Case 2020 0229 

On May 16, 2022, the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) referred a matter involving Dorothy Hillmann to the Discipline Committee for a hearing. 

The hearing took place on May 31, 2023. This matter was resolved by way of an Agreed Statement of Facts and a Joint Submission on Penalty. 

Finding 

The panel of the Discipline Committee issued a decision on the finding on May 31, 2023, on the penalty on May 31, 2023 and on costs on May 31, 2023. 

After having considered all of the evidence, the panel found Dorothy Hillmann to have committed the following acts of professional misconduct:

• paragraph 1 (failing to maintain the standards of practice of the profession); 
• paragraph 15 (contravening a federal, provincial or territorial law relevant to the member’s suitability to practice); and 
• paragraph 18 (engaging in conduct or performing an act relevant to the practice of the profession that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional).
  

Penalty

The panel ordered the following penalty, Dorothy Hillmann will:

• Receive a reprimand at the conclusion of the hearing (delivered on May 31, 2023)
• Serve a one-month suspension on dates to be set by the Registrar. This suspension could be extended if the Registrant does not complete other activities in the order.
• Participate in one-on-one professional ethics coaching
• Review a list of tools, standards and resources
  
  

While Dorothy Hillmann is serving the suspension, they cannot use the title Physiotherapist, PT or any abbreviation there of Dorothy Hillmann’s name, PT title and/or registration number cannot be use for billing purposes while the suspension is being served.

The panel also ordered Dorothy Hillmann to pay costs to the College in the amount of $5,000 to offset some of the costs associated with investigating and prosecuting this case.

As a part of the penalty, the Committee also issued a reprimand which read as follows:

Ms. Hillmann, the panel has found that you have engaged in serious professional misconduct. While your cooperation with the College has been taken into account, your actions and lack of compliance with Public Health regulations are deeply concerning. The panel finds this behaviour constituted serious misconduct. 

As a member of this profession, you are in a position of leadership and trust, and that trust was violated. There are serious concerns that your practice fell below the standards of the profession and put your patients at risk. 

Physiotherapists are healthcare professionals. Being a physiotherapist is not a right, but rather a privilege that comes with responsibilities, one of which is complying with Public Health policy.

Should you wish to remain a practicing physiotherapist, you must adhere to these standards at all times. To maintain the integrity of the profession is of utmost importance. Your actions and your lack of regard for Public Health policy bring the reputation of the profession into a lower standing in the public’s eye.

The panel wishes to advise you that your behaviour over the period in question will not be tolerated by this profession. If it were left to this panel in a contested matter and not a joint submission, your penalty would have been much more substantial. Should you not be successful in your remediation and appear before a panel of this committee again for similar circumstances, you can expect a much more serious outcome.

You can read the full decision of the Discipline Committee of the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario at: www.canlii.ca