Responsibility For A Medical Practice

1. A regulated member must direct and take responsibility for his/her medical practice¹, including:
   1. patient care provided, including the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, advice given and referral of the patient; and
   2. compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and standards governing the practice of medicine.
2. A regulated member must also direct and take responsibility for the following, except where a Medical Director has responsibility:
   1. all non-regulated staff supervised by the regulated member by:
      1. setting appropriate roles and responsibilities;
      2. ensuring appropriate qualifications; and
      3. overseeing performance;
   2. all regulated staff participating in the practice by ensuring:
      1. appropriate qualifications; and
      2. effective collaboration in a team-based setting;
   3. billing for medical practice;
   4. advertising and promotion of services;
   5. quality assurance and quality improvements;
   6. custody of health information, including maintenance and storage of medical records;
   7. notification to the College at least 30 days prior to:
      1. establishing or moving the physical location of a practice², providing the street address and services to be offered; or
      2. initiating or resuming a service or procedure that requires accreditation and/or approval by this College, as identified in the CPSA Standards of Practice or College bylaws³; and
   8. clear identification to patients and the public coming into the practice setting of the qualifications for all care providers (e.g., nametag or notice) that includes:
      1. for regulated healthcare professionals, their name and professional designation; and
      2. for non-regulated care providers, their name and job title.
3. Regulated members practising in a multi-physician setting⁴ without a Medical Director must designate one individual to represent the practice in interactions with the College, either:
   1. a medical lead, who is a regulated member, and accepts overall responsibility for any or all of subclasses 2(a) through (h); or
   2. a contact person who is a regulated member.
4. Notwithstanding the above, clauses (2) and (3) may not apply to a regulated member working in a hospital or a facility operated by government or a provincial health authority.

^{1.The practice of medicine includes, but is not limited to, the provision of patient care by a regulated member of this College and the professional and administrative activities which support that care. A medical practice cannot be delegated to or owned by a non-physician person or business, but is the exclusive domain of a regulated member regardless of practice setting.
2.Excluding a hospital or facility operated by government or a provincial health authority.
3.See Medical Services Requiring Accreditation Outside of Hospitals, Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Reprocessing of Medical Equipment and College bylaws.
4.For the purposes of this standard, “multi-physician setting” refers to any practice arrangement between regulated members in which they share the use, benefits or costs associated with any of the following:}

(a) advertising;
(b) office telephone number;
(c) medical records;
(d) clinical or administrative functions (i.e., infection prevention and control, billing, etc.)
(e) premises, equipment, furnishings or other property; and/or
(f) staff.