Dr. Gregory Miller – May 2019

Status: Decision Rendered

Full Decision

Dr. Gregory Miller – May 2019

This matter came before a panel of the Discipline Committee of the College of Optometrists of Ontario on May 28, 29 and 30, 2019, in Toronto, Ontario.  The Panel issued an order on finding on June 10, 2019.

THE DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE FOUND that Dr. Miller committed professional misconduct pursuant to the following:

  • Clause 51(1)(c) of the Health Professions Procedural Code, being Schedule 2 to the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, as set out in the following paragraphs of section 1 of Ontario Regulation 119/94 made under the Optometry Act, 1991:
    • paragraph 14: Failing to maintain the standards of practice of the profession by failing to identify or document Ms. X’s optic disc swelling; and
    • paragraph 39: Engaging in conduct or performing an act that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as unprofessional for making unprofessional remarks about vision therapy.

THE DISCIPLINE PANEL MADE NO FINDING with respect to paragraph 11 of Ontario Regulation 11/9/94.

Read the full Discipline decision.

Dr. Gregory Miller – December 2019

The Penalty Hearing was held on December 4, 2019 before a panel of the Discipline Committee of the College of Optometrists of Ontario.

THE DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE ORDERS

  1. Dr. Miller is required to appear before the Discipline Committee to receive a reprimand.
  2. Dr. Miller is required to pay costs to the College in the amount of $ 50,000 payable to the College of Optometrists of Ontario within 30 days of the date of the decision of the Discipline Panel.
  3. The Registrar is directed to suspend Dr. Miller’s certificate of registration for a period of two months, to commence on a date acceptable to the Registrar.
  4. The Registrar is directed to impose the following specified terms, conditions and limitations on Dr. Miller’s certificate of registration:
    1. Dr. Miller is required to complete two and a half days of practice coaching with a practice coach who is chosen by the Registrar at his expense within two months of the date of this order as follows:
      1. One full day (minimum 6 hours) working with the coach on the following areas of practice:
        1. Recordkeeping; and
        2. Posterior segment examination.
      2. One full day (minimum 6 hours) discussing the issues in clause i, above, with respect to the services he provided to Patient A.
      3. One half day (minimum 3 hours) of follow-up coaching within six months of the coaching referred to in clauses i and ii., to assess Dr. Miller’s understanding and implementation of the issues raised in the first two days of coaching.
    2. Dr. Miller is required to complete 6 hours of coaching with a communications coach chosen by the Registrar at his own expense within two months of the date of this order to work on the proper communication with patients including communications regarding treatment options and appropriate communications with patients regarding professional colleagues.
    3. Dr. Miller is required to undergo a practice inspection of 20 files which were completed within 9 months of the completion of the coaching, including 3 insurance assessments, if any have been completed in this time. The inspection will be at Dr. Miller’s expense by a College-appointed inspector and shall be restricted to the issues for which he received coaching. Any deficiencies found in the practice inspection may result in a report to the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (“ICRC”).
    4. At the conclusion of the coaching periods referred to above, the practice coaches shall send a report to the Registrar indicating whether, in the opinion of the coach, Dr. Miller understands the issues covered by the coaching and whether he has implemented improvements to his practice, as recommended by the coach. In the event of a report from the practice coach that is not acceptable to the Registrar, the Registrar may report the matter to the ICRC, and
    5. Dr. Miller must provide to the Registrar proof of having registered for the ProBE Ethics and Boundaries Program within six months of the date of the Panel’s order and provide proof to the Registrar of having attained an “unconditional pass”, within one year from the date of the panel’s order.