Toronto Star: Ontario family doctors in a ‘tricky situation’ when it comes to mask mandates

Sun Jun 12 22:44:39 EDT 2022
Family physician Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myth said her clinic in Ottawa will continue requiring most patients to wear masks, even though the provincial masking mandate expired this weekend.
Ontario’s mask requirements for high-risk settings, including doctor’s offices and hospitals, expired on Saturday. Yet, some Toronto hospitals are still keeping mask mandates.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) is the regulatory body that grants doctors licenses in Ontario. Kaplan-Myrth said she worries Saturday’s expiration of mask mandates means patients who are asked to wear a medical mask in her clinic will file complaints with the CPSO.
“That is a nuisance, and it's a waste of resources,” Kaplan-Myrth said.
“We have a commitment to take care of patients, but asking patients or telling patients that they have to wear a mask is not a hardship.”
Kaplan-Myrth received an email from president of the Ontario College of Family Physicians Dr. Liz Muggah on Friday that said “the CPSO has affirmed that patients cannot be denied care based on their decision not to wear a mask.”
Karen Leiva, a spokesperson for the Ontario College of Family Physicians, said in an email to the Star that doctors “have a fundamental duty of care” to see all patients.
“With safety and duty of care in mind, physicians will continue to provide care to a patient when they cannot or will not wear a mask,” Leiva said.
Kaplan-Myrth said she wants the CPSO state they will not investigate complaints people are asked to wear masks. She noted she does not expect patients with specific disabilities that prevent mask-wearing to wear a mask.
Spokesperson for the CPSO Shae Greenfield said the college would not comment on how complaints about mask requirements would be handled.
“Our expectation is that physicians will ensure that they are not withholding necessary care from patients,” Greenfield said.
“But at the same time, we expect that physicians will be able to take steps to do so in the safest way possible.”
Dr. Tara Kiran, a family physician at St. Michael’s Hospital said family practices will continue to ask patients and staff to wear masks so they can protect each other and their most vulnerable.
“Just like the rest of the healthcare system, family practices are grappling with a backlog of missed and delayed care. We want to spend our time and effort on seeing patients and I worry this will be a distraction, causing more work and stress for everyone,” said Kiran.
Kiran said the end of the provincial’s mask mandate puts them in a “tricky situation,” and said a majority will understand but a “growing number,” will protest.
The CPSO states on their website that doctors may ask people to wear masks at their clinics. The CPSO also said when treating people who choose not to wear masks, doctors should “plan ahead to help accommodate their needs,” and see unmasked patients at the end of the day to keep them separate from more vulnerable patients.
“It is important that all patients receive the care they need, and are not unnecessarily being denied access or being redirected to other parts of the health care system that are experiencing different challenges,” Greenfield said.
Kaplan-Myrth said that accommodating sick patients who refuse to wear masks still puts herself and her staff at risk.
“There's already a critical staffing shortage in all of health care. It is a serious problem,” Kaplan-Myrth said.
“If you knock me off of being able to provide care for my patients, who's left to provide that care?”
Isaac Phan Nay is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Reach him via email: iphannay@thestar.ca