Reports + Summaries

Dual relationships occur when a health care professional treats family members, close personal friendships, commercial relationships or others with whom they have a non-professional relationship. College partners and public advisors explored some key considerations for regulating dual relationships, such as the welfare of the person being given health care, effectiveness of service or treatment, avoidance of harm and exploitation, conflict of interest, and the impairment of clinical judgment.

To support patients to be empowered partners in their health care, they need to understand the services and treatments being offered to them. Exploring what informed consent means to the public, how the process should look at all stages of care, and why it is important can help regulators understand public expectations how the consent process should work. BC-PAN input on this topic will be used to:

College partners wanted to hear from the advisors on what colleges can do to regulate through a lens of anti-racism, cultural safety, and health equity. Personal experiences, thoughts and opinions on this issue were explored.

When health care providers engage in the sale or endorsement of products or treatments, it may constitute a conflict of interest. At the same time, some members of the public may desire access to these additional services or products. Understanding what the public may find questionable, unethical or confusing when health providers endorse or sell products or treatments will be helpful for the colleges in regulating conduct.

Health care providers may leave their practice when moving to another location, retiring, or discontinuing care for any number of reasons. Some colleges set out clear expectations for health care providers who are leaving practice, while others do not. Colleges would like to learn what the public advisor’s expectations are of health care providers who are leaving practice to help guide practice standards, guidelines, and patient resources.

Public advisors gave their perspectives on the use and regulation of complementary and alternative therapies in the healthcare professions.

Regulatory colleges are responsible for ensuring that health care practitioners provide qualified, safe, and ethical care- in part by responding to complaints from the public about health care practitioners. Colleges wanted to hear about the public advisors’ experiences, expectations, and obstacles related to filing a complaint so they can seek out ways to improve the pubic experience throughout each stage of the complaints process.

Not all unsatisfactory interactions with a health care provider are appropriate for the formal complaints process. Colleges learned how they can better address questions from the public about their interactions with a health care provider so they can make informed decisions. BC-PAN members considered what the patient’s needs might be and how colleges can respond to those needs, within their mandate and capacity.

Following a successful pilot phase, 2020-2021 was the first operational year of the BC-PAN. The end of year summary describes the work and activities of the BC-PAN from September 2020 to February 2021. It highlights new additions to the BC-PAN along with learnings and college actions throughout the year.

Health care practitioners may use social media to provide health information to the community, improve patient and public health outcomes, develop a professional network, increase personal awareness of news, and/or educate and interact with patients, caregivers, students and colleagues.  Colleges asked BC-PAN for input to better understand the public’s expectations of health care practitioners who use social media and explore potential risks that may be associated with its use.