Clinic ownership and physician responsibilities: lessons from recent GPRs

Recent GPR insights

CPSA’s Group Practice Review (GPR) is a collaborative improvement program, designed to strengthen and enhance a group practice. Recent GPRs have highlighted the importance of clear roles, authorities and communication in clinics with different ownership models. This article is intended for physicians working in non-physician-owned clinics and the owners who support those practices.

Medical clinics may be owned by physicians, while others may be owned by another regulated health professional, a corporation, another business entity, or an individual who is not a physician. Regardless of the ownership model, CPSA-regulated physicians remain responsible for meeting their professional obligations and CPSA’s Standards of Practice.

What physicians need to know

A non-physician clinic owner may manage business operations such as leases, staffing, scheduling, technology, etc. However, responsibility for the medical practice cannot be transferred to a non-physician owner, manager or business operator.

Physicians should understand how their clinic is structured and whether they have the authority, access and information needed to meet their professional obligations. This includes patient care and clinical decision-making, and custody, access, storage and transfer of patient records. Section 2 of the Responsibility for a Medical Practice standard of practice outlines all CPSA’s expectations.

In a multi-physician setting without a medical director, the physicians must designate a CPSA-regulated member to represent the practice in interactions with CPSA. This may be a medical lead or contact person, but the individual must be a regulated member.

What non-physician owners need to know

Non-physician owners may manage business and operational matters such as leases, staffing, scheduling and technology. However, they cannot assume the professional responsibilities of regulated physicians, including every physician’s obligation to comply with CPSA’s Standards of Practice.

They can support physicians by ensuring physicians have the authority, access and information needed to meet CPSA standards.

Review CPSA resources

Physicians and non-physician clinic owners are encouraged to review the following resources:

• Advice to the Profession: Working in Non-Physician Owned Clinics
• Standard of Practice: Responsibility for a Medical Practice
• Advice to the Profession: Responsibility for a Medical Practice
• Advice to the Profession: Physicians as Custodians of Patient Records
• Standard of Practice: Advertising
• Standard of Practice: Conflict of Interest

Questions? Please contact CPSA at GPR@cpsa.ab.ca or 780-392-3101.