Wednesday, June 11, 2008
For the Attention of
Hospital CEOs, Board Chairs, Chiefs of Staff, Senior Management, Directors of Risk Management/Patient Safety
Tom Closson
President and CEO
An Ontario Guide to Disclosure
On July 1, 2008, new amendments to Regulation 965 under the
Public Hospitals Act will require Ontario hospitals to disclose critical incidents to patients. To assist Ontario hospitals in understanding their new obligations, the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) has developed “An Ontario Guide to Disclosure”.
The Guide is not intended to be a prescriptive approach to the process of disclosure. It aims to provide hospitals with a summary of their new obligations under Regulation 965. In particular, the purpose of the Guide is to:
- Highlight the importance of disclosure in creating and sustaining a culture of patient safety;
- Summarize existing provincial disclosure legislation and/or frameworks;
- Provide resources to support the disclosure process; and
- Outline the new obligations of hospitals as a result of amendments to Regulation 965 under the Public Hospitals Act.
A complimentary copy of the Guide has been mailed to each Hospital CEO. Additional copies of the Guide can be purchased on the OHA website under “Communications, Publications for Sale, Publication #323” at a cost of $35 for OHA members and $100 for non-members, or purchased through the OHA Publications line at 416-205-1350.
In addition, hospitals and other health care organizations are encouraged to access two archived videoconferences on the topic of disclosure. The first videoconference focuses
on the legal and regulatory approach to disclosure. The second videoconference is directed at the ethical and practical approach to disclosure. Both sessions can be accessed on the OHA website under “Professional Development & Events, Distance Learning, OHA MediaSite”.
If you have any questions about the Guide, or require additional information, please contact Cyrelle Muskat at 416-205-1316 or cmuskat@oha.com, or Melissa Radolli at 416-205-1322 or mradolli@oha.com.