By this fall, Ontario physiotherapists will likely be able to provide services that have only ever been provided by doctors. This is one of the many improvements to Ontario healthcare proposed in the Regulated Health Professions Statute Law Amendments Act of 2009. The Bill aims to make healthcare more accessible to Ontarians by expanding the scope of authorized abilities of physiotherapists, nurses, pharmacists and other practitioners.
The highly anticipated Bill was tabled in May by Ontario Health Minister David Caplan. It was a response to an extensive review conducted by the Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC) that was released last September. Currently, the bill is being reviewed for implementation in the fall.
So what types of changes should you be expecting? The Bill will offer physiotherapists new abilities such as:
- True recognition of the capacity to communicate diagnoses
- Ability to treat below the skin for wounds
- Ability to administer oxygen
- Ability to assess and treat incontinence or other pelvic disorders
- Ability to order X-rays and additional tests
If you wish to comment on the proposed legislation, you may contact the Ontario Physiotherapy Association (OPA).
