prescriptions produced by computer, then hand-signed by a physician or with an electronic signature that is hand-initialed by the physician and faxed to a pharmacy of the patient’s choice.
• Prescriptions transmitted in a secure closed electronic system. A digitally captured signature using a hardware device and software for authentication is acceptable. In this case, the EMR’s password protocol is considered direct authorization. However, the physician must log in and transmit the prescription themselves if using this method (cannot delegate).

For best practices, refer to CPSA’s Prescribing: Administration Advice to the Profession.

Direct authorization by valid signature is required to verify the authenticity of prescriptions.

Handwritten prescriptions given directly to the patient must be signed manually. EMR-generated prescriptions that are printed and given directly to the patient must be counter-signed with a “wet” signature.

EMR-generated signatures are only acceptable to pharmacists when the prescription is transmitted directly from the EMR to the pharmacy of the patient’s choice, as in the case of a fax. In a closed electronic system where transmission is by secure messaging, the password protocol is considered the prescriber’s direct authorization. The physician must log in and transmit the prescription themselves (i.e. may not delegate) in this case.

Yes. Please refer to CPSA’s Prescribing: Administration Standard of Practice and Advice to the Profession.

No, except when another prescriber is not available for emergency services. Note: You cannot bill for this service.

For further information, refer to the CMA Code of Ethics and Professionalism, Section 20.

Our goal is to work with physicians, providing support and information to help resolve questions and concerns about prescribing. We work with physicians to collaboratively address concerns and complex patient situations, and share prescribing data in a number of ways (reports, letters, etc.) to encourage self-reflection and help physicians identify opportunities for improvement.

You will be referred to CPSA’s Professional Conduct department to discuss alternatives.

Collected on a cost-recovery basis, fees vary and are adjusted based on the resources used during your IPR. Physicians will be provided with specifics on costs when they first enter the program. Find out more about IPR fees.

Yes. Under the Health Professions Act, physicians must work with CPSA to assess their competence. Please see our standard of practice and program manual on Continuing Competence for more information.

If you are concerned that your physician has a health condition affecting patient care, please contact our Professional Conduct department at 780-423-4764 or 1-800-661-4689 (in Canada).

Patients are entitled to ask their health care provider if they prescribe medications monitored by TPP Alberta.

No.

“Multi-doctoring” is when a patient visits multiple health care providers to obtain multiple prescriptions, within a 30 day period, without informing the prescribers about every prescription or narcotic obtained.

Both unlawful possession and obtaining multiple prescriptions for opioids and some other prescription drugs, without proper disclosure, are criminal offences that can bring a fine of up to $1,000 or imprisonment for up to six months, or both, for a first offence (summary conviction). Penalties increase for subsequent convictions or possession of larger amounts. For example, conviction for trafficking can bring life imprisonment. For more information, refer to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, (1996, c. 19 C-38.8)

Prescribers can access information on a patient’s prescription history via Alberta Netcare’s Pharmaceutical Information Network (PIN). TPP Alberta can also be contacted for a patient’s TPP profile.

Pharmacists looking for the list of stolen or missing TPP Alberta scripts can access the list through the Alberta College of Pharmacy (login required), or contact TPP Alberta to verify if unsure.

Please refer to the Prescribers With TPP Alberta Prescribing Restrictions list.

Dispensers of TPP medications send the forms to TPP Alberta at least twice a month for data entry, if the scripts meet these criteria:

• compounded medications
• office use
• veterinary use

Information for other tracked prescriptions is sent to TPP Alberta via Netcare/PIN. However, pharmacies should keep a copy in case TPP Alberta requests access to it.

Your TPP Alberta pad is issued to you as a prescriber. If you are moving your practice, you should take your pad with you and update TPP Alberta by emailing TPP.Info@cpsa.ab.ca, calling 780-969-4939 or 1-800-561-3899 ext. 4939 (toll free), or faxing 780-429-1981.

You should keep the PRESCRIBER COPY (bottom copy) of the 2-part secure form within the patient’s record at your clinic. Refrain from leaving the form within the pad. Storing the copy within the pad can compromise patient confidentiality, especially in the case of loss or theft.

The TPP Alberta secure form is considered part of the patient record. A copy should be retained for the same period that a patient record must be maintained as per applicable legislation for your profession.

No. As of July 2019, when buprenorphine/naloxone was changed to Type 2 TPP Alberta status, registration with the Program was no longer required.  Use of the secure TPP Alberta secure form is no longer required when prescribing buprenorphine/naloxone combination products.  Single-entity buprenorphine products continue to be  TPP Type 1 category so registration with TPP Alberta and use of the secure pad are required.

Yes, if the program’s secure 2-part form is used.

Please refer to CPSA’s Prescribing: Administration standard of practice and advice document for more information.

Yes. Email TPP.Info@cpsa.ab.ca, call 780-969-4939 or 1-800-561-3899 ext. 4939 (toll free), or fax 780-429-1981.

Prescribers should ensure the security of their TPP Alberta forms to avoid misuse by individuals seeking to improperly obtain these medications.

• TPP Alberta forms are personalized and must not be shared. The prescriber’s name, business address, and a unique prescriber identification number are imprinted on the pads.
• When a prescriber retires, leaves practice, or leaves the province, unused forms must be returned to TPP Alberta for proper destruction.
• Review the safety information on TPP Alberta’s website to learn more.

There is no cost to apply or re-order pads.

To re-order a secure pad, use TPP Alberta’s secure, online order form (available via CPSA’s website for security purposes, as the form contains personal information). Information required to re-order includes:

• Your registration number
• Your clinic’s complete address (including postal code) and the phone number to be printed on the pads
• The complete address for shipping (if different from your clinic address), including your contact phone number-no PO boxes, home addresses, or out of province addresses are permitted for deliveries.

Note: Only two pads (100 prescriptions) may be ordered at one time.

Prescribers who have no fixed business address (e.g., locums) are issued TPP Alberta forms without a pre-printed address that identify the prescriber’s name and unique prescriber identification number. When issuing a TPP Alberta prescription, these prescribers must enter on the form the name of the medical clinic/hospital/professional for whom the prescriber is working, address and a contact telephone number.

Refer to this guide on how to use the TPP Alberta secure 2-part form. The prescriber retains the PRESCRIBER COPY (bottom copy), while dispensers use the PHARMACY/TPP COPY (top copy) of the secure 2-part form. The pharmacist or veterinarian clinic retains a copy, unless it is for compounded medications, office use, veterinary use or is a Yukon prescription.

If you were already registered in Alberta for an elective, you do not have to reapply or pay a registration fee. You need to:

Ask your university to update CPSA with your new elective dates.
Send CPSA a Certificate of Professional Conduct.
Send CPSA a new criminal record check or police certificate from every jurisdiction you have ever lived (90+ days) within 10 years of your CPSA application or dating back to your 18th birthday. We do not need a vulnerable sector check, but will accept one if it is a part of your criminal record check.

Once CPSA receives all your documents, if you are eligible for registration, you will get a confirmation email with your new CPSA registration number. This is the identification we use for all our future interactions with you. We’ll also send you an email to let you know when your permit is available in our secure physician portal for you to access.

physiciansapply.ca is the tool that all physicians are required to use to apply for practice in Canada, physiciansapply.ca standardizes the application process for medical registration in Canada. CPSA only accepts applications through physiciansapply.ca.

Through your physiciansapply.ca account, you can

• apply for any Medical Council of Canada (MCC) exams
• view your exam results
• submit your credentials and documents
• have your credentials translated (if they need to be)
• share your credentials and exam results with CPSA or any other medical authority
• submit a Review of Qualifications to CPSA

You can check the status of your application in the Postgraduate Tracking System and learn which documents we have received. It takes about 2 business days for new information to show up on the tracking page after we receive it.

You must obtain a Certificate of Professional Conduct / Certificate of Standing from all the jurisdictions in which you were registered and practising medicine. These documents come from a licensing body, not from a university.

Please note that your username is no longer your tracking number. Please use the email address

We will cancel your CPSA PC Permit on the same day you discontinue your practice permit and notify Alberta Health. Only certain regulated members can maintain a CPSA PC Permit. Retired physicians can’t hold a CPSA PC permit.
Although your PC Permit with CPSA will be cancelled, your professional corporation can continue with the Corporate Registry. Please contact your lawyer or accountant for more information.

No. You can move your practice to Alberta, but will need to register a new professional corporation under the Health Professions Act.

Yes, as long as you keep an active Alberta practice permit and registered office address in Alberta where your incorporating documentation is held (e.g., lawyer, accountant). Please update your address using the form on this page.
For more information, see Alberta’s Business Corporations Act.

Please refer to the Names section of the CPSA Bylaws
Submit a copy of the Articles of Amendment with the original signature(s) of the incorporating physician(s) to the College for endorsement, prior to sending to Alberta Corporate Registry.

Yes, Call Alberta Health at 780-422-1522.

All CPSA-related fees can be found on this page. Fees are subject to change without notice. You should also be aware of your legal, accountant, or Alberta Registries fees which are separate from CPSA fees.

All incorporating documents need to be signed by one physician. However, all physicians wishing to be incorporators must sign the PCA. Incorporators have to be CPSA physicians with active registration.

Physicians with active CPSA registration can be voting shareholders.
The spouses, common-law partners, and children of physicians with active CPSA registration may be non-voting shareholders. See information sheet.

Yes. But, you (or your representative) should be clear about the specifics on citizenship before you move forward. For more information, please refer to Alberta’s Business Corporations Act (Sec 105 (3) and Part 21).

Medical students can register a PC with CPSA. Retired physicians can’t register a PC with us.

No, physicians need to renew their practice permit annually during annual renewal. PC annual renewal is open at the same time but is a separate process.

Annual renewal is an opportunity for physicians to update their practice information, including the type of work they do, how many patients they see and whether or not they are accepting new patients. During renewal, physicians also confirm they hold liability insurance, and that they are participating in continuous learning.

Most important, annual renewal provides us with important information about their practice and health so we can support them throughout their medical career.

Yes, liability insurance/coverage is required by the Health Professions Act. You will be asked to confirm your liability coverage each year when you renew your practice permit.

Complete our PAP enrolment form. This allows CPSA to automatically withdraw your annual fees in full, once per year.

Note: If you enrol in PAP, you still have to complete your Renewal Information Form (RIF) each year to renew your practice permit. Not completing the RIF on time, will result in late fees.

You can print your practice permit from the physician portal. If you just finished completing your Renewal Information Form (RIF), please allow three business days for processing.

Using a unique email ensures the information we share with you is protected and only seen by you.

To start your renewal, you will need to log in to the physician portal using your CPSA registration number and a password you create.

We do not pre-populate all the fields in the renewal form to ensure we get your most up-to-date practice information.

Under the Health Professions Act, we are required to provide Albertans with basic information about physicians. This includes a public address.

The RIF ensures we have up-to-date information about your practice, including your contact information and whether or not you are accepting new patients. A portion of this information is posted on the CPSA website to help Albertans who are looking for a physician.

The Alberta Government also requires us to keep accurate data about physician resources in Alberta.

Send an email to annualbilling@cpsa.ab.ca. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can. In the meantime, see if the following might help:

1. Try completing your renewal using a different browser.
2. Try completing your renewal from your home computer. Some organization’s internet security is set too high to complete your RIF.
3. Avoid completing your renewal on your cell phone or tablet. Our online renewal process is not yet optimized for hand held devices.

We will notify you by email and post information in CPSA’s newsletter The Messenger.

Renewal also occurs at the same time every year. Learn more about our renewal deadlines.

Note: If you have been out of practice for more than three years, you will need to reapply.

We collect your practice information every year during annual renewal via the Renewal Information Form (RIF).

Outside of renewal, you can update your practice information via CPSA’s secure physician portal or by contacting a member service agent at physicianinquiries@cpsa.ab.ca.

If you have submitted a complaint and been approved for funding, contact our third-party service provider, Homewood Health Inc.
Toll-free at 1-866-826-4440.
Hours: Monday – Friday; 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. (MT)

Find out more about complaints related to sexual abuse or sexual misconduct.

If your complaint is dismissed, or it progresses to a hearing but there is no finding of unprofessional conduct, funding under the Patient Relations Program will end either as of the date the complaint is dismissed, or the date on the Hearing Tribunal’s written decision (whichever is applicable).

Find out more about complaints related to sexual abuse or sexual misconduct.

• On June 30 of each year, CPSA will update you on your remaining funds and time period remaining.
• You may also request this information from Homewood Health Inc. at any time.

Find out more about complaints related to sexual abuse or sexual misconduct.

Yes, you can use up to the maximum dollar amount awarded by CPSA within the five-year time frame. Homewood Health Inc. will process the invoices.

Find out more about complaints related to sexual abuse or sexual misconduct.

Yes. funding ends when one of the following occurs (whichever comes first):

1. • A maximum of $23,900 is reached.
   • The complaint is withdrawn.
   • Five years have passed since the date the funding was approved.
   • The complaint is dismissed under section 66(3)(b) of the Health Professions Act.
   • A hearing tribunal determines there was no unprofessional conduct.

Find out more about complaints related to sexual abuse or sexual misconduct.

Yes. The funding can only be used to pay for therapy or counselling by a licensed therapist or counsellor, related to matters arising from sexual abuse or sexual misconduct by an Alberta physician.

Find out more about complaints related to sexual abuse or sexual misconduct.

You are eligible to receive a maximum amount of $23,900. CPSA will determine the exact amount awarded for your situation.

Find out more about complaints related to sexual abuse or sexual misconduct.

• If you submit a complaint to CPSA and qualify for funding under the Patient Relations Program, you will receive a letter outlining how to access the available services.
• You and your therapist or counsellor must keep all information obtained in setting up the funding confidential.
• Being eligible for funding does not automatically mean the physician is guilty of unprofessional misconduct.

Find out more about complaints related to sexual abuse or sexual misconduct.

No.

If your physician is found guilty of sexual abuse or sexual misconduct by a CPSA Hearing Tribunal, we may seek to recover the costs of your therapy from them. In this case, they will become aware that you have accessed the Patient Relations Program.

Yes. If you have a preferred therapist or counsellor, Homewood Health Inc. will provide you with a form to give to your therapist or counsellor. This form will make sure they get paid for their services.

• Homewood Health Inc.
  Toll-free at 1-866-826-4440
  Hours: Monday – Friday; 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (MT)
• When calling, you will need the written confirmation we sent you, including your file number.

• As soon as we get your complaint about sexual abuse or sexual misconduct by your physician, you are eligible to receive funding for counselling and therapy.
• You will receive written confirmation of your complaint and a file number. Once you have this information, you can contact Homewood Health Inc., the organization we’ve contracted to provide therapy and counselling services.
• We will also notify Homewood Health Inc. so they can work with you to find a therapist or counsellor.

No. You are eligible for funding and counselling as soon as you file your complaint.

Find out more about complaints related to sexual abuse or sexual misconduct.

As of April 1, 2019, a patient who files a complaint alleging sexual abuse or sexual misconduct by their Alberta physician is eligible to receive funding for therapy and counselling.

This funding was a result of the Alberta government’s Bill 21: An Act to Protect Patients. It applies to all regulatory colleges in Alberta.

Find out more about complaints related to sexual abuse or sexual misconduct.

Most complaints are resolved without formal discipline. These complaints become part of your CPSA record but are not made public unless it goes to a disciplinary hearing.

If you apply for a practice permit (licence) in another jurisdiction, you will need a certificate of professional conduct (CPC). A CPC will reflect any open complaints, all complaints resolved through agreement, disciplinary actions and any patterns in complaints received.

All formal discipline decisions will appear on our website and in our newsletter, The Messenger.

This is up to you, but we do recommend speaking to the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) for legal advice and guidance.

No. Responding to a regulator about a complaint is a duty under the Health Professions Act, and is not billable.

Your response will not be shared in its entirely, however elements may be disclosed to the complainant so they understand the reasons for the decision made by CPSA on the complaint.

After a complaint is received and reviewed, you will be notified by letter, uploaded to CPSA’s Portal. The letter will include a copy of the complaint and outline the next steps.

CPSA is a learning organization and our goal is to resolve complaints outside of a formal disciplinary process whenever possible and appropriate. Only 1-2% of complaints progress to a formal disciplinary hearing.

Find out more about what to expect from the complaints process.

We try to resolve complaints in a timely manner. However, reviewing a complaint can take months or years, depending on the complaint’s complexity, length of investigation and availability of experts (if required).

Find out more about what to expect from the complaints process.

• The complaint may be dismissed if evidence does not support the complaint or there is insufficient evidence to proceed.
• With consent from the complainant, we may work with the physician to make necessary practice changes.
• The complaint may progress to a formal hearing, which can result in disciplinary action against the physician.

Find out more about what to expect from the complaints process.

Investigations can include collecting medical records and interviewing any individuals who may have relevant information about your complaint.

Find out more about what to expect from the complaints process.

No, financial compensation is not available through CPSA’s complaints process. If you are looking for financial compensation, you should seek legal advice. Please note, you do not need to wait for our complaints process to be completed before you decide to take legal action.

No. However, if you distribute copies of the complaint to others, that could be considered libel and put you at risk legally.

If your complaint is about a specific physician working in a walk-in clinic, you can fill out and submit CPSA’s complaint form. If your complaint is about office procedures or the staff of a walk-in clinic, please speak with the clinic manager or physician overseeing the clinic.

Yes. When we notify the physician that we’ve received a complaint, we share a copy of your complaint submission and ask them to send us a response.

Find out more about what to expect from the complaints process.

We will review your written complaint and decide how best to proceed based on options outlined in the Health Professions Act.

Find out more about what to expect from the complaints process.

Anyone with concerns about the care provided by an Alberta physician can file a complaint with CPSA. We take a educational approach to complaints when appropriate, to help physicians learn from mistakes to improve their practices for all Albertans.]

Find out more about how to file a complaint.

No, but filing a complaint sooner helps make the process more effective.

If you feel safe doing so, you may want to consider talking to your physician first about your concerns before filing a complaint. Often, an apology or explanation can resolve any issues.

If you do not feel comfortable having a conversation with your physician, or your attempt to do so is unsuccessful, please submit a complaint to CPSA.

It is important to ensure the insurance company or legal firm is aware of any fee and agrees to pay the fee before you do the work. If you have a contract with them for work and they have not paid you for that work, you can refuse to do additional work until payment is received. You can also request pre-payment or a down-payment for new work being requested.

You may want to conduct all communications in writing to ensure a paper trail.

Please contact the Alberta Medical Association for advice on uninsured fees:

Phone: 780-482-2626 or 1-800-272-9680
Fax: 780-482-5445
Email: amamail@albertadoctors.org
Website: www.albertadoctors.org

Yes, if the visit is for elective services. However, you can not refuse to treat or accept a patient in an emergency situation if you have the required skills to provide care.

Note: Alberta has a reciprocal billing agreement with every other province and territory except Quebec. If you treat a patient from another province or territory (except Quebec) who has been in Alberta for less than three months, you can go ahead and bill Alberta Health Care for that patient.

Yes, but not for the purpose of generating revenue. For more information, see our CPSA Standards of Practice: Sale of Products by Physicians.

Yes, if patients are informed of this policy when they book their appointment. If a patient files a complaint with CPSA, you must be able to justify the billing. It may be useful to have a policy on this, and to have the patient’s consent.

No, but you can charge a fee (see above). See CPSA Standards of Practice: Charging for Uninsured Medical Services

Yes. Patients can be billed directly for services not covered by Alberta Health Care. This includes writing sick notes, consulting by phone, copying patient records, filling out insurance or legal forms, and driver’s medical exams. Be sure to advise the patient in advance and be available to respond to their questions or concerns. You should also take into consideration a patient’s ability to pay for such a fee.

For more details on fees and billings, contact the Alberta Medical Association.

Alberta Health Schedule of Medical Benefits
CPSA Standards of Practice: Charging for Uninsured Professional Services
The Alberta Medical Association (AMA) Guidelines to Billing Uninsured Services (This is not a public document, please contact the AMA for details.)
Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA)

Yes. When you are completing your Renewal Information Form (RIF) you can provide your primary professional address and up to three other professional addresses where you work most often. This includes hospitals or any other locations from which you bill for health services.

Please contact hearings.director@cpsa.ab.ca or call 780-969-4928 or 1-800-561-3899 ext, 4928 (in Canada).

If your appeal is unsuccessful, you may be responsible for the associated costs. The decision and amount is determined by the Appeal Panel.

Appeals focus on the information used to make the original decision. If you want to introduce new evidence outside of this, you must apply to the Appeal Panel.

After some opening remarks by the Appeal Panel Chair, you (or your lawyer) will have 60 minutes to present your submissions. The other party will then have 60 minutes to present their side. If anything comes up, you have the right to reply.

The Appeal Panel may ask questions before adjourning to deliberate in private. You will be notified of their decision in writing.

Yes. Although it is not required, you are entitled to have legal representation.

The Appeal Panel is made up of CPSA council members. Usually five members participate in Hearing Tribunal appeals, while three participate in PHMP and MFAC appeals. The Panel must include at least one public member of Council.

The Hearings Director schedules an appeal date that works for all parties involved. We also inform you how and when to provide written submissions to the Appeal Panel.

The appeal itself is conducted as a telephone conference call, however, you can ask (in writing) that it take place in person at CPSA.

Complete our expression of interest form at the bottom of our Committees page.

Please contact hearings.director@cpsa.ab.ca or call 780-969-4928 or 1-800-561-3899 ext, 4928 (in Canada)

The hearing tribunal will notify the parties involved. Next, it will determine the appropriate penalty. The decision on penalty can occur on the same day as the hearing or at a later date.

You will receive a copy of the decision from the Hearings Director. The decision will also be posted on CPSA’s website, on both the physician’s profile and under discipline decisions.

Not always. When the parties do not agree, the hearing tribunal will reserve its decision and issue an order in writing on a later date. Determining the appropriate penalty can also take place at an additional hearing on another day.

Only if you are called as a witness.

Yes. Councillors are paid an honorarium plus travel, accommodation and meal expenses for each Council-approved meeting they attend. The amount paid does not represent full compensation for lost earnings, but rather reflects a reasonable payment for one’s time and service.

Council meets for two days, four times a year, at CPSA’s office in Edmonton. Meetings usually take place in March, June, September and December, and run from 8:30 a.m. ‚Äì 4:30 p.m. Meetings usually start as a closed session (in-camera) before opening its doors to the public and media.

As a Council member, you must give yourself time to fully review agenda material before each meeting.

You may also have to sit on a Council committee or sub-committee, which can meet anywhere from four to 12 times per year.

Once you have full accreditation status from CPSA, you can start sharing that you have CPSA accreditation.

An RT graduate must be under the direct supervision of a regulated health professional until the registrar at CARTA has moved them from CARTA’s provisional to the general register.

There are several key processes involved in performing a methacholine challenge test that you should consider before developing policies, processes and procedures. They include:

Preparing the methacholine for use in testing
Storing methacholine
Testing
Reporting results
Staff competency training
Maintaining competency

You can continue caring for patients normally while your facility is being assessed. A CPSA Assessment Coordinator will be in and out of your lab during the working day. Having an extra person on staff during your assessment can be helpful. To make the process as smooth as possible, we also collect data about your facility before your assessment.

Depending on the size of your facility, the onsite assessment can take anywhere from a half-day to a full day. You may also have to put aside a few hours to submit paperwork for your facility.

These standards are available to facilities once they have registered for assessment.

If you’re currently involved in the assessment process, you should have received credentials from CPSA to access a confidential SharePoint site. Lost your credentials? Contact pft@cpsa.ab.ca.

Yes. A CPC is a complete history of your professional career as a member of CPSA.

We can’t rush our processing of your CPC. It’s important that your CPC is an accurate reflection of your professional history with CPSA and collecting this information can take time. Please allow up to 15 business days for us to email your password-protected CPC.

Refer to the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada website, or call toll-free 1-800-668-3740.

Refer to the College of Family Physicians of Canada website, or call toll-free 1-800-387-6197 ext. 204.

No. You can enroll in Mainpro+ as a non-member participant (NMMP). If you’ve never been a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, you can enroll in the MOC program as a Health Care Professional. If you were formerly a Fellow of the Royal College, you must rejoin the Royal College to participate in that program.

Yes. Participation in CPD is mandatory and complementary to other Continuing Competence activities and programs. Physician Achievement Review (PAR) was discontinued in 2015 and has been replaced by Practice Checkup and the Physician Practice Improvement Program (PPIP).  Practice Checkup and PPIP provide practice-specific data and personal development that can help inform CPD activity.

You must be in good standing with either the Mainpro+ or MOC program, which requires earning a minimum number of eligible credits within the timelines identified by the program. Note: Credits earned must be reported directly to the program. Please do not submit this information to CPSA.

No. You don’t need to provide anything to CPSA upon completion, but you must be able to provide CPSA with your CPD information if it is requested.

No. You should report the credits you earn for CPD activities directly to the program in which you are enrolled: Mainpro+ Maintenance of Certification (MOC)

All physicians are expected to participate. Exemptions or deferrals will be considered on a case-by-case basis where there are extenuating circumstances. Please see our standard of practice and program manual on Continuing Competence for more information, or contact Mainpro+ or Maintenance of Certification.

Physicians have a professional obligation to provide their patients with safe and competent care. Medical practice is continuously changing, and knowledge and skills must continue to grow to ensure career-long competency. Please see our standard of practice and program manual on Continuing Competence for more information.

We update our website a week before exam registration opens or closes. Check in regularly for the most up-to-date information on exam registration details.

The National Assessment Collaboration’s (NAC) Practice Readiness Assessment offers this exam 3 times per year in all jurisdictions starting in 2024. The Medical Council of Canada sets the exam schedule.

Candidates have a maximum of 4 TDM exam attempts, which includes a maximum of 2 pass results. Candidates who receive a fail result are ineligible to apply to the next scheduled examination session, since the TDM exam cannot be taken in consecutive sessions.

A pass result will be valid for 3 years. For more information on TDM exam results or validity periods, visit the MCC’s TDM Examination Results.

No. This quick resource highlights the basic eligibility criteria for specialist practice.

TDM is a national exam offered through the Medical Council of Canada and is available in 9 jurisdictions. For more information, visit MCC NAC PRA.

You should receive your TDM exam results within approximately 8 weeks of writing the exam. We’ll send it to you by email, and will also be uploaded to your physiciansapply account.