Standard 1.6 Conflict of Interest - College of Registered ...

A conflict-of-interest exists when a member is in any arrangement or relationship where a reasonable person could conclude that the exercise of the member's ... Skiptomaincontent RESSOURCESENFRANÇAIS CONTACTUS LOGIN CloseSearch Standard1.6Conflict-of-Interest Background Aconflict-of-interestexistswhenamemberisinanyarrangementorrelationshipwhereareasonablepersoncouldconcludethattheexerciseofthemember’sprofessionalexpertiseorjudgmentmaybecompromisedby,orbeinfluencedinappropriatelyby,thearrangementorrelationship.Aconflict-of-interestmaybeactual,potentialorperceived. Recognizingandpreventingconflicts-of-interest RPsareexpectedtobealerttoanycircumstancewhereaconflict-of-interestmaydevelopormaybeperceivedbyothers,andrespondbytakingappropriateaction.Mostconflictsofinterestarepreventableifthesituationisavoidedattheoutset. Managingconflict-of-interest Notallconflicts-of-interestareofequalconcern.Somesituationsmaybeveryseriousandmustbeavoidedentirely.Thereareothersituationswhereaconflict-of-interestmaydevelop,butisunavoidable,ornotinthebestinterestoftheclienttoavoid.Thesesituationsmustbemanagedcarefully. Anexampleofthelattercouldincludeworkinginasmallorisolatedcommunitywhereamembermaybetheonlypersonwhocanprovidepsychotherapyservicestolocalresidents.Asaresult,themembermayprovidepsychotherapytosomeonewhoisalsohis/hermechanic,hairdresser,lawyer,doctor,etc. Thefollowingaresomeexamplesofsituationsthatplaceamemberinaconflict-of-interest: 1. Acceptingabenefitforreferringaclienttoanyotherperson. Abenefitisanyadvantageorgain,whetherdirectorindirect,andwhetherornotitismonetaryinnature.Aconflictmayexistevenifthebenefitisnottothememberdirectly,buttoarelatedpersonorrelatedcorporation.Arelatedpersonissomeoneconnectedwiththememberbyblood,marriage,common-law,oradoption.Arelatedcorporationisacorporationthatthememberorarelatedpersonwhollyorsubstantiallyowns.Amembershouldreferaclienttoanotherserviceprovideronlyiftheclientrequiresorrequeststheservice.Themembershouldchoosetheplaceofreferralsolelyonthebasisofmeritandbenefittotheclient,andnotbecausethememberhopestoreceiveabenefitasaresultofthatreferral. 2. Offeringabenefitforreceivingareferral. Thissituationistheinverseofthepreviousone.Referralrecommendationsmustbemadesolelyforthebenefitoftheclient.Referralsforthebenefitofthemembercanpromoteunnecessaryservices. 3. Offeringabenefittoaclientwherethemember’sservicesarebeingpaidforbyathirdparty. Whereathirdpartypaysfortheservice(e.g.aninsurancecompany),itisinappropriatetogivetheclientexpensivegiftstoencouragehim/hertocontinuetherapy.Inducingaclienttocomeinforaservicepaidforbyathirdpartythroughgift-givingpromotesunnecessarytreatmentandcouldinvolvefraud.Thegivingofasmall,health-promotingproductisacceptable(e.g.afreestressball). 4. Acceptingmaterialsorequipment. Amembershouldnotacceptabenefitintheformofmaterialsorequipmentinreturnforusingorrecommendingasupplier’sproductorservice.Themember’schoiceofproductorserviceshouldbebasedsolelyonqualityfortheclient.Thisdoesnotprecludeacceptanceofnominalgifts(e.g.asmallnumberoffreesamplestressballs). 5. Usingpremisesorequipmentwithoutreasonablepayment. Thisexampleisgiventopreventmembersfromplacingthemselvesinaconflict-of-interestwithalandlordorsupplier(e.g.obtainingtheuseofafreeorlowcostofficefromsomeonewhocouldbenefitfromamember’srecommendationstoclients).Memberspayforallpremisesandequipmentatareasonable,marketrate.Otherwise,thereisatleastanappearancethatthememberwillfavourthelandlordorsupplierinthemember’srecommendations. 6. Enteringintoanagreementorarrangementthatinterfereswiththemember’sabilitytoproperlyexercisehis/herprofessionaljudgment. Amembermaynotenterintoanagreementorarrangement,orcoerceanothermemberintoanagreementorarrangement,whichpreventsthememberfromplacingtheneedsofclientsfirst.Forexample,anagreementthatamemberwillprovideacertaintreatmenttoallclientsisimproperbecausedecisionsmustbebasedonanassessmentofeachclient’sindividualneeds.Avoidingthistypeofconflictreassuresthepublicthat,despiteanycontractualobligations,thememberwillalwaysplacetheneedsofhis/herclientsfirst.Membersmaydescribethisrulewhennegotiatingagreementswithotherparties. 7. Engaginginanyformofrevenuesharingexceptinspecificcircumstancesassetoutbelow. Insomepracticearrangements,amembermightnotreceivetheentirefeepaidbytheclientorathirdpartyforprovidingprofessionalservices,butmayshareitwithotherswithintheorganizationorpractice.Inordertoavoidaconflict-of-interest,membersmaysharerevenueonlywithoneormoreofthefollowing:i.anothermemberoftheCollege;ii.amemberofanotherregulatedhealthprofession;iii.ahealthprofessionalcorporation;iv.asocialworkerorsocialserviceworkeroraprofessionalcorporationforasocialworkerorasocialserviceworker;orv.anyotherpersonifthereisawrittencontractwiththepersonstatingthatthememberwillhavecontrolover,andberesponsiblefor,his/herownprofessionaldecisions,andformaintainingprofessionalstandards. 8. Sellingaproducttoaclientorrecommendingaproductthatissoldinanypremisesassociatedwiththemember,withoutfirstadvisingtheclientthats/hemaypurchasetheproductelsewherewithoutaffectingtheclient-practitionerrelationship. Amembermaynotpressuretheclientintopurchasingproductsfromthemember’spracticeorthemember’slandlord.Avoidingthistypeofconductassuresthepublicthatanysaleorrecommendationmadebythememberisintheclient’sinterestonly.Italsogivestheclienttheopportunitytoobtainproductselsewhere,perhapsatalowerpriceoratamoreconvenientlocation.Ifrecommendingaproducttoaclientthatissoldinanypremisesassociatedwiththemember,thememberalsoissuesawrittendescriptionoftheproduct.Inaddition,thememberadvisestheclientthats/hemaypurchasetheproductelsewherewithoutaffectingtheclient-practitionerrelationship. TheStandard:Conflict-of-interest Membersremainalerttopotential,actualorperceivedconflicts-of-interest,andtakemeasurestopreventthesesituationsfromarising.Memberstakeactiontoeffectivelymanageandmitigateanyconflicts-of-interestthatmayarise. DemonstratingtheStandard Amemberdemonstratescompliancewiththestandardby,forexample: beingawareof,andavoiding,situationsthatmayplacethememberinaconflict-of-interest; carefullymanagingconflicts-of-interestbyappropriatelydisclosingtheconflict,andensuringthatsuitablesafeguardsareestablishedanddocumented; seekingadvicefrompeersortheCollege,whenindoubt. Seealso: Standard1.7DualorMultipleRelationships Standard1.8UndueInfluenceandAbuse Standard1.9Referral ProfessionalMisconductRegulation,provision16 Note:Collegepublicationscontainingpracticestandards,guidelinesordirectivesshouldbeconsideredbyallmembersinthecareoftheirclientsandinthepracticeoftheprofession.Collegepublicationsaredevelopedinconsultationwiththeprofessionanddescribecurrentprofessionalexpectations.ItisimportanttonotethattheseCollegepublicationsmaybeusedbytheCollegeorotherbodiesindeterminingwhetherappropriatestandardsofpracticeandprofessionalresponsibilitieshavebeenmaintained. BacktoSection1Standards JOINOURMAILINGLIST ABOUTUS TheCollegeofRegisteredPsychotherapistsofOntario(CRPO)regulatesitsregistrantsinthepublicinterest.CRPOisestablishedunderthePsychotherapyAct,2007andtheRegulatedHealthProfessionsAct,1991. Readmore CONTACTUS 375UniversityAvenue,Suite803 Toronto,ONM5G2J5 T:416-479-4330/1-844-712-1364 F:416-639-2168 e:[email protected] ACCESSIBILITY CRPOiscommittedtoprovidingaccessibleservices,informationandcommunicationtoindividualswithdisabilities.Accommodationwillbecustomizedtoeachpersonaccordingtotheirneeds.Ifyourequireanaccessibleservice,formatand/orcommunicationsupport,[email protected]. Readmore QUICKLINKS DISCIPLINEHEARINGS WEBSITEPRIVACYSTATEMENT CRPOPRIVACYPOLICY SITEMAP RESOURCES ©2021CollegeofRegisteredPsychotherapistsofOntario.AllRightsReserved. CloseMenu