Expanding Scope of Practice for Ontario Optometrists

Abstract

In 2011, The Optometry Act, 1991 was amended to include The Designated Drugs and Standards of Practice Regulation which expanded the scope of practice for Ontario optometrists to include prescribing privileges from a specific list of drugs. The goals of the optometry reform were to increase access to care, decrease burden on medical and hospital resources and allow optometrists to practice to their full scope. The policy response was spurred by a recommendation from the Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council and the prescribing precedence in other Canadian jurisdictions. Bill 171, The Health Systems Improvement Act, amended The Optometry Act, 1991 , Section 4 to include the authorized act of prescribing designated drugs, while The Designated Drugs and Standards of Practice, passed on 6 April 2011, listed the individual drugs optometrists are authorized to prescribe. The resulting response of a specific list of authorized drugs was seen as a limiting and inflexible system that will require changes as newer drugs are developed. La Loi de 1991 sur les optometristes a ete modifiee en 2011, afin d’integrer le reglement sur les medicaments enregistres et les normes de pratiques (Designated Drugs and Standards of Practice Regulation) elargissant le champ d’activite des optometristes en Ontario aux privileges de prescription d’une liste explicite de medicaments. La reforme de l’optometrie avait pour objectifs d’augmenter l’acces aux soins, de diminuer la charge de travail pesant sur les ressources medicales et hospitalieres et de permettre aux optometristes de pratiquer pleinement leur profession. L’initiative politique a ete provoquee par la recommandation du Conseil consultatif de reglementation des professions de la sante ainsi que par l’existence de tels privileges dans d’autres provinces canadiennes. Alors que le projet de loi 171, ou Loi de 2007 sur l’amelioration du systeme de sante, avait modifie l’article 4 de la Loi de 1991 sur les optometristes en ouvrant la possibilite de prescrire des medicaments enregistres, le reglement sur les medicaments enregistres et les normes de pratiques (Designated Drugs and Standards of Practice Regulation), adopte le 6 Avril 2011, enumere les medicaments individuels que les optometristes sont autorises a prescrire. La reponse politique consistant a definir une liste explicite de medicaments autorises a ete jugee limitative et rigide, qui reclamera des amenagements successifs pour toute innovation medicamenteuse.