Last week, I was pleased to Chair both a regular CCO Council meeting, and the 2023 Annual General Meeting. At the Council meeting on June 14, 2024, Council approved the College’s CPMF Action Plan to move forward on the various commitments identified in the 2023 CPMF Report (filed on March 27, 2024). The AGM held later that evening, gave Council, staff and guests an opportunity to review the activities of all CCO committees during 2023, hear from the College’s Auditor who presented the 2023 financial statements, and celebrate the various accomplishments achieved during the year. Watch for the 2023 Annual Report which will be sent sometime in July. Note that when members receive their registration renewal in October 2024, they will be asked to indicate whether they would like to continue to receive a hard copy of the annual report, or whether an electronic version is sufficient. CCO is required to file the annual report with the Minister of Health, and we will continue to provide printed copies to a range of diverse stakeholders.
It is important to know that CCO operates as a health system partner in the broader health regulatory sector. I am pleased to share that CCO has hosted several system partners at our headquarters on Hayden Street recently. These included the Federation of Canadian Chiropractic (FCC) on May 24, 2024, and a meeting of the Health Profession Regulators of Ontario (HPRO) on June 3, 2024, which featured the Honourable Sylvia Jones, Minister of Health and Deputy Premier and Ontario’s Fairness Commissioner Mr. Irwin Glasberg, as speakers.
Also, included below are important updates from the Quality Assurance Committee which relate to Continuing Education and Peer and Practice Assessment. Please take the time to read and act upon these important changes. Thank you for continuing to participate in CCO’s important work in regulating the chiropractic profession in the public interest.
Sincerely,
Dr. Sarah Green
President
Meeting of the Federation of Canadian Chiropractic (FCC) – May 24, 2024
Meeting of the Health Profession Regulators of Ontario (HPRO) with the Minister of Health and Deputy Premier Hon. Sylvia Jones (centre) – June 3, 2024
2023 CCO Annual General Meeting – June 14, 2024
Updates from the Quality Assurance Committee
July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2024 Continuing Education (CE) Cycle
The current CE cycle is coming to an end on June 30, 2024. Members may log and submit their CE hours for the July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2024 CE cycle until December 31, 2024. If you have not completed your hours for this CE cycle, please do so and log them before December 31, 2024.
A reminder that members registered in the General (i.e., Active) class of registration for the entirety of the CE cycle are required to participate and log their CE hours in accordance with the CCO Continuing Education requirements. CE hours for the period can be logged using the member portal under “Continuing Education and Professional Development Log” by selecting the July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2024 CE cycle in the “Reporting Cycle” window.
The July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2026 CE log will soon be available, and members may begin logging hours as of July 1, 2024. Members are strongly encouraged to complete the Self Assessment within the first three months of the new CE cycle to help guide their CE activities.
Additions to CE requirements beginning July 1, 2024
CCO Council approved amendments to Standard of Practice S-003: Professional Portfolio (clean version, marked up version), following distribution for feedback in September 2023. These amendments include a new requirement as part of the Continuing Education (CE) program as follows:
“It is a requirement that every member (registered in the General class) complete a minimum of 5 hours of structured CE activity, that primarily focuses on an in-person hands-on or hand-held instrument adjustment or manipulation activity and includes training in the competency of manual or hand-held instrument spinal adjustment or manipulation skills, at least once every three CE cycles (or six years).”
CCO Council approved these amendments to further the objects of the College to promote continuing evaluation, competence and improvement among members. CCO standards of practice require members to have achieved, maintain and be able to demonstrate clinical competency in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures used in practice. As a high level of competency and skill is required to perform the spinal adjustment or manipulation and competencies in psychomotor skills improve with continued use, education and training, it is in the public interest for members to participate directly in regular in-person CE.
Please review the following questions and answers for further details about this new requirement.
When will this requirement come into effect?
The amendments to Standard of Practice S-003: Professional Portfolio will come into effect on July 1, 2024 for the upcoming new CE cycle. Members registered in the General class of registration will be required to complete this CE activity over the next three CE cycles (or six years) until June 30, 2030. New members will be required to complete this requirement within their first required three CE cycles (or six years).
What types of CE activities meet this requirement?
Members may choose any type of structured CE activity that is in-person and primarily focuses on hands-on or handheld instrument adjustment or manipulation activity and includes training in the competency of manual or hand-held instrument spinal adjustment or manipulation skills. CCO does not approve or accredit CE courses, but rather CE courses must meet the criteria described in Standard of Practice S-003: Professional Portfolio. This activity should meet the criteria of structure CE listed in Standard of Practice S-003: Professional Portfolio, with the exception of online, internet or computer courses. Diagnostic or therapeutic procedures must comply with the requirements in Standard of Practice S-001: Chiropractic Scope of Practice.
Must CE courses be taken in Ontario?
No. As with all CE requirements, there is not a requirement for this CE requirement to be completed in Ontario.
What if there are no in-person CE courses in hands-on or handheld instrument or manipulation activity where I live?
CCO acknowledges there may be challenges in accessing in-person CE courses, especially for those members living in remote or rural locations. However, the requirement to complete 5 hours of in-person CE once every three CE cycles (or six years) is not onerous. Further, the QA Committee expects that additional in-person CE opportunities will continue to become available, whether through accredited chiropractic colleges, professional associations or private CE providers. There may also be opportunities for members to develop in-person CE opportunities for each other that meet the criteria of structured CE activities, which include structured agendas, specified learning objectives and/or the opportunity for interaction with other members of the profession or other professions and the ability for the member to interact and/or gain feedback.
What are the Mandatory Components of CE?
The following is a summary of the mandatory components of CE as set out in Standard of Practice S-003: Professional Portfolio:
- 5 hours of structured activity that consists of structed activity on diagnostic or therapeutic procedures related to controlled acts every CE cycle;
- Remaining current with emergency first aid + CPR Level C + AED (or higher level);
- Attendance at a CCO Regulatory Excellence Workshop (virtual or in-person) once every three CE cycles (or six years) – came into effect July 1, 2022 to be completed by June 30, 2028; and
- 5 hours of structured activity that primarily focused on an in-person hands-on or hand-held instrument adjustment or manipulation activity once every three CE cycles (or six years) – came into effect July 1, 2024 to be completed by June 30 2030.
New Online On-Demand Webinar on Advertising, Websites and Social Media
CCO has released an online on-demand webinar on Advertising, Websites and Social Media. This webinar includes an excerpt from the Regulatory Excellence Workshop (REW) with interactive quizzes and reviews specific sections from the advertising standard of practice, with examples related to each section. Although not mandatory, members who advertise and communicate to the public about chiropractic services are encouraged to review the webinar for guidance. Members may count ½ hour – 1 hour towards their structured CE hours requirement, depending on how long it takes to complete. This webinar may require a computer for viewing and participation.
Please note, although some of the content in this webinar is included in the Regulatory Excellence Workshop (REW), this new webinar does not count toward the requirement of completing the REW once every three CE cycles (or six years).
Call for New Peer Assessors- Apply by July 26, 2024
Peer and Practice Assessment is one of the foundations of CCO’s Quality Assurance program and has been a powerful, proactive way to provide members with non-punitive feedback on their compliance with CCO regulations, standards of practice, policies and guidelines. The College is now welcoming new peer assessors to this important role. For more details on how to apply, see here.