Professional Obligations for Occupational Therapists
Occupational therapists are accountable to the people they care for and serve, their peers, other regulated professions and their regulator – the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario.
As registrants of the College, occupational therapists have a duty to:
- provide the accepted standard of care for patients and clients
- report suspected cases of child abuse, sexual abuse or incapacity
- maintain the rules of privacy and confidentiality to respect patients
- serve the best interests of patients by working with other professionals through interdisciplinary care and collaboration
- put the needs of patients and clients first by maintaining professional boundaries
- ensure that patients provide informed consent before a treatment or procedure
- improve their skills and knowledge through ongoing professional development and completing annual quality assurance requirements
- hold appropriate professional liability insurance
- maintain the required number of practice hours (600 in three years)
- follow the rules and regulations that govern the occupational therapy profession
- fulfill legal reporting requirements such as self-reporting and submitting mandatory reports
- inform the College of changes to their address, email, employment, professional liability insurance and more, within 30 days of the change, to update information and make sure current information is available on the public register (list of OTs in Ontario)
- stay informed about changes to laws, regulations, standards and other information affecting your practice by visiting the College website and reading all College communications, including emails.
By fulfilling these fundamental obligations and responsibilities, occupational therapists meet the expectations of the profession