Updated CMPA resource

I want to make a clarification about mentions of the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) in an article written by Dr Simon Moore entitled “Are you ready for an office code blue? Online video to prepare for office emergencies,”¹ published in the January 2015 issue of Canadian Family Physician.

The article mentions the CMPA in the following context: “Of all Canadian provinces and territories, only 3 regulatory authorities have policies on emergency equipment, and the Canadian Medical Protective Association is not mandated to provide such guidelines.” This was referenced from a 2002 Canadian Family Physician article.² It also mentions that the CMPA website was among sources that were searched for articles published between 1991 and 2012 using the key words office emergency and office emergencies.

I searched the CMPA website and found an article published in 2013 entitled “Preparing for a medical emergency—anticipating the unexpected in an office or clinic.”³ This shows the CMPA does provide guidance on medical emergencies in office and clinic settings. However, as mentioned in the article, the scope of the literature review was to find articles published between 1991 and 2012, and the CMPA article was published in 2013. I want to provide clarification on these mentions in the article for future reference. Canadian Family Physician reaches an audience that consists of many CMPA members and it is beneficial for them to seek our guidance in preparation for emergencies in medical offices, and as a resource for educational videos and programs on this topic.

I appreciate that our website was used as a resource for the literature review and evaluation of the program. The CMPA continually adds new medicolegal resources to its website. Please visit www.cmpa-acpm.ca to view the most current information available from the CMPA.

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