CPSA by the Numbers

A summary of registration and complaint statistics.

Physician resource statistics

Quarterly physician resource statistics

These reports include:

  • Summary of changes in physician resources (period to period)
  • Physician resources by zone
  • Changes in physician resources by specialty
  • Summary of inflows and outflows
  • Inflows and outflows by physicians’ place of graduation

Complaints statistics

Number of complaints per year

Totals 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019
Complaints received* 867 725 617 763 857
Physicians complained about* 644 647 535 680 756
Complaints open at year end 554 649 637 446 502

*One physician may have multiple complaints.

Summary of complaint natures (%)

Nature* 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019
COVID-19 0.3 4 3.5 n/a** n/a
Quality of care 36.8 36 35 47.6 46.7
Practice management 32.1 34 30 26.1 24.4
Medical reporting 12.1 8 6.4 7.6 12.8
Ethics 15.3 16 22 16.8 11
Third party 1.6 1.3 1.3 0.6 0.3
Systemic 1.6 0.5 1.1 0.6 0.3
Unclassified 0.3 0.2 0.7 0.6 4.4

*One complaint file may have multiple natures

**New category as of 2021

Nature of complaint definitions

COVID-19 – New category as of November 2021, includes assessment/diagnosis/treatment, professional behaviour and regulatory compliance.

Quality of Care – Diagnosis (incorrect or delayed), treatment (prescribing, procedural and counselling), referral, consultations, follow-up).

Practice Management – Physician availability, office management (including finance and communication).

Medical Reporting – Release of records, report completion and accuracy.

Ethics – Confidentiality, informed consent, advertising, self-promotion, research-related and boundary violations (including sexual, financial and others).

Third-Party – Independent Medical Examination (WCB, insurance companies, and all others).

Systemic – Continuity of care and interdisciplinary issues.

Unclassified – All others.

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