The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) regulates the practice of medicine in the province under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 and the Medicine Act, 1991. When concerns are raised about a physician’s conduct or competence, the matter is investigated by the College’s Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee, which may dismiss the complaint, issue a caution or remediation order, or refer the matter to the Ontario Physicians and Surgeons Discipline Tribunal for a hearing.
CPSO discipline outcomes range from advice and remediation, to public reprimand, to conditions on a certificate of registration, to suspension, to revocation. The most serious cases, including those involving sexual abuse, fraud, or clinical incompetence, are heard by the OPSDT and result in publicly reported decisions.
Discipline proceedings are regulatory and do not compensate patients. A patient who has suffered injury from negligent care must pursue a civil claim separately. CPSO and OPSDT findings can, however, be a useful source of information about a physician’s history and the regulator’s view of the relevant standard of practice.
Posts tagged CPSO Discipline analyze recent disciplinary outcomes affecting Ontario physicians, including the clinical context and the penalty imposed.
Hamilton Spectator coverage of Dr. Stefan Konasiewicz, whose six-month suspension could end in August. Paul Cahill comments on why a patient death led the discipline tribunal to remediation rather than revocation, and where a College proceeding ends and a civil claim begins.
A practical guide to filing complaints about medical care in Ontario, from hospital patient relations and the Patient Ombudsman to the regulatory colleges and the Office of the Chief Coroner.
A family physician was suspended for three months after failing to complete a patient’s insurance forms, release another patient’s records to their lawyer, and cooperate with the College’s investigation. A look at why unreturned records are treated as misconduct, and what discipline does and does not do for an injured patient.
An emergency physician was struck off after billing OHIP $125,353 for services he never rendered, including critical care and cardioversions with no record they ever happened, and then refusing to cooperate with the College’s investigation. A look at why records integrity and the duty to cooperate sit at the centre of physician accountability.
A neurosurgeon practising pain medicine was suspended for six months after the tribunal found his chronic pain care fell below the standard of practice, his treatment of a patient who died after nerve blocks was deficient, and he breached a College order restricting his injections. A look at why a patient death led to remediation rather than revocation, and where the discipline process ends and a civil claim begins.
Ontario discipline tribunal imposes four-month suspension, practice restrictions, and mandatory supervision on chronic pain physician with pattern of prior concerns.
The Ontario Physicians and Surgeons Discipline Tribunal revoked Dr. Maharaj’s licence after finding his care of 17 patients fell below the standard of practice and that he was incompetent. A look at the consent, evidence-based-treatment and privacy findings, and what a discipline decision does and does not mean for an injured patient.
Ontario discipline tribunal revokes psychiatrist’s licence for issuing over 1,400 COVID exemption letters for profit, with dual misconduct and incompetence findings.
Ontario discipline tribunal imposes suspension on fertility physician based on Quebec findings, including federal Assisted Human Reproduction Act breaches.
Ontario discipline tribunal grants conditional reinstatement to psychiatrist whose licence was revoked in 2018 for serious professional boundary violations.
Ontario ER physician suspended after sending home a 19-year-old with a peritonitic abdomen; she died of septic shock. CPSO v Duic, 2025 ONPSDT 11.
Ontario anesthesiologist suspended ten months for lapses in vigilance, altering records after adverse events, and OHIP misbilling. CPSO v Sharma, 2025 ONPSDT 5.
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