{"id":31307,"date":"2026-07-24T22:23:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T22:23:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/?page_id=31307"},"modified":"2026-07-25T00:16:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T00:16:20","slug":"how-to-respond-to-a-cpsa-complaint","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/how-to-respond-to-a-cpsa-complaint\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Respond to a CPSA Complaint"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"31307\" class=\"elementor elementor-31307\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cef6bee e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"cef6bee\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6192185 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"6192185\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n<!-- ===== How to Respond to a CPSA Complaint | Elementor Custom HTML fragment ===== -->\r\n<!-- Body only. 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Support<\/a> <span>\/<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/knowledge-support\/doctors\/alberta\/\">Doctors &mdash; Alberta<\/a> <span>\/<\/span> How to Respond to a CPSA Complaint<\/nav>\r\n<p class=\"eyebrow\">Alberta &middot; College of Physicians &amp; Surgeons of Alberta<\/p>\r\n<h1>How to Respond to a CPSA Complaint<\/h1>\r\n<div class=\"meta\"><b>9 min read<\/b><span>Last updated July 14, 2026<\/span><\/div>\r\n<p class=\"lede\">Alberta funnels every complaint about a physician through one person: the Complaints Director. What that officer decides in the first weeks determines almost everything that follows &mdash; because fewer than two per cent of complaints ever reach a hearing tribunal. The early stage is not a preliminary to the real process. For nearly all physicians, it is the whole process.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"callout\"><strong>Before you do anything:<\/strong> contact the CMPA. Do not amend the medical record, do not contact the complainant, and do not send anything to CPSA until you have taken advice. But do not ignore the letter either &mdash; failing to cooperate with CPSA is itself unprofessional conduct.<\/div>\r\n<h2>Who regulates you, and in what terms<\/h2>\r\n<p>Physicians in Alberta are regulated by the College of Physicians &amp; Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) under the <em>Health Professions Act<\/em>, RSA 2000, c H-7, together with the Physicians, Surgeons, Osteopaths and Physician Assistants Profession Regulation.<\/p>\r\n<p>The language matters, because it differs from other provinces. You are a <strong>regulated member<\/strong>. What is at stake is your <strong>practice permit<\/strong>. And the thing you may be found to have committed is <strong>unprofessional conduct<\/strong> &mdash; a single statutory concept that covers everything from a lapse of clinical judgment to a failure to answer the College&rsquo;s letters.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2>One person decides what happens next<\/h2>\r\n<p>Unlike Ontario, where a committee screens complaints, and unlike British Columbia, where an Investigation Committee does, Alberta routes every complaint through the <strong>Complaints Director<\/strong> &mdash; an individual with statutory powers under the HPA.<\/p>\r\n<p>The Complaints Director reviews the complaint, your response and the relevant records, and then chooses among several routes:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><strong>Dismiss<\/strong> &mdash; where there is insufficient evidence of unprofessional conduct, or the complaint is frivolous or vexatious.<\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Expert peer review<\/strong> &mdash; where you and the complainant agree on what the issue is, an expert in the same specialty is asked to assess the care.<\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Alternative complaint resolution (ACR)<\/strong> &mdash; a voluntary, mediation-like process to reach a negotiated resolution.<\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Investigation<\/strong> &mdash; a formal investigation of the allegations.<\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Referral to a hearing<\/strong> &mdash; where the evidence meets the charging standard and public safety requires it.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Very few complaints travel the whole distance. CPSA has said that <strong>fewer than two per cent<\/strong> of complaints end up before a hearing tribunal. That is not a reason to be casual; it is a reason to take the early stages seriously, because that is where almost everything is decided.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2>What &ldquo;unprofessional conduct&rdquo; actually covers<\/h2>\r\n<p>The HPA definition is deliberately broad. It includes a lack of knowledge, skill or judgment in providing professional services; contravening the Act, a code of ethics or a CPSA standard of practice; misrepresenting your registration or practice permit status; breaching conditions on a permit, a settlement agreement or a Tribunal order; and conduct that harms the integrity of the profession.<\/p>\r\n<div class=\"callout\"><strong>It also includes failing or refusing to cooperate with the College.<\/strong> This is not theoretical. In February 2025 a CPSA Hearing Tribunal found a Calgary radiologist guilty of unprofessional conduct for failing to respond to CPSA letters, emails and phone calls since March 2022. It was his second discipline proceeding for the same conduct. His practice was suspended for six months. Answer the College&rsquo;s letters.<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h2>Your first week<\/h2>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li><strong>Contact the CMPA before you write anything.<\/strong> Not after you have drafted a reply &mdash; before.<\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Diarise every deadline<\/strong> in the letter, and request an extension early if you need one.<\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Preserve the record exactly as it stands.<\/strong> Never alter, supplement or tidy a chart after a complaint arrives. Amendments are detectable, and they convert a question about your care into a question about your honesty.<\/li>\r\n<li><strong>Do not contact the complainant.<\/strong><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p>You may disclose health information to the College for the purposes of an investigation; Alberta&rsquo;s <em>Health Information Act<\/em> permits disclosure to a regulatory body exercising its statutory function. Withholding or delaying is far more dangerous than disclosing.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2>Writing a response the Complaints Director can use<\/h2>\r\n<p>Set out the clinical context and your reasoning <em>at the time<\/em>, on the information you actually had. Deal with each concern the complainant raised individually. Anchor everything in the record. Where something did go wrong, say so plainly and say what you have already done about it.<\/p>\r\n<p>Two routes available to the Complaints Director &mdash; expert peer review and alternative complaint resolution &mdash; both depend on a degree of common ground. A response that engages seriously with the patient&rsquo;s experience keeps those doors open. A response that is dismissive tends to close them, and pushes the file towards investigation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h2>If the complaint is dismissed<\/h2>\r\n<p>A dismissal is not necessarily the end. The complainant has <strong>30 days<\/strong> from notification to ask a <strong>Complaint Review Committee (CRC)<\/strong> to review the Complaints Director&rsquo;s decision. The CRC is not a hearing and not an appeal: it decides whether the decision to dismiss was <em>reasonable<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n<p>A CRC panel can confirm the dismissal, refer the matter back to the Complaints Director for further investigation, or refer it straight to a hearing. So a dismissal letter is worth reading carefully, and it is worth keeping your file in order until the review window has closed.<\/p>\r\n<section class=\"kt\"><h2>Key takeaways<\/h2><ul><li>Alberta physicians are &ldquo;regulated members&rdquo; holding a &ldquo;practice permit&rdquo;, governed by the Health Professions Act, RSA 2000, c H-7.<\/li><li>Every complaint is decided by the Complaints Director &mdash; one person with statutory powers, not a committee.<\/li><li>The routes are: dismissal, expert peer review, alternative complaint resolution, investigation, or referral to a hearing. Fewer than 2% of complaints reach a hearing tribunal.<\/li><li>&ldquo;Unprofessional conduct&rdquo; is a broad statutory concept &mdash; and it expressly includes failing to cooperate with the College. A physician was suspended for six months in 2025 for not answering CPSA&rsquo;s letters.<\/li><li>Contact the CMPA before you respond. Never amend the record after a complaint arrives.<\/li><li>If a complaint is dismissed, the complainant has 30 days to ask a Complaint Review Committee to review that decision &mdash; which can send it back for investigation, or straight to a hearing.<\/li><\/ul><\/section>\r\n<section class=\"courses\"><h2>Related courses<\/h2><p class=\"sub\">Practical, self-paced CPD courses that map onto the issues in this guide. These are educational courses. They are not accredited by the CPSA and are not a substitute for legal advice.<\/p><div class=\"cgrid\">\r\n<a class=\"ccard\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/courses\/dealing-with-a-complaint-or-investigation-professionally\/\"><div class=\"ct\">Dealing With a Complaint or Investigation Professionally<\/div><p class=\"cd\">How to respond to a College complaint calmly, constructively and on the record.<\/p><span class=\"go\">View course &rarr;<\/span><\/a>\r\n<a class=\"ccard\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/courses\/documentation-for-healthcare-professionals\/\"><div class=\"ct\">Documentation for Healthcare Professionals<\/div><p class=\"cd\">Record-keeping standards, and how strong documentation protects you.<\/p><span class=\"go\">View course &rarr;<\/span><\/a>\r\n<a class=\"ccard\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/courses\/effective-communication-for-healthcare-professionals\/\"><div class=\"ct\">Effective Communication for Healthcare Professionals<\/div><p class=\"cd\">Communication failures sit behind a large share of patient complaints.<\/p><span class=\"go\">View course &rarr;<\/span><\/a>\r\n<a class=\"ccard\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/courses\/ethics-and-ethical-standards-for-doctors\/\"><div class=\"ct\">Ethics and Ethical Standards for Doctors<\/div><p class=\"cd\">Core ethical principles and standards underpinning safe medical practice.<\/p><span class=\"go\">View course &rarr;<\/span><\/a>\r\n<\/div><\/section>\r\n<section class=\"nextset\"><h2>Continue reading: Alberta doctors<\/h2>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/what-happens-during-a-cpsa-investigation\">What happens during a CPSA investigation?<\/a>\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/can\/remediation-and-reflection-for-alberta-doctors\">Remediation and reflection for Alberta doctors<\/a>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<section class=\"faq\"><h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\r\n<details><summary>Who decides what happens to a CPSA complaint?<\/summary><div class=\"ans\">The Complaints Director. Unlike Ontario, where the ICRC screens complaints as a committee, Alberta routes every complaint through a single statutory officer who chooses among dismissal, expert peer review, alternative complaint resolution, investigation, or referral to a hearing.<\/div><\/details>\r\n<details><summary>How likely is it that my complaint ends in a hearing?<\/summary><div class=\"ans\">Unlikely. CPSA has said fewer than two per cent of complaints reach a hearing tribunal. Most are dismissed or resolved at an earlier stage. That is a reason to take the early stages seriously rather than casually &mdash; almost everything is decided before a hearing is ever contemplated.<\/div><\/details>\r\n<details><summary>Do I have to answer CPSA&rsquo;s letters?<\/summary><div class=\"ans\">Yes, and this is not a formality. Failing or refusing to cooperate with the College is itself unprofessional conduct under the Health Professions Act. In February 2025 a Hearing Tribunal found a Calgary radiologist guilty on precisely that basis &mdash; for not responding to CPSA communications since March 2022 &mdash; and suspended his practice for six months. Take advice from the CMPA, then respond.<\/div><\/details>\r\n<details><summary>What is alternative complaint resolution?<\/summary><div class=\"ans\">A voluntary, mediation-like process the Complaints Director may offer before a matter is referred to a hearing, allowing the complainant and the physician to reach a negotiated resolution. It is one of two routes &mdash; the other being expert peer review &mdash; that depend on some common ground, which is why the tone of your initial response matters.<\/div><\/details>\r\n<details><summary>Can I give the College my patient&rsquo;s health records?<\/summary><div class=\"ans\">Yes. Alberta&rsquo;s Health Information Act permits disclosure of health information to a regulatory body exercising its statutory function. What you must never do is alter, supplement or rewrite the record after a complaint has arrived.<\/div><\/details>\r\n<details><summary>What happens if the complaint is dismissed?<\/summary><div class=\"ans\">The complainant has 30 days from notification to request a review by a Complaint Review Committee. The CRC assesses whether the Complaints Director&rsquo;s decision to dismiss was reasonable. It can confirm the dismissal, refer the matter back for further investigation, or refer it directly to a hearing.<\/div><\/details>\r\n<\/section>\r\n<p class=\"disc\">This article is general information for physicians regulated by the College of Physicians &amp; Surgeons of Alberta and does not constitute legal advice. Regulatory processes and the law change, and every case turns on its own facts. If you are the subject of a complaint or investigation, contact the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) or a lawyer experienced in professional regulation before you respond. Last updated July 14, 2026.<\/p>\r\n<\/article>\r\n\r\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\r\n{\r\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\r\n  \"@graph\": [\r\n    {\r\n      \"@type\": \"Article\",\r\n      \"headline\": \"How to Respond to a CPSA Complaint\",\r\n      \"description\": \"Alberta routes every complaint through one Complaints Director. Fewer than 2% reach a hearing. 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Take advice from the CMPA, then respond.\"\r\n          }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"What is alternative complaint resolution?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n            \"text\": \"A voluntary, mediation-like process the Complaints Director may offer before a matter is referred to a hearing, allowing the complainant and the physician to reach a negotiated resolution. It is one of two routes \u2014 the other being expert peer review \u2014 that depend on some common ground, which is why the tone of your initial response matters.\"\r\n          }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"Can I give the College my patient\u2019s health records?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n            \"text\": \"Yes. Alberta\u2019s Health Information Act permits disclosure of health information to a regulatory body exercising its statutory function. What you must never do is alter, supplement or rewrite the record after a complaint has arrived.\"\r\n          }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"What happens if the complaint is dismissed?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n            \"text\": \"The complainant has 30 days from notification to request a review by a Complaint Review Committee. The CRC assesses whether the Complaints Director\u2019s decision to dismiss was reasonable. 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