Revocation imposed for false OHIP billing and failure to cooperate.
In a professional discipline proceeding, the registrant entered a no contest plea to allegations that he knowingly submitted false OHIP claims for services not rendered while practising emergency medicine and then failed to cooperate with the regulatory investigation.
The Tribunal accepted uncontested facts showing unsupported billings, including claims for patients the registrant did not treat, dates on which patients were not present, and procedures unsupported by any charting, together with repeated refusals to attend an interview or answer detailed written questions.
Applying the Anthony-Cook framework to a joint penalty submission, the Tribunal held that revocation, a reprimand, and tariff costs would not bring the administration of the discipline system into disrepute.
The registrant’s certificate of registration was revoked immediately and costs of $6,000 were ordered.
Chiropodist suspended for three months for improper association with commercial orthotics manufacturer and misleading advertising.
The registrant, a chiropodist, admitted to professional misconduct arising from his association with a commercial orthotics manufacturer.
He improperly acted as a 'medical advisor' for the business, failed to report it as a practice location, permitted the use of non-compliant foam box impressions, and allowed his name and credentials to be used in misleading advertising.
The Discipline Tribunal accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand, a three-month suspension (with two months remitted upon completion of a recordkeeping course), a 12-month mentorship, and $15,000 in costs.
Massage therapist's registration revoked following uncontested findings of sexual abuse of a patient.
The registrant massage therapist pleaded no contest to allegations of sexually abusing a patient, including touching her genitals, breasts, and buttocks without consent.
The Discipline Tribunal found that the registrant committed professional misconduct, including sexual abuse and physical abuse.
Given the nature of the sexual abuse, the Tribunal imposed the mandatory penalty of revocation of the registrant's certificate of registration and a reprimand, along with orders for costs and reimbursement for patient therapy and counselling.
Chiropodist suspended for five months for inadequate records, misleading invoices, and improper orthotics casting.
The registrant admitted to professional misconduct regarding his treatment of a patient, including keeping insufficient records, issuing misleading invoices regarding casting methods and lab independence, using an unacceptable foam box casting technique, and failing to provide adequate break-in instructions for orthotics.
The Tribunal accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand, a five-month suspension, remedial coursework, 18 months of practice supervision, and $35,000 in costs.
Order granted dispensing with further notice to a non-participating registrant in a discipline proceeding.
In a professional discipline proceeding, the College brought a case management motion for an order dispensing with the requirement to provide further notice to the registrant.
The registrant had resigned from the College, failed to attend a case management conference, and could not be reached despite exhaustive efforts by the College's investigators.
The Tribunal found that the registrant had actual notice of the proceeding and chose not to participate.
The Tribunal granted the order, directing that the College is not required to provide further notice, save for one final phone call prior to the hearing.
Discipline proceeding adjourned indefinitely after registrant resigned and agreed never to reapply.
The College of Massage Therapists of Ontario and the registrant jointly requested an indefinite adjournment of a discipline proceeding.
The registrant, facing allegations of sexual, verbal, and physical abuse of a patient, resigned from the College and agreed never to reapply to any massage therapy regulatory body in Canada.
The Tribunal granted the request, noting it saves time and costs, spares witnesses from testifying, and provides a certain outcome while protecting the public.
Request to delay discipline hearing pending parallel civil discovery denied due to public interest.
The College alleged that the registrant engaged in inappropriate and sexual behaviour with a client.
At a case management conference, the registrant requested that hearing dates not be scheduled until the discovery process in a parallel civil action brought by the client was complete.
The Tribunal denied the request, applying the Marusic factors.
While there was complete overlap between the proceedings, the Tribunal emphasized the seriousness of the allegations, the passage of time, and the strong public interest in expeditiously resolving sexual abuse proceedings.
The Tribunal directed the registrant to use the Tribunal's third-party records process rather than waiting for civil discovery.
Massage therapist suspended for eight months for inappropriate touching and failing to obtain written consent.
The registrant, a massage therapist, admitted to professional misconduct for inappropriately touching a patient's gluteal and pubic areas without written consent and failing to appropriately address her distress.
The Discipline Tribunal found that he contravened College standards, physically abused the patient, and engaged in disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional conduct.
The Tribunal accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand, an eight-month suspension, remedial coursework, and costs of $5,852.
Physician suspended for four months for failing to maintain standard of practice and inappropriate touching.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario brought professional misconduct proceedings against the registrant, a family medicine practitioner.
The registrant admitted to failing to maintain the standard of practice of the profession through unnecessary treatments, inadequate record-keeping, and improperly performed procedures.
He also did not contest allegations of touching a patient in sensitive areas without adequate warning or explanation.
The Tribunal found the registrant committed professional misconduct.
Applying the test for joint submissions, the Tribunal accepted the jointly proposed penalty, ordering a four-month suspension, extensive terms, conditions, and limitations on his certificate of registration, and costs of $6,000.
Massage therapist found to have committed professional misconduct for sexual abuse; reprimand and costs ordered.
The registrant pleaded no contest to allegations of professional misconduct, including sexual and physical abuse of a client during massage therapy treatments.
The Tribunal found the registrant committed professional misconduct based on uncontested facts and a criminal conviction for assault.
The registrant resigned and undertook never to reapply for registration.
The Tribunal accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand and costs of $5,110.
Psychotherapist suspended for four months for practising without supervision and deceiving a client.
The registrant, a new psychotherapist, practised without the required clinical supervision.
Upon realizing her error, she attempted to conceal it by having a friend impersonate her supervisor in a conversation with a client and by providing false information to her employer.
The registrant admitted to professional misconduct.
The Tribunal accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering a four-month suspension, individualized ethics instruction, a reprimand, and costs of $4,700.
Physician suspended for 10 months for treating a close personal contact and breaching patient confidentiality.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario brought disciplinary proceedings against the registrant for treating a person with whom he had a close personal relationship, failing to maintain medical records for those treatments, and disclosing other patients' confidential health information to that person.
The registrant admitted to the misconduct.
The Tribunal accepted a joint submission on penalty, finding that the proposed 10-month suspension, reprimand, and requirement to complete an ethics course did not bring the administration of the professional discipline system into disrepute.
Indefinite adjournment granted after registrant resigned and undertook not to re-apply for registration.
The College referred allegations of professional misconduct against the registrant to the Tribunal.
The parties reached an agreement wherein the registrant resigned their membership and undertook not to re-apply for registration in any jurisdiction.
The parties jointly requested an indefinite adjournment of the proceedings.
The Tribunal granted the request, finding that the public is protected as the registrant will no longer practice as a psychotherapist.
Chiropodist reprimanded and ordered to pay costs after admitting misconduct and permanently resigning registration.
The College of Chiropodists of Ontario brought professional misconduct allegations against the registrant for prescribing orthotics without adequate assessment, failing to maintain proper records, and engaging in rude and discourteous behaviour towards a patient and an insurance representative.
The registrant admitted the allegations and undertook to permanently resign her certificate of registration.
The Discipline Tribunal accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand and $29,000 in costs.
Tribunal lacks jurisdiction over allegations outside the scope of the registrar's authorized investigation.
The College of Chiropodists of Ontario alleged that the registrant committed professional misconduct regarding his relationship with an orthotics manufacturer and his orthotics prescribing practices.
The registrant brought a preliminary motion arguing the Tribunal lacked jurisdiction to hear the prescribing allegations because they were outside the scope of the registrar's authorized investigation and not related to the investigation report.
The Tribunal granted the motion, finding that the prescribing allegations were fundamentally different from the conflict of interest concerns that prompted the investigation.
Because the new issues were not authorized by a new appointment and the registrant was not given an opportunity to respond to them in the report, the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee had no jurisdiction to refer them to the Tribunal.
Chiropodist suspended for seven months for record-keeping failures and inadequate oversight of clinic billing practices.
The registrant, a chiropodist, was found to have committed professional misconduct by failing to keep proper records, failing to conduct adequate assessments before prescribing orthotics, allowing non-registrants to dispense orthotics, and failing to guard against fraudulent billing practices at clinics where she worked.
The Tribunal accepted a joint submission on penalty, noting the registrant's serious health issues as a mitigating factor.
The penalty included a seven-month suspension (with three months remitted upon completion of a record-keeping course), a reprimand, 18 months of practice supervision, and $20,000 in costs.
False receipts and abysmal records justified a ten-month suspension.
A discipline panel found the registrant committed professional misconduct by failing to maintain required client and financial records, issuing or permitting false massage therapy receipts, and providing false or inadequate information to insurers investigating benefit claims.
The panel held that deficient record keeping jeopardizes client protection, insurer verification, and confidence in the profession, while dishonest billing practices involving unregistered practitioners create significant public risk.
Applying the joint-submission framework used in professional discipline matters, the panel accepted an agreed penalty consisting of a ten-month suspension, ethics and record-keeping education, compliance audits, a reprimand, and tariff costs.
The panel concluded the proposed resolution was not unhinged from the circumstances and would not bring the discipline system into disrepute.
Sexual abuse of clients mandated revocation and therapy-funding reimbursement.
In a professional discipline proceeding, the Tribunal found admitted sexual, physical and verbal abuse of two female massage therapy clients, together with failures to obtain informed written consent, maintain proper draping, and keep required records.
The Tribunal held that jurisdiction continued over the former registrant under the Health Professions Procedural Code despite resignation and prior revocation in another matter.
It ordered mandatory revocation and reprimand, reimbursement of therapy and counselling funding, security for future therapy funding, and tariff costs.
The Tribunal also clarified that, absent rebutting evidence, there is a presumption that clients sexually abused by a registered health professional may require therapy or counselling, so case-specific evidence of future need is not required before ordering security.
Chiropodist suspended three months for discouraging reports to College on Facebook and failing to cooperate.
The registrant, a chiropodist, admitted to professional misconduct for posting messages in a private Facebook group that discouraged colleagues from reporting misconduct to the College, and for failing to cooperate with a College investigator for nearly three months.
The Discipline Tribunal found that the Facebook posts constituted a failure to meet professional standards and were disgraceful, dishonourable, or unprofessional.
The Tribunal accepted a joint submission on penalty, ordering a reprimand, a three-month suspension, completion of a social media course, mentorship, and $25,000 in costs.
Non-attendance at a directed conference justified a $500 costs order.
In this discipline matter, the tribunal considered whether a registrant's repeated failures to respond to scheduling communications and non-attendance at a directed case management conference justified a costs sanction.
Applying its procedural rules and statutory authority to proceed in absence and award costs for unreasonable conduct, the tribunal found the conduct unreasonable and wasteful of counsel, adjudicator, interpreter, and tribunal staff resources.
The tribunal ordered the registrant to pay $500 in costs immediately, with postjudgment interest under the Courts of Justice Act.