Fear tactic advertising

Regarding BCMJ 2001;43(10):551, the College of Physicians & Surgeons developed the Committee on Office Medical Practice Assessment under its mandate to “establish, monitor, and enforce standards of practice to enhance the quality of practice…amongst members.” This program was developed with an educational focus, not a disciplinary focus. All findings of the Committee are confidential and not available to the disciplinary side of the College function.

Over time it became evident that the physician most likely to have deficiencies was a physician who had been in practice more than 25 years, over the age of 60, practising as a solo practitioner without hospital privileges and seeing in excess of 40 patients per day. Given this information and given the educational focus of the Committee, it was elected to do 50% of the practice reviews randomly and 50% targeted on the basis of age being greater than 55 years. It was felt that this would be the best investment of the Committee’s limited resources. The goal of the Committee has always been remediation, not discipline.

It was on this basis that Dr Millar’s practice was selected for review. In fact, in many medical disciplines all physicians over the age of 55 have had a Compa review. A physician’s participation is mandated under the Medical Practitioners Act and the Rules Made Under the Medical Practitioners Act.

Dr Millar chose not to comply with the College’s process in this regard. His consistent refusal to comply led to a hearing before an inquiry committee and ultimately his suspension from the full medical register in 1993. Dr Millar continued on the temporary register as a suspended physician. His suspension was to continue until such time as he elected to comply. Dr Millar’s name was eventually erased from the medical register in December 1997 because Dr Millar chose not to pay his annual fees.

—D.H. Blackman, MD 
Deputy Registrar 
College of Physicians & Surgeons of BC