Doctors urge court not to allow `naming and shaming´ of top OHIP billers
(The Star Food)

Judges charged with deciding whether physicians’ OHIP billings should be made public have challenged an argument that the move would lead to the “shaming� of doctors.The argument was put forth by Ontario Medical Association lawyer Joe Colangelo at a two-day judicial review hearing that wrapped up Tuesday. Doctors requested the review because they want the courts to quash an order from Ontario’s information and privacy commissioner to make physician-identified billings public.“Publishing the names of the top … billers in my view accomplishes nothing other than naming and shaming,� Colangelo told a three-judge panel at Divisional Court.Justice Ian Nordheimer questioned the assertion: “Why should they be humiliated? Because it was identified that they billed a certain amount?�Nordheimer said doctors could simply respond by explaining what kind of procedures they did and how many times they did them.“You keep using expressions like ‘shame’ … It suggests that your members are concerned that they are not behaving themselves properly,� the judge said.Colangelo argued that physicians would unfairly be put on the spot: “The question is going to be asked, ‘Why did you bill $1 million, why did you bill two (million), why did you bill six (million)?’� Nordheimer asked whether taxpayers should be entitled to question who is receiving such sums from the government. “Isn’t that a good question about taxpayer dollars?� Colangelo said doctors could not answer it without violating patient confidentiality.Justice Frances Kiteley challenged the assertion that doctors would have to divulge patient names when explaining OHIP payments: “He can’t name patient names. But he certainly can say I did several hundred of procedure X.� The case originated more than three years ago with a freedom of information request from the ...