CPSO - Doctor Details

Summary

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vestibulum ac diam sit amet quam vehicula elementum sed sit amet dui. Vivamus suscipit tortor eget felis porttitor volutpat. Curabitur non nulla sit amet nisl tempus convallis quis ac lectus. Curabitur aliquet quam id dui posuere blandit. Vivamus suscipit tortor eget felis porttitor volutpat. Curabitur arcu erat, accumsan id imperdiet et, porttitor at sem. Vestibulum ac diam sit amet quam vehicula elementum sed sit amet dui. Donec sollicitudin molestie malesuada. Pellentesque in ipsum id orci porta dapibus.

Former Name: No Former Name

Gender: Female

Languages Spoken: English

Education: University of Toronto, 1977

Practice Information

Primary Location of Practice

3364 Carling Avenue
Nepean ON K2H 5A8
Phone: (613) 721-9800
Fax: (613) 721-9314 Electoral District: 07

Specialties

Specialty	Issued On	Type
No Speciality Reported

Registration History

Action	Issue Date
First certificate of registration issued: Postgraduate Education Certificate	Effective: 13 Jun 1977
Expired: Terms and conditions of certificate of registration	Expiry: 11 Jun 1978
Subsequent certificate of registration Issued: Independent Practice Certificate	Effective: 08 Jan 1986
Transfer of class of certificate to: Restricted certificate	Effective: 22 Jan 2007
Terms and conditions imposed on certificate by member	Effective: 22 Jan 2007
Transfer of class of registration to: Independent Practice Certificate	Effective: 19 Aug 2008
Transfer of class of certificate to: Restricted certificate	Effective: 15 Dec 2014
Terms and conditions imposed on certificate by Discipline Committee	Effective: 15 Dec 2014

Practice Restrictions

Imposed By	Effective Date	Expiry Date	Status
Discipline Committee	Effective: 15 Dec 2014		Active

             As from December 15, 2014, by order of the Discipline Committee of the College
            of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, the following terms, conditions and
            limitations are imposed on the certificate of registration held by Dr. Jennifer
            Margaret Armstrong:

            (b)   Effective immediately, Dr. Armstrong will require that all of her current
                  patients have a family physician or certified specialist who will provide
                  concurrent care and to whom she will send information about all treatment
                  she initiates or she has initiated and any changes to that treatment that
                  she provides to the patient. Dr. Armstrong will provide each of her
                  current patients (ie. patients of hers as of the date of this
                  Undertaking) with a period of 45 days to obtain care from a primary care
                  physician or appropriate specialist, and will not take on any new patient
                  who does not have a primary care physician or appropriate specialist. Dr.
                  Armstrong will cease treating any of her current patients who have not
                  arranged concurrent care as set out above by January 31, 2015; and

            (c)   Dr. Armstrong shall post a sign in her waiting room and each of her
                  examination rooms, in each of her practice locations, in a clearly
                  visible location, that states: "I require that all of my current patients
                  have a family physician or certified specialist who will provide
                  concurrent care and to whom I will send information about all treatment I
                  initiate or have initiated and any changes to that treatment that I
                  provide to our shared patient. I will provide each current patient with a
                  period of 45 days from December 15, 2014 to obtain care from a primary
                  care physician or appropriate specialist, and will not take on any new
                  patient who does not have a primary care physician or appropriate
                  specialist. I will cease treating any current patient who has not
                  arranged concurrent care as set out above by January 31 2015."

Previous Hearings

Committee: Discipline
Decision Date: 15 Dec 2014
Summary:

On December 15, 2014, the Discipline Committee found that Dr. Armstrong committed an act of professional misconduct in that she has failed to maintain the standard of practice of the profession with respect to one patient. Dr. Armstrong admitted to the allegation.

Dr. Armstrong is a general practitioner with a special interest and additional training in environmental medicine. Patient A was 19 years old at the time Dr. Armstrong met and treated her. Patient A first attended on Dr. Armstrong in December 2010. Dr. Armstrong noted that Patient A did not currently have a family doctor. In addition to a recent Form 1 stay at the hospital of which Dr. Armstrong was aware, Patient A’s mother also reported Patient A’s previous suicide attempts and hospitalisations. Patient A’s mother also provided a summary of Patient A’s medical history, including a history of cognitive decline and seizures and reported that Patient A had been treated by a physician practising environmental medicine in the past and had improved considerably.

Patient A attended on Dr. Armstrong on 3 occasions. On each occasion, in assessing Patient A, Dr. Armstrong failed to perform any mental health assessments. Dr. Armstrong recommended a regime of IV Vitamins which were administered between December 2010 and April 2011. Dr. Armstrong also treated Patient A with minerals and amino acids and lowered Patient A’s thyroid medication in response to tests.

Dr. Armstrong did not see Patient A again after April 2011. In May, 2011, Dr. Armstrong subsequently learned that Patient A committed suicide. The College received a report about Patient A’s death from the Office of the Chief Coroner in September 2012, and commenced an investigation into Dr. Armstrong’s care of Patient A.

Dr. Armstrong took no steps to investigate or treat Patient A’s mental health issues. Nor did she take any steps to assist Patient A in finding a primary care physician or other specialist. Dr. Armstrong did not refer Patient A to a psychiatrist, psychologist or other mental health professional. Patient A did not find a family physician.

The independent assessor retained by the College concluded that Dr. Armstrong’s care and treatment of Patient A failed to maintain the standard of practice of the profession and opined as follows:
There were no conventional treatments offered or documented for her psychiatric symptoms. Patient was not treated for her psychiatric symptoms by another physician according to the chart. Dr. Armstrong did not refer this patient to another physician for the psychiatric symptoms or her seizures. The patient did not have a family physician. Instead, Dr. Armstrong concentrated on giving vitamins, minerals and amino acids, which are not the standard of care. Her focus regarding this patient was on chemical sensitivities and metal toxicities…

The Committee ordered and directed that:
• Dr. Armstrong appear before the panel to be reprimanded.
• the Registrar impose the following terms, conditions and limitations on Dr. Armstrong’s certificate of registration:
(a) Dr. Armstrong shall engage in clinical supervision and a reassessment of her practice in accordance with the terms of her undertaking, attached to this Order;
(b) Effective immediately, Dr. Armstrong will require that all of her current patients have a family physician or certified specialist who will provide concurrent care and to whom she will send information about all treatment she initiates or she has initiated and any changes to that treatment that she provides to the patient. Dr. Armstrong will provide each of her current patients (ie. patients of hers as of the date of this Undertaking) with a period of 45 days to obtain care from a primary care physician or appropriate specialist, and will not take on any new patient who does not have a primary care physician or appropriate specialist. Dr. Armstrong will cease treating any of her current patients who have not arranged concurrent care as set out above by January 31, 2015; and
(c) Dr. Armstrong shall post a sign in her waiting room and each of her examination rooms, in each of her practice locations, in a clearly visible location, that states: “I require that all of my current patients have a family physician or certified specialist who will provide concurrent care and to whom I will send information about all treatment I initiate or have initiated and any changes to that treatment that I provide to our shared patient. I will provide each current patient with a period of 45 days from December 15, 2014 to obtain care from a primary care physician or appropriate specialist, and will not take on any new patient who does not have a primary care physician or appropriate specialist. I will cease treating any current patient who has not arranged concurrent care as set out above by January 31 2015.”
• Dr. Armstrong pay costs to the College in the amount of $4,460.00, within 60 days of the date of this Order.

Decision: Download Full Decision (PDF)
Appeal: No Appeal
Hearing Date(s): December 15, 2014

Concerns

Source: FSMB (USA)
Notice Type Discipline Findings in Other Jurisdictions
Active Date: December 04, 2015
Summary: Non-Ontario Disciplinary Finding: Where a disciplinary finding is made against a member on or after September 1, 2015 by a medical regulatory or licensing authority in a jurisdiction outside Ontario, the College By-laws require certain information about the finding to be posted on the register, if the finding is known to the College. The following are non-Ontario disciplinary findings made against this member, as known to the College, together with the corresponding information: On December 4, 2015, the Texas Medical Board revoked Dr. Armstrong’s Texas medical licence and ordered her to immediately cease practice in Texas, based on the disciplinary action taken against Dr. Armstrong by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario in December, 2014 (see Past Findings of the Discipline Committee and Practice Restrictions for more information on the College’s action). The College was notified of this finding by a report dated February 4, 2016.

Armstrong, Jennifer Margaret