Dialogue Volume 15 Issue 1 2019 | Page 62

DISCIPLINE SUMMARIES completion of a physician practice management course; clinical supervision with respect to effective office administration for a period of 12 months; and reassessment within six months of completing the clinical supervision. For complete details, please see the full decision at www.cpso.on.ca. Select Find a Doctor and enter the doctor’s name. APPEAL Dr. Otto appealed the penalty to the Divisional Court. On January 28, 2019, the Divisional Court ordered that Dr. Otto’s appeal be dismissed. DR. HARVEY STEPHEN PASTERNAK PRACTICE LOCATION: Toronto AREA OF PRACTICE: General Practice HEARING INFORMATION: Admission; Agreed State- ment of Facts; Joint Submission on Penalty On July 25, 2018, the Discipline Committee found that Dr. Pasternak has committed an act of profes- sional misconduct, in that he failed to maintain the standard of practice of the profession. The Committee found that Dr. Pasternak failed to maintain the standard of practice of the profession in his care of Patient A, including by prescribing large doses of opioid and benzodiazepine medication with escalating doses in the absence of a physical examina- tion, failing to reassess the patient to determine the effectiveness of the dose increases, failing to assess the reasons for repeated early prescription refills, and fail- ing to maintain adequate medical records in respect of the patient. After the College’s expert assessed Dr. Pasternak’s care of Patient A, the College conducted a broader investigation into Dr. Pasternak’s practice. The Col- lege’s expert reviewed 15 of Dr. Pasternak’s patient charts, and noted the following failures to meet the standard of practice: a) Failing to document rationale for prescribing; b) Failing to assess reasons for repeated early pre- scription refills and to assess the possibility of 62 DIALOGUE ISSUE 1, 2019 diversion, overuse or misuse; c) Failing to assess or reassess patients for potential adverse risks associated with big doses of opioids and benzodiazepines; d) Providing large doses of opioids in the absence of physical assessments; and e) Failing to maintain adequate medical records. Undertaking On May 25, 2017, Dr. Pasternak voluntarily entered into an Undertaking, pending the disposition of this matter by the Discipline Committee. Dr. Pasternak undertook to practise under the guidance of a Clini- cal Supervisor, who reviews the charts for patients to whom Dr. Pasternak prescribes narcotics or con- trolled substances and makes regular reports to the College. ORDER The Committee ordered: a reprimand; terms, condi- tions and limitations on Dr. Pasternak’s certificate of registration, including 12 months of clinical supervi- sion of his narcotics prescribing and a reassessment of Dr. Pasternak’s practice. The Committee also ordered hearing costs to the College in the amount of $10,180. For complete details, please see the full decision at www.cpso.on.ca. Select Find a Doctor and enter the doctor’s name. At the conclusion of the hearing, Dr. Pasternak waived his right to an appeal and the Committee administered the public reprimand.