Complaints

Filing a complaint with the College
If, as a member of the public, you feel your MRT has not treated you in a professional manner, you can do something about it. You can speak with the MRT. You can ask to speak with the MRT's supervisor or with the medical professional who ordered your treatment. Or, you can call the College to discuss the circumstances surrounding your complaint.

You may contact the following person at the CMRTO regarding complaints and discipline issues or to file a complaint:

Tina Langlois Complaints and Discipline Case Manager
By email:	tlanglois@cmrto.org
By mail:	College of Medical Radiation Technologists of Ontario 170 Bloor Street West, Suite 1001 Toronto, Ontario Canada M5S 1T9
By Telephone:	Telephone: (416) 975-4353 Toll Free: 1 (800) 563-5847 Fax: (416) 975-4355

However, if you feel your complaint should be investigated by the College, then you must notify the Registrar about the incident in writing as soon as possible, providing details of the incident or incidents. This sets in motion a procedure designed to ensure a fair and thorough investigation of your complaint, and to provide safeguards for you and the MRT. The process includes an investigation by the College's Complaints Committee and possible referral to the Discipline Committee. More information regarding this process can be found below and in the Discipline section.

If you have difficulty writing your complaint, we would take a statement, and provide you with an opportunity to view the statement and make corrections.

In your written complaint, please be sure to:

State that you are making a complaint against the actions of a medical radiation technologist
Provide the name(s) of the medical radiation technologist(s) involved. (If not known, the CMRTO can assist you in identifying the medical radiation technologist(s)
State your specific concern and provide:
1. the date the incident occurred
2. the time the incident occurred
3. the exact location where the incident occurred (e.g., name of facility, hospital, room number)
4. the patient's name if you are not the patient
5. as many details as possible about the incident
6. your name, address and telephone number so that an investigator can contact you

If your complaint is not about the actions of a medical radiation technologist, but rather the administrative processes or policies of a facility or a hospital, then your complaint is outside the jurisdiction of the CMRTO.

If your complaint is about administrative processes or policies of a clinic (Independent Health Facility) in Ontario, you may wish to contact:

Tracey Marshall
Program Supervisor for Government Programs
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
416-967-2600 Ext. 223
tmarshall@cpso.on.ca

If your complaint is about the collection, use or disclosure of your personal information, you may wish to contact the Privacy Commissioner of Ontario at www.ipc.on.ca.

Investigation of a complaint
The College's Complaints Committee, which is made up of both members of the public and members of the profession, conducts an investigation into all written complaints received by the College.

The Complaints Committee determines what will happen to a complaint. Actions which the Complaints Committee may take include:

Referring a complaint to the Discipline Committee for a hearing
Referring a complaint to the Executive Committee for incapacity proceedings
Requiring the member to appear before the Complaints Committee to be cautioned
Dismissing the complaint

Common types of complaints
Every year, the College receives complaints from the public about the behaviour of some MRTs in examination and treatment settings. Sometimes these complaints can be serious enough to warrant action by the College's Discipline Committee. MRTs must realize that some of their actions can concern or confuse patients. Yet many of these problems can be avoided by simply explaining to patients what is happening and why. Some of the more common complaints received by the College about MRTs are listed below.

Communication
Patients become concerned if questions about an examination or treatment are ignored or answers aren't given clearly or are given in an off-handed, dismissive manner. In fact, patients should be encouraged to ask questions about the procedure they are undergoing. The College's Standards of Practice require MRTs to explain procedures and their purpose fully and plainly to patients.

Explaining procedures fully is very important to easing a patient's fears before and during an examination. Some patients may be afraid to ask questions during the procedure, so they may telephone before or after the procedure. These calls must still be handled with care and sensitivity so that the patient does not feel frightened and angry.

MRTs must also be clear when explaining departmental policy in regard to types of x-rays. For example, if the policy in the Imaging Department is that lead shielding is not applied to the gonadal area for a routine chest x-ray on adults over the age of 55, it is important that MRTs are able to articulate the basis of the policy to the patient.

The Essential Competency #5 Relationship with Patients, describes medical radiation technologists as health care professionals that have patient care as a main concern. This Essential Competency outlines four key communication indicators.

Radiation Protection
Patients are naturally anxious when undergoing an x-ray procedure, especially if repeat exposures or injections are required. Patients need to be assured that an x-ray procedure has been done correctly with respect to:

Number of exposures
The x-ray beam
Lead protection
The type and dose of radiopharmaceutical used
The length of time of the exposure
The correct area being exposed to radiation

MRTs are responsible for determining the exact dosage of radiation to which the patient will be exposed. Careful calculation is essential, or the MRT could face allegations of professional misconduct for hazardous use of radiation. MRTs should abide by the ALARA principle, and always use the lowest dosage possible for the particular procedure being performed.

Physical or Verbal Abuse
Complaints to the College of physical abuse are sometimes made after pediatric or geriatric x-ray examinations, where restraint has been required. Many of the procedures MRTs perform are uncomfortable for patients. While the MRT's responsibility to obtain the best possible images or to provide an accurate radiation treatment, it is essential that MRTs are also sensitive to a patient's discomfort and aware of a patient's rights. For example, not only is a patient entitled to be advised of all aspects of a procedure, but he or she can also refuse to have the examination or treatment.

Verbal abuse complaints often occur after a breakdown in communication between a patient and the MRT. It is true that because of sickness or age, many patients may not always be easy to work with; but as professionals MRTs can't let this distract from acting with empathy and in a professional manner at all times.

Sexual Abuse
Complaints of sexual abuse are reported to the CMRTO by patients or by a member of the College who, with reasonable grounds, believes another member is sexually abusing a patient. The College has adopted a policy of zero tolerance in cases such as these, and all complaints are investigated thoroughly. MRTs must touch patients only in those areas needed for positioning and injecting, and it must be explained clearly to patients when and why they will need to be touched. See the section on Sexual Abuse for more information on the College's Sexual Abuse Prevention Program.

Authorized Acts
The College has received several complaints with regards to the performance of authorized acts. MRTs are authorized to perform four of the 13 controlled acts as listed in the Regulated Health Professions Act:

Taking blood samples from veins
Administering substances by injection or inhalation
Administering contrast media through or into the rectum or an artificial opening into the body
Tattooing

Before performing authorized acts, it is critical that MRT's have the requisite knowledge, skill and judgment, that the proper documentation from the authorizing physician has been prepared, and that the situational factors are adequate to perform the procedure safely and effectively. See the section on Practice Guidelines for more information on Controlled Acts and Authorized Acts.

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