12 May 2013

Whitby Paediatrician DOCKRILL MD(Nova Scotia 1984) FRCP(C) pleaded Guilty to having a compulsory Office charge.

COULD NOT AFFORD APPEAL ($100,000+/-): CMPA insurance does not cover appeals.

Committee: Discipline
Appeal Status: No Appeal    Appeal Decision Date:
Hearing Date: 18 Jun 2012     Decision Date: 18 Jun 2012


            On June 18, 2012, the Discipline Committee found that Dr. Karen Gaye Dockrill
            committed an act of professional misconduct, in that she charged a fee for an
            undertaking to be available to provide services to patients, in that she
            contravened a regulation made under the Medicine Act, and in that she has
            engaged in conduct or an act or omission relevant to the practice of medicine
            that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by
            members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional. Dr. Dockrill admitted
            the allegations.

            Dr. Dockrill is a paediatrician who currently practises in Whitby, Ontario. In
            2006, Dr. Dockrill established a business under the name "Mom and Baby Depot
            Ltd." ("MBD"). From 2007 through 2010, Dr. Dockrill carried out a paediatric
            practice through MBD that included both the provision of primary care to
            children as well as paediatric consults on referral from a family physician.
            Patients were accepted into Dr. Dockrill's primary care practice at a family's
            request only when parents purchased and maintained a membership in MBD, for
            which they were charged a fee. For a single child, this fee ranged between $500
            and $2,200 per year. This fee failed to comply with the College's policy with
            regard to Block Fees and Uninsured Services. 
            Ms X's newborn son was referred to Dr. Dockrill for primary care in June 2007
            after he underwent surgery at a hospital for a serious condition. When
            attempting to arrange her son's first appointment, Ms X was told that she would
            have to pay $1,500 per year for a MBD membership as a condition of receiving
            primary care from Dr. Dockrill. Ms X indicated she was not interested in paying
            for the additional programs and services at MBD and only wanted basic insured
            medical care. As a result, Ms X's son was not permitted to see Dr. Dockrill for
            primary paediatric care. 

            Between 2008 and 2010, the MBD website advertised the benefits of membership in
            MBD and Dr. Dockrill's professional services. In addition, between 2008 and
            2010, the advertising on the MBD website included testimonials.

            The Discipline Committee ordered and directed that:

            1.    the Registrar suspend Dr. Dockrill's certificate of registration for a
                  period of one (1) month, to commence within thirty (30) days of the date
                  of this Order; 

            2.    the Registrar impose the following terms, conditions and limitations on
                  Dr. Dockrill's certificate of registration for an indefinite period of
                  time: 

                  a.    Dr. Dockrill shall at her own expense, successfully complete
                        College-facilitated instruction in Ethics no later than one (1)
                        year from the date of the Committee's Order; 
                  
                  b.    Dr. Dockrill shall administer block fees for uninsured services in
                        a manner that is consistent with the College's policy on block fees
                        and uninsured services and, without in any way limiting the
                        generality of that requirement, 
                  
                        i.    shall not discontinue seeing a patient or refuse to see a new
                              patient because that person chooses not to pay a block fee;
                              and
                        ii.   shall not provide, or offer to provide, preferential services
                              to patients who agree to pay a block fee. 
                  
                  
                  c.    Dr. Dockrill shall cooperate with inspections of her practice by
                        representatives of the College for a period of nine (9) months
                        after the completion of the suspension, solely for the purpose of
                        ensuring compliance with this order. Such inspections shall be
                        conducted with at least 24 hours notice being given to Dr. Dockrill
                        before each visit. If any problems with Dr. Dockrill's block fee
                        practices are discovered within the 9-month time period, the
                        College is entitled to extend the monitoring inspections for a
                        further six (6) months. 
                  
            3.    Dr. Dockrill attend before the panel to be reprimanded;

            4.    Dr. Dockrill shall pay the College its costs of this proceeding in the
                  amount of $3,650.00 payable by no later than September 1, 2012. 

2 comments: