On May 25, 2021, the Discipline Committee of the College heard, via videoconference, an allegation of Dr. Beauchemin’s professional misconduct. The College’s Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) had required Dr. Beauchemin to complete a specified continuing education or remediation program (SCERP). Dr. Beauchemin failed to comply with certain elements of the SCERP in that she failed to meet with a clinical supervisor the required number of times. The reassessment required under the SCERP has not taken place. In 2019, Dr. Beauchemin failed to attend and rescheduled several appointments with a patient and terminated their physician-patient relationship in a manner that did not comply with College policy. The patient complained to the College. Dr. Beauchemin did not respond to the College’s requests for a response and for the patient’s records. Dr. Beauchemin failed to maintain a complete and comprehensive chart for the patient.
The hearing proceeded in the presence of Dr. Beauchemin and her counsel, and counsel for the College. On the basis of an Agreed Statement of Facts and Admission (Liability), the Committee found that Dr. Beauchemin committed an act of professional misconduct under:
- paragraph 1(1)33 of Ontario Regulation 856/93 made under the Medicine Act, 1991, in that she has engaged in an act or omission relevant to the practice of medicine that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional.
Disposition
Taking into account an Agreed Statement of Facts (Penalty), the Discipline Committee ordered and directed that:
• Dr. Beauchemin attend before the Committee to be reprimanded;
• The Registrar suspend Dr. Beauchemin’s certificate of registration from May 26, 2021 at 12:01 a.m. until the later of:
a. five (5) months after May 26, 2021 at 12:01 a.m.; or
b. the date on which Dr. Beauchemin provides proof of her completion of the outstanding meetings with a Clinical Supervisor in accordance with the Specified Continuing Education and Remediation Program directed by the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee in its decision of December 14, 2017;
• The Registrar place the following terms, conditions and limitations on Dr. Beauchemin’s certificate of registration effective immediately:
a. Dr. Beauchemin shall comply with the College Policy “Closing a Medical Practice”;
b. Dr. Beauchemin shall comply with all outstanding requirements of the Specified Continuing Education and Remediation Program directed by the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee in its decision of December 14, 2017, including the outstanding reassessment of her practice to occur approximately six (6) months after she resumes practice following the suspension of her certificate of registration;
c. Dr. Beauchemin shall successfully complete, at her own expense, individualized instruction in time management and organization with an education consultant approved by the College, and provide proof thereof to the College within six (6) months of the date of this Order;
d. Dr. Beauchemin will attend, at minimum, one (1) meeting per month with a psychiatrist who is acceptable to the College, for as long as the psychiatrist deems necessary, but for not less than a two (2) year period from the date of this Order. For a period of two (2) years from the date of this Order, Dr. Beauchemin’s psychiatrist will provide monthly reports attesting to Dr. Beauchemin’s attendance at these regularly scheduled meetings; and
e. Dr. Beauchemin shall maintain a Log of all requests for chart transfers, all requests for completion of forms and all requests for medication refills made outside of a clinical appointment for an indefinite period of time (“the Log”). The Log shall indicate when such requests were made and when they were fulfilled, and Dr. Beauchemin shall submit this Log to the College on a monthly basis. For greater clarity, Dr. Beauchemin shall maintain this log and submit it to the College including but not limited to during the time that her certificate of registration is suspended.
• Dr. Beauchemin pay costs to the College of $6,000.
The Committee released its reasons for decision in this matter on June 18, 2021, and
they are available via the College’s website.