That the following be adopted as Canadian Medical Association policy:
Medical direction and administrative responsibility:
a) service departments which carry out prescribed medical diagnostic tests and/or therapy in hospitals or clinics must have a medical director who is accountable to the hospital board through the hospital administrator and professionally accountable through the normal channels to the organized medical staff. Such medical service departments include medical laboratory services, radiological services, respiratory technology, physiotherapy and nuclear medicine services. The appointment of a medical director for each such service department is essential in order to ensure the best possible service to the patient and to the hospital and to coordinate the related medical programs for the patient,
b) the size and complexity of some service departments which carry out medical diagnostic tests and/or therapy may require the appointment of administrative assistants to the medical director, and these may be trained in the disciplines of physiotherapy, radiography, medical laboratory technology, respiratory technology, nuclear medicine technology, etc. They should be responsible to the medical director of the hospital services department and should not be head of the department reporting directly to the hospital administrator. In the small centres where there is not a full-time medical specialist on the medical staff the medical director of the service department should be a qualified physician. Such a non- specialized medical director should establish regular communication with a specialist in the field who may be consulted on general and specific questions,
c) it is also recognized that some allied health personnel working in service departments have advanced technical and/or treatment skills. These should be recognized and profitably utilized always under the supervision and accountability of the medical director of the specific service.
That the following be adopted as Canadian Medical Association policy:
Medical direction and administrative responsibility:
a) service departments which carry out prescribed medical diagnostic tests and/or therapy in hospitals or clinics must have a medical director who is accountable to the hospital board through the hospital administrator and professionally accountable through the normal channels to the organized medical staff. Such medical service departments include medical laboratory services, radiological services, respiratory technology, physiotherapy and nuclear medicine services. The appointment of a medical director for each such service department is essential in order to ensure the best possible service to the patient and to the hospital and to coordinate the related medical programs for the patient,
b) the size and complexity of some service departments which carry out medical diagnostic tests and/or therapy may require the appointment of administrative assistants to the medical director, and these may be trained in the disciplines of physiotherapy, radiography, medical laboratory technology, respiratory technology, nuclear medicine technology, etc. They should be responsible to the medical director of the hospital services department and should not be head of the department reporting directly to the hospital administrator. In the small centres where there is not a full-time medical specialist on the medical staff the medical director of the service department should be a qualified physician. Such a non- specialized medical director should establish regular communication with a specialist in the field who may be consulted on general and specific questions,
c) it is also recognized that some allied health personnel working in service departments have advanced technical and/or treatment skills. These should be recognized and profitably utilized always under the supervision and accountability of the medical director of the specific service.
Improving access to world-class health care by accelerating health information technology investments: CMA's 2009 pre-budget brief to the Standing Committee on Finance
The Canadian Medical Association urges governments, within their areas of jurisdiction, to adopt the Wait Time Alliance's benchmarks for psychiatric care.
The Canadian Medical Association urges governments, within their areas of jurisdiction, to adopt the Wait Time Alliance's benchmarks for psychiatric care.
The Canadian Medical Association calls on regulatory agencies, hospitals, health regions and others to utilize a non-punitive quality improvement approach to the examination of adverse events while still acknowledging individual accountability.
The Canadian Medical Association calls on regulatory agencies, hospitals, health regions and others to utilize a non-punitive quality improvement approach to the examination of adverse events while still acknowledging individual accountability.
The Canadian Medical Association will work with the Canadian Psychiatric Association and the Mental Health Commission of Canada to develop and implement stigma-reduction-programs that target stigmatization generated within the health care system.
The Canadian Medical Association will work with the Canadian Psychiatric Association and the Mental Health Commission of Canada to develop and implement stigma-reduction-programs that target stigmatization generated within the health care system.
The Canadian Medical Association will work with the Mental Health Commission of Canada to recommend the basket of medically necessary services required by mentally ill patients be reimbursed by federal/provincial/territorial health plans to support treatment and recovery.
The Canadian Medical Association will work with the Mental Health Commission of Canada to recommend the basket of medically necessary services required by mentally ill patients be reimbursed by federal/provincial/territorial health plans to support treatment and recovery.
