OVERVIEW OF QUALITY ASSURANCE

The Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA) requires each health regulatory College to develop and maintain a Quality Assurance Program that will promote the continuing competence of its Members.  The specific components of the Program are up to each College to determine.

CRTO's QA Program

Currently the CRTO's QA Program consists of two main components designed to enhance the knowledge, skills and abilities of Members:
  1. the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) module, and 
  2. the Assessment module. 

The CQI module is achieved by completing the Professional Portfolio on an annual basis.  Members utilize the Portfolio to record their day-to-day learning activities and document one Learning Goal each year in a four-step process that is designed to encourage reflective practice. 

The Assessment module consists of the Professional Standards Assessment (PSA).  The PSA is an online (web-based), open-book test consisting of 50 multiple-choice questions requiring the application of College legislation, regulations, standards and guidelines.


What are my Responsibilities?

All CRTO Members, regardless of their category of registration (general, limited or graduate; active or inactive) are required to participate in the QA Program by maintaining their Portfolio on an ongoing basis.  On the Annual Renewal of Registration form, Members must sign a declaration verifying their participation as it is considered a professional responsibility and a standard of practice.

If requested by the Quality Assurance Committee through the annual random selection process, Members must provide evidence of their continuous quality improvement by submitting their Professional Portfolio for evaluation.  Members may also be asked to complete the Professional Standards Assessment at that time.

Legislative Changes Affecting Quality Assurance

Recent RHPA amendments by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care outline specific requirements as follows:

  1. "continuing education or professional development designed to,  
    1. promote continuing competence and continuing quality improvement among the members,
    2. address changes in practice environments, and
    3. incorporate standards of practice, advances in technology, changes made to entry to practice competencies and other relevant issues in the discretion of Council;
  2. self, peer and practice assessments; and
  3. a mechanism for the College to monitor members' participation in, and compliance with, the quality assurance program."

 

QA Program Diagram

The CRTO's Quality Assurance Program is outlined in Ontario Regulation 596/95 Part VI.  Following consultation with stakeholders including Members, associations and other regulatory bodies, the CRTO Council approved proposed revisions to the Regulation that are intended make it consistent with the RHPA amendments.  These revisions are currently with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for their consideration and approval.