Collaborative Care

We acknowledge the environmental stress in our constrained health care system and the enormous pressure this places on our registrants who are dedicated and work hard to provide good patient care. In these challenging times, it is important to keep in mind the need for respectful communication and our core mandate to provide safe care. 

Collaboration is an essential component of good patient care. CPSM’s Standards of Practice Regulation (s.5 Collaborative Care) outlines that registrants must treat other healthcare providers with respect. This is an essential component of professionalism and is critical to good patient care.

Referring registrants must perform a preliminary work-up for patients within their scope of practice and in accordance with the resources available to them.  Referrals must clearly identify and outline the purpose of the consultation requested and provide pertinent clinical information. 

Consultation may take place verbally in emergency situations. Consultant registrants should be available to respond to requests for consultation in a timely manner and communicate effectively and appropriately with other healthcare professionals. Be cognizant of resource limitations in many practice settings and always place patient care at the centre of decision-making and treatment advice.

A reminder for all registrants

• Respectful communication and collaboration with other healthcare professionals is essential for good patient care
• Effective communication with all team members including patients is essential for safe medical care

As physicians we are expected to place the patient’s interests at the centre of our decision-making process regardless of environmental constraints. This is our ethical and professional duty.