Inappropriate Business Practices—What Would You Do? 

 
You’ve just started a new job and your boss tells you about a new business idea. The clinic is going to partner with the Pilates studio next door. Your boss wants you to assess the studio’s clients so the clients can make use of their physiotherapy benefits for the Pilates classes. The invoice will itemize your assessment and all of the Pilates sessions will be provided by the studio as “physiotherapy”.

Is this fraudulent? Is this really good business practices?
 

Things to Consider When Deciding What You Would Do in this Situation:

  • Invoices must be clear and transparent. If a client receives Pilates training that is not part of a physiotherapist’s treatment plan, they should be billed separately for Pilates.
  • In this case, insurance companies and third party payors should not be invoiced for physiotherapy. False invoices could result in a College or police investigation and could have serious outcomes for anyone involved.
  • If you become aware that this type of questionable billing has happened, report it.

You can let the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario know about it by emailing investigations@collegept.org or calling 416-591-3828 ext. 227 or 1-800-583-5885 ext. 227.

Learn more about the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association and how to Help Prevent Benefits Fraud.

The public interest depends on the integrity of the profession. Protecting the integrity of the profession demands zero tolerance of inappropriate business practices.