Registrar's Report September 2021 Registrar's message
Dear Colleagues,
As of late, ACAC staff have noticed a concerning trend that I want to address. As regulated members of our profession, we have a duty to read and be responsive to communications from the ACAC.
ACAC communications are timely and meant to equip you with the information you need to make appropriate practice decisions. This is vital information you need to meet the minimum requirements of your conduct as a member, as well other important topics such as the COVID-19 response. In addition to supporting ACAC members through the complexity of the pandemic, ACAC staff are completing the work required by Bill 46 that mandates the separation of the ACAC to a College and Association. We recognize that all of this has resulted in a higher volume of necessary communications from the ACAC.
I understand how challenging keeping up with the rapid developments can be. With the quick changes and complex issues that have arisen because of the pandemic, the volume of information that comes at each of us is significantly higher than it used to be. It would be an understatement to say that we are tired of the pandemic and all of the associated challenges. Life is more complex and the details we must manage and consider are elevated. We are all fatigued and many are experiencing mental and emotional strain.
Despite the current fatigue and strain on our mental and emotional health, I must remind you that every regulated member is required to read and apply the information that the ACAC communicates. There is also a requirement for regulated members to respond to communications including emails or phone calls from ACAC staff.
We are not only communicating to you—we are asking for you to communicate with us. Member surveys help us to understand what policies or information we need to consider. Soon, the ACAC will be conducting significant consultations on the content of some of our Standards of Practice. This is when you will have an opportunity to support the requirements of practice for Alberta chiropractors. The most important thing regulated members can do is to read the information that is provided so that when the time comes to participate, you are well informed and prepared to consult with the College.
In addition to your ability to consult on matters like the Standards of Practice—this is also a reminder that you are accountable to the communications that we provide to you. Despite our best efforts to inform and educate regulated members, the information is only as good as the effort to read and apply it in our practice. Sincerely, Dr. Todd Halowski Registrar
Please review the recently introduced ACAC Directives
If after reviewing these Directives you need practice advice, please contact the ACAC office.
Point of Care Risk Assessment A Point of Care Risk Assessment (PCRA) helps chiropractors consider factors related to patient interaction that may increase the risk of the interaction, and the determination of what measures can and should be used to mitigate that risk. PCRA is one component of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) as outlined in the Standard of Practice 4.3 (Infection Prevention and Control).
The PCRA is a two-step process that involves assessing risk level and then implementing risk mitigation strategies. Click the button below to review the full risk assessment.
Roadmap to Care resource for your clinic and your patients Adopted by chiropractic regulators across Canada, the Roadmap to Care is a guide for chiropractic patients to better understand what they can expect from their care.
The Roadmap to Care outlines what patients can expect when they visit their chiropractor, what their appointment will look like, their rights when accessing health records, and more.
The ACAC has developed a poster to help outline the course of patient care. We encourage you to share this resource in your clinic and with your patients. It is available on both the members' side and public side of the website.
Provide your thoughts on the Standards of Practice format We are currently on step one of the member consultation on the ACAC Regulatory framework. This step asks members to share their thoughts on what they find to be the most effective and accessible template for presenting the Standards of Practice. Please take the time to review templates A, B, and C and share your thoughts on which you prefer and what aspects of the template you feel strongly about. As a reminder, the ACAC Standards of Practice are standards of professional behaviour and conduct required of all chiropractors in Alberta to ensure that chiropractors interact safely and appropriately with their patients and the public. The ACAC Standards of Practice continue to evolve with the profession of chiropractic in Alberta and may change from time-to-time. As always, new Standards and/or significant revisions will come into force after a period of consultation with chiropractors and others as set out in the Health Professions Act.
As with all ACAC ThoughtExchanges, participants are anonymous. The results will be used by the Registrar to develop an updated template for Standards of Practice information. This exchange will close at 4 p.m. on September 14, 2021.
An amendment for x-ray owners and operators An amendment has been made to our Radiation Health and Safety Manual regarding the routine use of gonadal shielding.
Effective immediately, gonadal shielding is no longer required or recommended.
Gonadal shielding and the recommendation for usage are adapting to align with the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists and the Canadian Association of Radiologists. Standard use of gonadal shielding is no longer recommended for the following reasons:
Practitioners must inform patients of the recommendations and the reasoning why gonadal shielding is no longer being used. Further to the recommendation, patients may still choose to use gonadal shielding. This is an informed consent discussion and should be noted in the clinical record.
Please review the following amended x-ray requirements and resources:
If you have any questions regarding the amended x-ray requirements, please contact the Registrar.
Compliance corner: accidental contact You have seen previous ACAC communication regarding the importance of consent and the difference between formal, informal, and implied consent. With all patients, formal consent must be obtained prior to any exam, diagnosis, or treatment taking place. Informal (verbal) consent takes place during treatment or examination.
Implied consent should never be used in any patient-focused care.
During patient interactions, it is important to ensure that communication is constant, and members are explaining where and why patients will be touched. It is also important that permission is verbalized from the patient and documented in the clinical record.
As an example, the ACAC has received complaints and concerns from patients about members, regarding contact with sensitive areas where no consent was provided. Verbal consent provides the patient with ongoing awareness of the actions being taken and it is also valuable to reduce the risk when accidental contact occurs. Documenting verbal consent is an important and essential component of your clinical record.
If accidental contact occurs, when treating any patient, it is vital that a process is in place when these events occur. One of the most important things to remember is ignoring an incident of accidental contact is never the right thing to do.
When accidental contact occurs take the following actions immediately:
Accidental contact is something that all patients and members can experience from time to time and never assume that it is insignificant or unimportant. Practicing informed consent throughout treatment and being prepared if/when it does occur can not only reduce the risk to you but also make the patient more comfortable during their interactions. Don’t ever make the mistake of assuming you know what the patient's reaction will be.
Remember that when patients are empowered the doctor-patient relationship flourishes!
Highlights: Discipline View discipline decisions and members with conditions on our discipline webpage. Email for CC submissions If you have earned a certificate of completion from an eligible CC seminar or from mandatory training such as Standard First Aid with CPR-C/AED or trauma-informed training, we strongly encourage you to forward it to the ACAC office now. Fax: 780-425-6583
Certificates are normally processed within 10 business days. CC credits will appear in your profile once processing is complete. Diagnostic image viewing AHS will stop providing CDs of diagnostic images. In order to view these images, you will need Netcare access.
If you already have Netcare access, please stop requisitions for CDs and start to use the Netcare portal to view all diagnostic images.
MVA and DTPR: Diagnostic and treatment protocols The ACAC has developed information materials to assist you and your patients in treatment and processing as result of a MVA. With the availability of COVID-19 vaccines for Albertans, please remember vaccination and immunization are not within the scope of practice.
The ACAC directs members to refer all patient questions, consultation and education regarding immunization and vaccination to the appropriate public health authorities and/or health professional whose scope of practice includes vaccination.
We continue to screen members’ web and social media for compliance with the Advertising Directive.
Please ensure you are regularly reviewing your website and social media accounts and removing any content in contravention. |