INQUIRY & DISCIPLINE NOTICES

Complaints are resolved in a number of ways authorized under the Health Professions Act, but the majority are resolved through a consensual complaint resolution process.

Practice Restrictions:

 

Matthew Romyn, RMT
Please be advised that on January 17^th, 2012 the Inquiry Committee decided, pursuant to Section 35(1) of the Health Professions Act, to prohibit Matthew Romyn from providing massage therapy services to female patients pending completion of the an investigation by the Inquiry Committee  The Committee determined that this prohibition was necessary to protect the public. 

Gordon Hall, RMT (aka Gord Hall)
Please be advised that on February 17, 2011, the Inquiry Committee decided, pursuant to Section 35(1) of the Health Professions Act, to prohibit Gordon Hall from providing massage therapy services to female patients pending an investigation of a complaint made to the College by a former patient on February 16, 2011.  The Committee determined that this prohibition was necessary to protect the public.

 

David Fierro, RMT
Please be advised that on January 26, 2011, the Inquiry Committee decided, pursuant to Section 35(1) of the Health Professions Act, to prohibit David Fierro from providing massage therapy services to female patients pending an investigation of a complaint made to the College by a former patient.  The Committee determined that this prohibition was necessary to protect the public.  In addition Mr. Fierro is restricted from treating children or vulnerable adults.

 

Suspensions:

 

Reynard Graham (Voluntary Suspension of Practice)

Reynard Graham has voluntarily surrendered his certificate of registration pending resolution of criminal proceedings arising from his conduct while practising massage therapy.

 

Charles LU (aka Rui Hua "Allan" AI, aka Stephen AI)
Please be advised that the Inquiry Committee has suspended the registration of the above noted registrant effective immediately, pursuant to Section 35(1) of the Health Professions Act, pending a Hearing of the Discipline Committee.

The Inquiry Committee determined that this suspension is necessary to protect the public, pending the Hearing into allegations of systemic billing fraud and systemic failure to prepare patient charts.

 

 

Investigation Resolutions:

 

Joanna Bravo, RMT 

Joanna Bravo, RMT admitted to professional misconduct, in that during a two month period in 2008 she issued massage therapy receipts for homeopathic services rendered to facilitate recovery by a patient for uninsured homeopathic services, failed to maintain proper clinical records, and created clinical records in response to a request from the insurer for copies and represented them as made at the time of treatment.  Ms. Bravo accepted a fine of $2,000, and undertook to pass the Jurisprudence Examination, complete a course on assessment and charting, submit all advertising for prior approval by the CMTBC Registrar, and undergo quarterly audits over the next 24 months and correct any identified errors or omissions.

 

Paul Chernoff, RMT
A former patient complained that during a treatment on May 16, 2008, the Registrant failed to respect patient/therapist boundaries in his verbal and physical conduct.  In October of 2008, the Registrant admitted to misconduct, agreed to attend for six sessions with a psychologist on appropriate patient/therapist boundaries, undertook to refrain from any contact with the former patient, and agreed to provide evidence of weekly attendance at meetings for one year to address his then substance abuse. 

 

Gordon Hall, RMT
A former patient of the Registrant alleged that during a June 12, 2008 treatment, the Registrant failed to respect patient/therapist boundaries in his verbal and physical conduct, with the result that his patient perceived that he made contact with her person for sexual rather than therapeutic purposes.

The Registrant admitted to professional misconduct, and agreed to a 60 day suspension, a fine of $5,000.00 with a portion to be applied towards payment of counselling for the former patient, and to undergo twelve counselling sessions with a psychologist at his expense.  The Registrant also undertook that he would avoid any future contact with the former patient.

 

Sarah Hobbs, RMT
Ms. Hobbs admitted to professional misconduct, in that, over the period from March through July, 2008, she facilitated the provision and billing of Massage Therapy Services by a person not a Registered Massage Therapist, and failed to supervise the use of her billing particulars by her office staff and others in relation to massage therapy services provided by persons not Registered Massage Therapists, with the result that her clients were positioned to seek reimbursement from their third party insurers for massage therapy services not rendered by an RMT.

Ms. Hobbs agreed to a payment of a fine of $5000.00, to pass the CMTBC jurisprudence exam, and to cooperate with a future audit.

 

Alanna Lane, RMT
Ms. Lane admitted to professional misconduct, firstly in that over the six month period ending in December, 2007, she misused her signature and billing numbers and failed to maintain certain clinical records adequately; and secondly in that she failed to be forthright in the production of documents and answers to questions during the course of the investigation of her misconduct. 

Ms. Lane agreed to pay a fine of $5,000.00, agreed not to use Interns until August 1, 2014, undertook that she would not pre-sign massage therapy receipts, or permit others to make use of her billing particulars, except in accordance with the protocol governing the billing of massage therapy services by current Interns with an accredited BC Massage Therapy school, and agreed to quarterly audits of her billing and clinical records for one year.

 

Gilles-Phillipe Lavoie, RMT
During a massage therapy treatment on June 26, 2008, the Complainant perceived that the Registrant was seeking to convert the patient/therapist relationship into a personal relationship through his approach to draping and his comments about her appearance and personal life. Mr. Lavoie admitted to professional misconduct, attended at his expense for four sessions with a psychologist on patient-therapist boundaries, and cooperated with an audit to ensure he remains in compliance with our Bylaws governing clinical record keeping.

 

Roger Partridge, RMT 

The Inquiry Committee initiated an investigation of the misuse of the Registrant’s billing particulars by a non-RMT clinic colleague in 2007.  The Registrant admitted to misconduct in that he failed to monitor the use of his billing particulars, with the result that the colleague billed for massage therapy services when not entitled to do so.
The Registrant paid a fine of $5,000.00, undertook to take all steps open to him to ensure that no one offers, provides or bills for massage therapy services using his billing particulars, and accepted a Letter of Reprimand for his misconduct.

 

Troy Smaill
Troy Smaill, former RMT, admitted to professional misconduct and to conduct unbecoming of a registrant, in that over the years 2009 and 2010, he provided false information to a major third party insurer for most of his patients, resulting in payments to him for massage therapy services rendered on different dates and for different durations than billed, or for massage therapy services not rendered at all, in that he refused the insurer reasonable access to his patients' records notwithstanding their written consent, and in that he failed to preserve his patients' records for 7 years as required.

Mr. Smaill surrendered his license to practice massage therapy, agreed not apply for registration anywhere as a massage therapist for a 5 year period, and agreed to payment to the CMTBC of a fine of $5,000.00 on terms.

 

Christine Sutherland, RMT
The Registrant admitted professional misconduct, in that she referred to herself as a Registered Massage Therapist while advertising a program unrelated to massage therapy, when she was not an Active Registrant, and in that she provided massage therapy services and billed for them, when she was not an Active Registrant, during the period June 15 through October 6, 2008. 

Ms. Sutherland agreed to pay a fine of $3,000.00, and undertook that she would pay the annual registration fee and become an Active Registrant on or before December 31 of every year, when she intends to practice massage therapy

 

Clifford Yip, RMT
Clifford Yip, RMT admitted to professional misconduct, in that over the six month period ending in May 2008 he engaged in conversation and physical contact with a patient during treatments, which led her to perceive that he wished to convert the professional relationship into a personal relationship.  Mr. Yip accepted a 60 day suspension from practise, and undertook to attend counseling sessions on patient-therapist boundary maintenance at his expense.