Registrar's Report January 2021 Registrar's message
Dear Colleagues,
With the year that we've had, I'd guess even the most creative minds could not have predicted what 2020 had in store when they were considering their plans and goals last January.
COVID-19 has affected every member of the global community, all the way to you as an individual. From the closing of our practices to the current situation of enhanced and expanded public health requirements to practice safely, it has been a difficult and disruptive year for everyone. Despite the challenges that we have faced, and continue to face, life moves forward toward a brighter future and the end of the pandemic. Individually and communally, there has been a lot to learn from this past year. Regardless of what once was, one lesson that we can all hold onto is human resilience. I, for one, walk into 2021 with a deeper sense of gratitude for how simple life was and hope for what lies ahead.
I urge you to consider your own resiliency as we confront the path before us. We have all done amazing things in this past year and have taken actions to quickly meet new health-care regulations and protect our patients. This has not only influenced our clinics and patients, but has upheld and advanced the positive reputation of the chiropractic profession.
As we advance actions that may lead to the end of the pandemic altogether, there is also another end to contemplate. With the passage of Bill 46, the ACAC Council is in the very early stages of planning related to the separation of the College and Association. As Dr. Kane stated in his December InTouch message, "... at the heart of our early discussion is the desire to ensure that when this process is complete, we have both a strong College and a strong Association that both support the chiropractic profession in our province.”
Come what may, I take strength in the commitment and heart my colleagues have demonstrated. Let's greet this New Year armed with all of the learnings and resiliency that 2020 has given us, and the hope and resolve to work towards a healthy and successful future.
I wish you a successful new year.
Dr. Todd Halowski Registrar
When is a privacy impact assessment required? Most privacy impact assessments (PIAs) are done to satisfy the requirements of Section 64 of the Health Information Act.
Under Section 64, custodians must submit PIAs whenever they plan to implement new administrative practices or information systems that collect, use, or disclose health information about identifiable individuals. This also applies to changes to practices or systems.
Since the beginning of your practice, if you have undergone a change to your privacy practices, the information you collect, or experienced any of the situations below, and have not filed a PIA, you may be in violation of the Health Information Act. If this describes your situation, please contact the OIPC to discuss your responsibilities regarding the submission of a PIA.
Here are a few examples of situations where you should consider a PIA under Section 64 of the HIA:
The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) is often asked how big changes have to be in order to trigger a PIA. The most important question to ask yourself is, “Does this project pose any new risks to the privacy of health information?”
Some situations may not call for a PIA, for example moving your office to a new location, upgrading your computer operating system, software upgrades, or bug-fixes that do not add new functionality. In some of these examples, you should still conduct an internal privacy threat-risk assessment, but you likely do not need to do a PIA.
More information is available from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta's website.
X-ray annual preventative maintenance and x-ray five-year registration and renewal both due March 31, 2021 X-ray annual preventative maintenance (APM) requirements are now due at the same time as x-ray registration renewal requirements, on March 31, 2021.
APM and X-ray renewal reminder notices will continue to be sent separately.
All x-ray facilities must complete APM. Only those who receive notice are required to complete their five-year compliance and registration renewal. Please note that APM is not optional in the year that your five-year compliance and registration renewal is due.
Although there is some overlap between APM and Authorized Radiation Protective Agency (ARPA) compliance inspections, there are also significant differences. ARPAs cannot provide APM services and vice versa. Requirements for both services can be viewed here.
Join us for our next virtual member meeting on January 12 at 2 p.m. Join us for our virtual members meetings in January and February, 2021. The January meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 12 at 2 p.m. The last ACAC virtual member meeting took place on December 8. More than 30 members joined Council Chair Dr. Brad Kane, CEO Sheila Steger, and Registrar Dr. Todd Halowski on the one-hour information sharing and Q&A session. If you were unable to attend, you can view the recording of the meeting on our website.
We encourage you to join us for our next virtual members meetings in January and February.
Six months until CC credit requirements must be met As you are aware, the 2020/2021 CC credit reporting period has been extended and a total of 48 CC credits are now due by the end of June. Please remember that certificates must be submitted by June 20, 2021 to allow time for processing.
Broken down over a 12-month period, this equates to an average of 4 credits that must be obtained each month. To put this in perspective, if you started accruing credits on July 1, 2020, and achieve 24 CC credits by the end of 2020, you are 50 per cent complete. That only leaves you six months to complete the remaining 50 per cent of requirements. If you have not yet started working towards meeting the CC credit requirement, we encourage you to start today so you can easily meet the June 20, 2021 deadline. Visit our website for full renewal requirements.
Print tax receipts from your members' centre The ACAC has developed more tutorials for navigating your member profile, including how to update your contact information, view membership dues and more.
Compliance corner: update to the Advertising Directive effective January 2, 2021 Thank you to our members who continue to monitor their social media and websites to ensure content is compliant with the Standards of Practice and the Advertising Directive. When non-compliant content is identified, the response from members has been overwhelmingly positive and receptive in correcting this information.
The terms listed in the Advertising Directive are not an exhaustive list and are reviewed and updated when needed. Effective January 2, 2021, the following additions will be made to the Advertising Directive:
Presently, comments such as improving an infant position at birth or providing an optimal uterine environment, are already part of the Advertising Directive. As these terms are not compliant, it is important to include the breech presentation as an inclusion of non-compliant terminology to the Directive.
Please ensure that all digital material is reviewed by March 31, 2021 and that any reference to breech presentation is removed.
It is important to regularly review the terms outlined in the Advertising Directive to avoid fines and penalties. Remember that the Advertising Directive does not include an exhaustive list of non-compliant terms, but rather serves as a resource for members to review their content for compliance. If you are unsure about your content, please contact the Complaints Director.
Legislative changes
Highlights: Return to Practice feedback survey We want to hear how implementing the Return to Practice plan is going in your clinic. Please submit your feedback to us using this survey. Email for CC submissions If you have earned a certificate of completion from an eligible CC seminar or from mandatory training such as Standard First Aid with CPR-C/AED or trauma-informed training, we strongly encourage you to forward it to the ACAC office now. Fax: 780-425-6583
Certificates are normally processed within 10 business days. CC credits will appear in your profile once processing is complete. Diagnostic image viewing AHS will stop providing CDs of diagnostic images. In order to view these images, you will need Netcare access.
If you already have Netcare access, please stop requisitions for CDs and start to use the Netcare portal to view all diagnostic images.
MVA and DTPR: Diagnostic and treatment protocols Now is a good time to brush up on your knowledge in the processing and handling of MVA. In light of the initial rollout of vaccines for COVID-19, please remember vaccination and immunization are not within the chiropractic scope of practice.
The ACAC directs members to refer all patient questions, consultation and education regarding immunization and vaccination to the appropriate public health authorities and/or health professional whose scope of practice includes vaccination.
We continue to screen members’ web and social media for compliance with the Advertising Directive.
Please ensure you are regularly reviewing your website and social media accounts and removing any content in contravention. |