Island college of physicians opens up

The Prince Edward Island College of Physicians and Surgeons has taken steps to become more open, launching a website to inform the public about disciplinary hearing against its members.

'We've been struggling with how to inform the public.' — Dr. Cyril Moyse

The changes follow criticism that the college is too secretive. It is the last in Canada to have a website.

"What we did after the last time, when people felt we hadn't appropriately informed the public, at the next national meeting both our lawyer and I spoke to almost every province to find out how they did it," college registrar Dr. Cyril Moyse told CBC News Friday.

"The answer was they use the website."

The P.E.I. College of Physicians and Surgeons investigates complaints against doctors and, when warranted,holds disciplinary hearings into those complaints. The college can issue fines and suspend orrevoke a doctor's licence.

First hearing posted

In the past the college never notified the public about hearings. People only found out a doctor had been disciplined after the fact.

"We've been struggling with how to inform the public about it— yes, the public needs to be advised that it's on," said Moyse.

"On the other hand you don't want to sensationalize it to the point that the individual doctor is being tried before the trial."

The website posted information last week on a hearing into two separate complaintsagainst Dr. Douglas Ian Cameron of Summerside. That hearing is scheduled for Feb. 6 at the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission.

Dr. Cameron licence to practise was suspended indefinitely in August pending a full medical evaluation.