By-Law Proposal Consultation – CE Audit Fee

Background

Members who do not meet the mandatory continuing education requirement at the end of a CE cycle are required to undergo a practice assessment by the Quality Assurance Committee. This is a regulatory requirement under the Registration Regulation (O.Reg. 837/93 Section 7.(3)(a)). After a review of the results from the recent CE deficiency audit (for the 2012–2014 CE cycle), the Quality Assurance Committee has determined that for future CE cycles, self-reported CE-deficient members who expressed that they mistakenly reported incorrect CE hours should be charged a fee to have their CE certificates audited.

Under Section 94. (2) of the Health Professions Procedural Code (HPPC), the College is required to circulate to members, for 60 days prior to Council approval, any by-law related to fees a member is required to pay to the College. Following circulation of the by-law amendment, it will be brought back to Council for approval. Once approved, the amendment will apply to CE deficiency audits for members found deficient in CE hours for the current CE cycle ending December 31, 2017.

To ensure membership fees are not being spent on unnecessary reviews of a few members, and that members would be responsible for their own oversight, Council proposes to charge a fee of $350 + 13% HST for a CE audit for self-reported CE-deficient members. The proposed fee is priced for cost recovery (to cover administrative and Committee time, and not for profit or to be punitive). The objective of this proposed fee is to ultimately encourage compliance with the College’s CE policy. A fee for this CE deficiency audit is to be added to the Schedule of Fees and Penalties of the College by-laws.

Proposed By-Law Amendment

Members are asked to provide their feedback on the following proposed addition to the Schedule of Fees and Penalties of the College by-laws:

  • Quality Assurance Continuing Education Deficiency Audit: $350 + 13% HST 

 

 

How can I provide my comments to the College?

Seeking member and stakeholder input is an important part of self-regulation in the health professions. You can submit comments using email, mail, fax, or by participating in a survey, which can be found here.

Email

feedback@collegeoptom.on.ca

Fax

416-962-4073

Mail

College of Optometrists of Ontario 
900 – 65 St Clair Ave. E. 
Toronto ON M4T 2Y3

Comments due by December 8, 2015