To practise kinesiology in Ontario, a person must be registered with the College of Kinesiologists. To register with the College, a person must:

• have a degree in kinesiology that is at least four years in length, or a degree that is similar (e.g. physical education, human kinetics).
• submit a criminal record check to the College.
• pass the College’s entry-to-practice exam.

Once registered, they are permitted to use the titles “kinesiologist”, “registered kinesiologist” and the designation “R.Kin”. All kinesiologists have a registration number that they should provide on their invoices.

Any individual claiming to be a kinesiologist who does not or cannot provide adequate proof of registration may be practising illegally, and you are encouraged to report any suspicions of this kind to the College. The College investigates any reports of unregulated practitioners.

Kinesiologists have a series of obligations and responsibilities that they must fulfill to remain in good standing. Some of these include:

• acting in the patient’s/client’s best interests.
• adhering to the College’s Code of Ethics.
• practising according to the College’s practice standards and guidelines.
• participating in the College’s Quality Assurance Program.
• renewing their registration every year.

Kinesiology is a regulated health profession in Ontario. That means that the title “kinesiologist” is protected in Ontario and only individuals registered with the College can call themselves kinesiologists or claim to be kinesiologists. Individuals registered with the College must use the titles “kinesiologist”, “registered kinesiologist” or the designation “R.Kin” when providing services. The designation previously used, “certified kinesiologist”, can no longer be used in Ontario. Even if someone lists a degree in kinesiology by their name, that doesn’t mean they are registered. See if a kinesiologist is registered. 

When you see a kinesiologist, you can expect them to do some or all the following:

• Take a complete health history and find out your goals or objectives.
• Conduct an assessment. The assessments differ based on why you are seeing a kinesiologist. Some typical assessments include strength and flexibility testing, cardiovascular testing, gait assessment, cognitive psychometric evaluation or a physical demands analysis.
• Discuss the findings of the assessment with you.
• Propose a personalized treatment plan that will meet your goals or objectives.
• Obtain consent for the treatment plan and for fees and method of billing.
• Regularly measure your progress and adjust the treatment plan as needed.
• Provide advice and education regarding your health.
• Keep a record of the care provided and ensure your personal health information is kept secure and confidential.
• Collaborate with other health professionals as appropriate.

Treatment by kinesiologists is often hands-on. A kinesiologist may need to touch or feel different body parts or ask questions of a personal nature to fully understand your condition or injury. When this occurs as part of assessment or treatment, the kinesiologist will:

• tell you what they are going to do before proceeding and ask permission.
• explain the need to touch or to ask certain questions.

Treatments can involve manual therapy, exercise instruction and a series of other modalities, such as electro-physical modalities (e.g. heat, ice, ultrasound and laser). Some treatment may cause a certain level of pain and/or discomfort that may be normal; however, the treatment can be stopped at any time should it become too uncomfortable.

During treatment, your kinesiologist is expected to act professionally and to provide care that is in your best interests. Good communication between you and your kinesiologist is important in the professional relationship. Make sure you ask questions and voice any opinions or concerns.

The Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) does not cover kinesiology services. However, some extended health insurance plans cover kinesiology services and/or treatments and assessments under the scope of practice of kinesiology. Contact your insurance company for more information. You may also submit out-of-pocket kinesiology expenses on your annual tax return. Visit the Canada Revenue Agency for more information.

Kinesiologists provide many services and work in a variety of settings, including:

• Community care
• Family health teams
• Hospitals
• Rehabilitation and wellness clinics
• Insurance, health and safety consultancy firms
• Nursing and long-term care homes
• Health and fitness clubs
• Private practice
• Academia
• School boards
• Public health units

Some kinesiologists work on a referral or non-referral basis.  

Kinesiology is the scientific study of human movement, performance and function. The practice of kinesiology incorporates the sciences of biomechanics, anatomy and physiology, and considers neuroscience and psychosocial factors. Kinesiologists use evidence-based research to treat and prevent injury and disease, and to improve movement and performance. Kinesiologists work with people of all ages and physical abilities in many settings to help them achieve their health and wellness goals and improve quality of life. Some areas of kinesiology practice include:

• health promotion
• injury rehabilitation
• chronic disease management
• ergonomics and workplace safety
• fitness and athletics
• return to work planning and disability management
• public health

The College does not automatically register applicants for another exam sitting. If you deferred writing the exam you still have to register for another exam by submitting the Exam Registration Form, booking your exam with the exam provider and paying the exam fee (if your request for deferral was not received by the deadline). Applicants can defer writing the exam to the next available exam date for any reason, including not being ready to write.

If you wish to register for the third and last attempt on the exam you must submit a Remediation Plan to the Registration Committee for approval. Please submit the plan way in advance so the College can prepare a referral.

To learn more about the Remediation Plan use this link https://www.coko.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Remediation-Plan-Guide-Revised-October-2019.pdf

Please notify us by email by the application deadline that you wish to re-take the exam and we will inform you of next steps. You are not required to resubmit your online application or any documents.

In general, applicants who wish to register for their second attempt are required to submit the Exam Registration Form and the exam fee and must book their exam with the exam provider. Once you are ready to re-take the exam please notify us at examination@coko.ca

Applicants have three attempts or four years (whichever comes first) to pass the exam. If you failed and wish to re-take the exam, you have to pay the examination fee for each attempt.

The College follows recommendations from Public Health and the Ontario government regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Please note that some test centres may not be open or available due to the restrictions that may be in place at the time of your exam.

The College has posted helpful demo videos regarding the check in process, booking your exam time slot and articles related to resolving some basic technical issues. For more information, please visit  https://coko.ca/applicants/write-the-exam/exam-procedures/

To learn about equipment and internet requirements please use this link https://support.proctoru.com/hc/en-us/sections/115003555488-Equipment-Requirements-and-Help.

You will need to install the Guardian Secure Browser and ProctorU Extension to access your exam. We strongly recommend you install both the Guardian and ProctorU Extension prior to your exam. Please have Google Chrome set up as your  preferred browser.

It is mandatory that you test your equipment prior to the exam and on the day of your scheduled exam. To successfully check your equipment you will need to download the Guardian Browser. Once you have installed the Guardian Browser, log into your ProctorU account and click the button that says “Test Your Equipment”. Please visit the resource centre for examinees at: https://www.proctoru.com/proctoru-live-resource-centre.

Meazure Learning provides 24/7 technical support. If you lose connection and you cannot reconnect you will not be able to resume the exam. The College and the exam provider will investigate such incidents on a case-by-case basis. If approved you will be allowed  to reschedule your exam for the next business day; however an additional fee will apply. The rescheduling fee can be paid only by check payable to the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario. The check must be submitted within two weeks after the scheduled exam. We highly recommend that candidates have strong, hard-wired internet prior to connecting to the proctor to avoid any technical issues.

You are allowed a total of three attempts, or four years (whichever comes first) from the date you were first approved to write the exam.  Following a second unsuccessful attempt, you cannot write again without the permission of the College’s Registration Committee. 

Yes, you may request an appeal of your exam results to the Examination Appeals Committee by completing and submitting the Request for an Appeal Form along with supporting documentation to examination@coko.ca. You will be notified of the timeline for submission if you fail the exam. 

To ensure accuracy in marking, quality control checks are conducted by our exam provider during and after marking each examination. To ensure accuracy in marking, quality control checks are conducted by our exam provider during and after marking each examination. Each exam is marked twice. Exam scores produced by two marking methods are then compared to each other to ensure their accuracy. 

You may submit a request to the College to have your score verified.  Your request must be received by the College within 30 days of receiving your exam results. There is a $50 fee for score verification of the exam. The fee can be paid only or by cheque. To submit a request for rescoring please email examination@coko.ca , with the subject line “Score Verification”. Please include your full legal name and the date you wrote the exam.

The Examination Candidate Performance Profile shows:

• a breakdown of your exam results using average scaled scores, which are constant over every exam sitting. This enables you to see how you performed in comparison to the average performance of other passing candidates (i.e. the reference group) for each of the content categories of the Exam Blueprint;
• detailed information on your performance in two specific content categories of the exam: (1) Competency Category (domains); and (2) Cognitive Level.
• Please note that your raw score on the test form has been converted to the scaled score, and that you are not required to pass each content area to pass the exam. If you received a score below 450 in any of the content areas, you might want to focus more of your future preparation efforts in those areas.

The College reports results as “Pass” and “Fail.” Only unsuccessful candidates receive an Examination Candidate Performance Profile.

Candidates have three chances or four years — whichever comes first — to pass the exam. If you fail your first attempt you will be allowed to register for a second attempt. If you fail the second exam you will be required to submit a Remediation Plan to the Registration Committee for review. If approved you will be allowed to register for the third and last attempt. You will be required to pay the examination fee for each attempt you take.

No, applicants will only have access to the exam questions during the exam.

Proctors are your first point of contact on exam day.  They will greet you, confirm your ID, explain the rules, secure the testing environment, troubleshoot and solve technical issues as needed, unlock access to the exam, monitor the exam and the test taker during the exam. The proctor will also investigate, notate and stop suspicious and cheating behaviour.

Check-In usually takes 10-15 minutes and it’s not included in your exam time. The process includes a photo verification, room pan and workspace check done by a proctor using your webcam.

You will receive an email from the exam provider with a link and your credentials. Ensure you have Chrome or Firefox installed. You also will be required to install the LogMeIn Rescue applet. This file will allow you to chat with your proctor during the exam. It will be in your Downloads or in your default download location. After you have downloaded the file click Open or Allow to run the applet.  Wait for your proctor in a queue. It may take a few minutes for your proctor to connect. Then follow instructions from your proctor. 

Choose a private room, free from distractions with no one else around you. Your work area must be a hard surface (not a bed or couch).

Yes. Your exam session will be recorded and constantly monitored by a proctor.  

Yes, you will be required to show all four walls of your room and your work area including your desk and monitor. 

You will need to show your government issued ID to a proctor on the camera within the guidelines and capture a photo of yourself and your government-issued ID using your webcam. The photo is taken for exam administration purposes and will be securely destroyed after seven days.      

Yes. After you have completed Part 1 your exam, you will click on the “Submit Part 1” button at the top right. Be sure to review your answers before submitting, as you will not be permitted to return to these questions. Answers to questions in Part 2 also must be submitted in a similar fashion. 

The exam is divided into two parts with a maximum 15-minute break between parts. Time reminders will pop on your screen to notify you that you have one hour left, then 30 minutes and then 15 minutes left to complete and submit each part of the exam.

The exam is divided into two parts with a maximum 15-minute break between parts. Each part is one hour and 45 minutes (105 minutes). Once you return from your break, you will need to re-secure your room. Account for up to five minutes of your break time to complete this task. So use 10 minutes for your break and five minutes to re-secure your room upon return from your break.

Remember that a break is only permitted between the exam parts, not during the exam.

Once you submit Part 1, a screen will appear instructing you to “take a (max 15) minute break” with an option to skip the break and move on to Part 2 of the exam. There will be no opportunity to go back to Part 1. You will need to notify your proctor that you wish to take a break.

Please note that the timer for Part 2 will automatically start after your break time has elapsed. Time will not be added back to your exam if you are late in returning from your break. 

You can withdraw from writing the exam if you do not want to defer to the next available exam date. If you withdraw, you will receive a 50 per cent refund of the exam fee if the withdrawal occurs at least 15 calendar days before the exam date. If the withdrawal occurs within 15 calendar days of the exam date, you will not be refunded any amount.

A partial refund may be issued to applicants who withdraw within 15 calendar days of the exam date with a documented illness or on compassionate grounds. View the Fee Refund Policy.

If you can’t take the exam from home or office you can ask for special accommodations to write at a test centre. A request to write at a designated test centre will be considered on an individual basis and is contingent upon availability and restrictions in place related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Applicants who are not able to complete the exam for any reason (e.g., technical issues with their computer system, missed appointment) on the exam day will have an option to rebook their exam within a given timeline at an additional cost. Applicants who choose not to rebook their exam within the given rebooking timeline will be required to pay the full exam fee. These applicants must also pay the full exam fee again should they decide to write the exam in the future.

The College understands that unforeseen circumstances (including but not limited to illness and bereavement) may arise, and that an applicant may not be able to write the exam on the date confirmed. Please notify us in writing immediately but no later than one day before the exam.

If the applicant is unable to attend the exam due to unforeseen circumstances that occur on exam day, the applicant must notify the College of their absence in writing immediately, but no later than five days after the scheduled exam. To rewrite, a letter from the applicant’s appropriate regulated health professional or other appropriate supporting documentation (e.g. death certificate, obituary notice) confirming the circumstance must be sent to the College within two weeks of the applicant’s notification of absence. An applicant who is absent on the day of the scheduled exam will not be able to rewrite until they provide the reason for their absence. Note: A partial refund may be issued due to unforeseen circumstances.

You can defer writing the exam to the next available exam date for any reason, including not being ready to write. Requests for deferral must be emailed to the College at least 10 business days before the exam. The exam fee will be credited in full toward the next exam sitting for deferral requests received by the deadline. Applicants who request a deferral after the deadline will be required to pay the full cost of the exam even though they will not be writing.

Food including candy and gum is not allowed. However, candidates are allowed one small clear water bottle or a beverage of their choice.

Special requests to accommodate medical requirements must be requested in advance by the candidate and must be authorized by the College. Applicants who require accommodations must complete the accommodation application form. All requests must be supported by documentation. For a medical accommodation, please have the appropriate health professional complete the disability-related needs form. Please submit your complete request by email or mail by the deadline.

Exam results are issued by email approximately 4-6 weeks after the exam.

No, an original piece of government-issued photo identification is required (e.g., driver’s license or passport). Health cards and student cards are not accepted.

No, calculators and electronic devices are strictly prohibited during the exam.  

Both the complainant and the kinesiologist have the right to appeal a decision from the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee to the Health Professions Appeal and Review Board (HPARB) if they feel the investigation was inadequate or the decision was unreasonable. Information on how to file an appeal is provided to the parties.

The Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee cannot:

• Award complainants any monetary compensation or other compensation.
• Require the kinesiologist to apologize to the complainant.
• Require another administrative body or organization to change a decision about the subject matter of the complaint (e.g. an insurance company changing the provision of benefits).
• Require an employer to discipline a kinesiologist.

Once the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC) is satisfied that the investigation is complete, the panel can do any one of the following:

• Refer the matter to the College’s Discipline Committee. Matters are referred to Discipline if the concerns are serious enough and there is strong evidence to suggest the kinesiologist may have committed professional misconduct, and/or may be incompetent.
• Refer the matter to another panel of the ICRC if it appears the kinesiologist may be suffering from a health condition or disorder that is affecting their ability to practise.
• Issue a caution to the kinesiologist. The kinesiologist appears before the panel and the panel expresses its concerns about the kinesiologist’s practice. The kinesiologist is given the opportunity to discuss changes they will make to avoid a similar incident.
• Require the kinesiologist to complete programs that will improve their practice. These are known as specified continuing education or remediation programs (SCERPs).
• Issue written advice with or without recommendations.
• Enter into an agreement with the kinesiologist that outlines various things they must do.
• Decide that no further action is required.

The panel is required to provide written reasons for its decision and to provide these to the complainant and the kinesiologist.

The College must decide on a complaint within 150 days. If 150 days has passed, the College will notify you and the kinesiologist, explaining the reasons for the delay and the expected time to decide on the complaint.

You can ask to have your complaint withdrawn at any time. However, if your concerns are very serious, the College may decide to continue with the investigation, even if you do not take part.

The information collected during the investigation is reviewed by a panel (i.e. a small sub-set) of the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee (ICRC). The panel will include kinesiologists and members of the public. The panel directs the investigation, often with the assistance of College staff. 

College staff will contact you to confirm receipt of the complaint and provide you with more information. They may ask for more details to help clarify your concerns. A College investigator may also speak to others who have information that could be helpful and gather relevant information, such as copies of medical records. The College sends the kinesiologist a copy of the complaint so that they can respond in writing. College staff is always available to answer your questions throughout the process.

There is no time limit to file a complaint, but as time goes on, it may be harder to remember what happened and give accurate details. You are encouraged to make your concerns known as soon as possible so the kinesiologist can respond more accurately and to ensure that any evidence is current.

The College only regulates the practice of individual kinesiologists and not the places where they work. Sometimes, a kinesiologist may be the owner of the place of practice. In this case, the investigation may be able to look into the practice.

This is a difficult decision, and you should think about what works best for you as a patient/client. Continuing to receive treatment from the same kinesiologist may be challenging.

You can contact the College anonymously with concerns or to report information. However, if you decide to make a complaint, you will be required to identify yourself.

The College can’t address any of the following:

• Matters that have been dealt with by another agency, such as the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB).
• Matters that involve a kinesiologist’s behaviour as a spouse, parent, neighbour or business partner, unless the behaviour would be considered unprofessional and be likely to impact on the kinesiologist’s professional practice.
• Complaints regarding management of a facility, unless the kinesiologist is the owner and/or operator of the facility and has a professional duty to establish or maintain systems, such as ensuring confidentiality of health records.
• Complaints or concerns that the College may deem to be frivolous and/or vexatious. These might include complaints that are considered retaliatory or an abuse of process.

Anyone who has a concern about a kinesiologist can file a complaint. By law, the College must address all complaints it receives about kinesiologists. This includes complaints from patients/clients, their family members, friends, or caregivers; other professionals; employers and insurers. If you are an employer or facility operator, please also review your mandatory reporting obligations. 

Each module will take between 1-3 hours. You are not required to complete the module in one sitting, your progress will be saved as you proceed.

Yes, all Kinesiologists registered in the General Class are required to complete both modules. Not completing the eLearning modules is grounds for selection for the Peer and Practice Assessment.

You are only required to complete the modules once, generally in your first summer of being registered with the College. If you are unsure of whether you completed the module previously, you can reach out to professionalpractice@coko.ca for confirmation.

As with any non-profit organization, the College needs to have adequate cash balances to support expenses, payroll and unanticipated costs or cost increases. The recommendation is for the College to have a reserve fund to operate for a minimum of 12 months. Since its current reserves are lower than the 12-month minimum, the recommendation is to increase them.

The College operates with as lean a staff as is reasonably possible. Part-time staff are hired, when possible, to fill any gaps. The College constantly reviews its priorities to ensure the size of staffing remains consistent with other small regulators and works to ensure a lean but effective team.

The College is looking at reducing costs by not renewing its office lease, which expires in spring 2024. One option under investigation is to share space with another college. The College has also moved to a hybrid work strategy, reducing its space requirements.

To help control costs, the College has been operating with a lean staff. Steps to reduce overhead include shifting to online service delivery where possible, shortening program administration timelines to lower on-line hosting costs, shortening the year-long self-assessment each year to a three-month self-assessment cycle every two years, moving to online examinations, and collaborating with other colleges to decrease costs by sharing resources. Council and committee meetings have also shifted to an online platform for cost savings from travel and accommodation.

The College has noted an ongoing trend where expenses are exceeding revenues, leading the College to anticipate a deficit budget for 2023 based on quotes for projects to help enhance public safety. Initiatives to further reduce costs to balance expenses and revenue may require that planned projects are not completed.

Regulatory college fees vary for several reasons, including the number of registrants, and complaints volume and types. While CKO is considered a small sized regulator with approximately 2,960 registrants, it still has the same regulatory obligations and statutory functions as the other health colleges in Ontario.

Some colleges are gradually increasing fees every year, while others are aligning annual fee increases with various indices of inflation.

View Fee Comparison 2022 – Ontario Regulatory Bodies

The following information is available for review:

• Business case and decision note presented to Council in December 2022 with rationale for proposed increases.
• Annual budget 2022-2023 showing how funds will be spent this year
• Audited financial statements 2021-2022 and Annual Report 2021-2022 showing how funds were spent last year.

Registrants’ fees cover the work that the College is mandated to do under legislation. This includes administering the entry-to-practice exam, registering new members and renewing existing ones, managing complaints and discipline cases, setting standards, handling the quality assurance program and public outreach.

View the breakdown of where your fees go.

You may be asking yourself “what’s in it for me?”

Registration with the College indicates that you are qualified, competent and accountable. Being registered provides you with access to professional and rewarding jobs. It also gives you an opportunity to shape the future of the profession by getting involved. You can share your knowledge and experience and learn more about how your profession is regulated in the process.

At the same time, the College recognises that registering with a regulatory body is an added cost to working as a registered kinesiologist, so we work hard to ensure fiscal responsibility for your membership fees.

Regulation defines the profession. It controls who can enter the profession and offers title protection. Only a registered kinesiologist with the College can be called a kinesiologist. This builds public confidence and trust in the profession.

With a fee increase, the College can have the tools in place to fulfill its public protection mandate. The proposed fee increases will allow the College to:

• Build and maintain Council competencies to support an active and educated Council.
• Support member participation on committees and Council.
• Move forward with projects that will streamline processes, including:
  • better database and enhance public register with more information.
  • improved IT infrastructure
  • governance reform
  • review of core competency profile
  • educational tools review and updates
  • review of item writing and examination items for the item bank for the exams
  • continuing with online exams and their maintenance
  • implementing government changes.
• Retain and attract talented staff in a competitive market. To do this, we must have a competitive compensation package.
• Offer ongoing training to staff and Council to provide them with the tools they need to be successful.

Although CKO regulates the profession in the public interest, regulatory colleges do not receive any government funding. They are funded entirely through their fees (e.g., registrations, applications, etc.)

The College’s fees have not increased in 10 years. Yet the human and financial resources needed for the College’s regulatory activities related to registration, quality assurance, investigations and hearings, and public outreach have increased. As a result, fee increases are needed to support the College’s initiatives and ongoing costs. And, although the fees have not increased in 10 years, the proposed fee increases are still lower than the rate of inflation over the past decade.

The public has a right to safe and effective care. This means that the College has to be financially stable to fulfill its public protection mandate. The College also has to meet all expectations of the Ministry of Health and various government agencies including the Office of the Fairness Commissioner, the Privacy Commissioner, and the Health Professions Review and Appeal Board.

If you would like to apply for funding, contact the College at (416) 961-7000 or via email for more information or complete the application form found on the “Understanding Sexual Abuse” section of the College’s website.

Yes. The therapy/counselling must have been provided after the incidents of sexual misconduct by a kinesiologist took place and the remaining eligibility criteria must also be met.

As the College is prohibited from making payment directly to you, retroactive funding can only be provided where the original therapist/counsellor agrees to provide you with a refund and seek reimbursement from the College.

Yes. The RHPA states that funding can be provided for a maximum of five years from the date on which the individual first received funding for therapy or counselling after the alleged sexual abuse took place, or five years from the date on which the individual became eligible for funding.

While the College understands that reporting allegations of sexual abuse can be difficult, the College encourages potential applicants to contact the College as soon as they are able to do so.

No. The funding provided by the College can only be used to pay for therapy or counselling. The funding cannot be used directly or indirectly for any other purpose.
The College provides other supports for individuals participating in a disciplinary hearing relating to allegations of sexual abuse, such as covering costs for travel, accommodation and childcare expenses during the hearing.

All funding is provided by the College directly to the therapist or counsellor based on invoiced amounts. The College is prohibited from making payment directly to the individual receiving therapy/counselling.

If there is another source of funds to cover the cost of therapy/counselling, such as the Ontario Health Insurance Plan or a private insurer, the amounts provided by the College will be reduced to reflect these other sources of funding.

The amount of funding provided is tied to the actual cost of therapy/counselling received, subject to a maximum amount set out in the RHPA. As of January 1, 2019, the maximum eligible amount is approximately $16,000. The exact amount of funding provided will depend on the specific circumstances of the case and may be adjusted to reflect the reasonable and customary fees charged for therapy/counselling.

Although the College strongly recommends that you seek therapy/counselling from regulated health professionals, such as physicians/psychiatrists, psychologists, or psychotherapists, this is not a requirement to receive funding. If the therapist/counsellor is not a regulated health professional, you must sign an acknowledgement that you understand the therapist/counsellor is not subject to oversight and discipline by a regulatory body.

You are free to select your own therapist or counsellor, subject to the following limitations. The therapist/counsellor cannot:

• be a member of your family.
• have been found guilty of professional misconduct of a sexual nature, or been found civilly or criminally liable for an act of a similar nature.

No. The College does require basic information about the therapist/counsellor, such as their name and contact information, the fees they charge, and the dates and times of service to provide reimbursement.

“Sexual abuse” is a legally defined term and includes a wide variety of sexual misconduct, including sexual activity, touching, and commentary by a kinesiologist towards a patient/client.

You are eligible for funding if you:

• have filed a complaint with the College alleging sexual abuse by a kinesiologist that occurred while you were a patient/client; or
• are part of a Registrar’s investigation into whether you were sexually abused by a kinesiologist while you were a patient/client.

Regulated health professionals are in a position of trust and are expected to adhere to a high standard of ethical and safe behaviour, even outside of their practice. It is professional misconduct to be found guilty of an offence that is determined to be relevant to suitability to practise. Relevant to suitability does not only include behaviour while practising, but also includes conduct that may be seen as untrustworthy, unreliable or unethical, as this can diminish the confidence in you as a kinesiologist and in the profession as a whole.

Yes. The Health Professions Procedural Code makes it mandatory to report any and all findings of guilt to the regulator. The regulator acts in the public’s interest and is in the best possible position to assess which findings of guilt require further investigation. In almost all cases, minor infractions or non-serious offences will not be investigated by the College.

The College will review all reports of findings of guilt and assess whether there is a reasonable belief that the offence may be relevant to suitability to practise. If the College has reason to believe this, an investigation is initiated, which is reviewed by the Inquiries, Complaints and Reports Committee. If an investigation is initiated, you will be notified and provided the opportunity to respond. In other cases, the College may take informal action by contacting you and ensuring you understand your legal and ethical duties as a regulated health professional. For matters that do not raise concerns, the information will be kept on your file, but no further action will be taken.

All members selected for PPA are required to participate. If you feel you are unable to complete the PPA at this time, you can complete an application for deferral or exemption and submit it to professionalpractice@coko.ca. Deferral and Exemption requests may be approved by the Quality Assurance Committee based on the corresponding policies.

There are several methods by which Kinesiologists can be selected for participation, either through being outstanding on a registration requirement such as outstanding Professional Liability Insurance, not completing another QA program such as the Self-Assessment or eLearning Modules, or through random selection.

Yes. The College conducts frequent audits to verify that kinesiologists have appropriate PLI coverage. Kinesiologists who do not meet the PLI requirements are required to submit proof of coverage or face possible suspension of their certificate of registration. 

If you are covered by your employer’s PLI and if that policy meets the College’s requirements, you are not required to obtain additional coverage, although you may wish to do so.

You must ensure that the employer’s policy covers individual employees. If the policy does not cover individual employees, you must obtain PLI. The Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 requires that all practising regulated health professionals be personally insured. The employer’s policy does not have to list the kinesiologist individually by name, but must specify that it covers the “employees” of the organization as “added insurers”. In these instances, a letter from the employer confirming that you are an added insurer is required.

You can obtain PLI from any source, including your employer, a professional association, or directly from an insurance company so long as it meets the College’s requirements noted above.

When looking for PLI, you should consider the following:

• Does the policy cover your full scope of practice as a registered kinesiologist?
• Are there any policy exclusions that may put you at risk in the event of a claim?
• If you are ensured by your employer, does the policy cover you for claims made outside of your job (e.g. work as a volunteer, advice you may give outside of your practice setting)?
• Is the policy transportable and in effect regardless of where you practice as a registered kinesiologist in Ontario?
• Does your plan cover reimbursement of legal or criminal defense expenses?
• Will your plan provide for the cost of legal representation in the event you are subpoenaed to appear as a witness?
• What type of coverage does your policy provide (e.g. malpractice, errors and omissions, legal expenses)?
• What is the liability aggregate limit?
• Do you have an “occurrence” type of policy (covers claims that occur after the policy has lapsed) or “claims-made” policy (only covers you for claims made during the term of the policy)? If you have a “claims made” policy (which is the most common form of liability insurance today), you should ensure that you have enduring (tail) coverage to protect against any liabilities or claims made against you during the period you were ensured.
• What are the “exclusions” under the policy? Such exclusions should be standard provisions that do not materially detract from comprehensive professional liability.

This depends on your class of registration. If you are registered in the General Class, you must have PLI coverage at all times, regardless of whether you are employed and practising within the scope of practice of kinesiology. 

If you are registered in the Inactive Class, you do not need PLI coverage. The enduring (tail) insurance will provide protection once you move to the Inactive Class. When moving to the Inactive Class you must declare that you: 

a. are requesting an exemption from the professional liability insurance requirement on the grounds that  you are not currently engaged in the practice of kinesiology; 
b. have enduring tail insurance coverage for five years; and 
c. have read and understood the College’s Policy on professional liability insurance and will obtain insurance again before practising.

Kinesiologists who do not have adequate PLI coverage must cease practising until they obtain the required coverage. In addition to the possibility of being personally liable, the College can investigate kinesiologists for not holding the required insurance coverage. If a kinesiologist loses their insurance coverage for any reason, they must notify the College within two business days. The College can suspend the registration of any kinesiologist who does not hold professional liability insurance until they provide proof.

An occurrence type of policy covers claims that occur after the policy has lapsed. Claims-made policies are the most common form of liability insurance today and only cover you for claims made during the term of the policy.

Enduring coverage, often called tail insurance, protects against any claims made after you leave an employer or if the particular insurance policy ends. All kinesiologists must ensure that they have enduring/tail insurance as part of their PLI policy.

You are only required to get a kinesiology extension if your base PLI policy does not cover the full scope of practice of kinesiologists. The kinesiology extension is designed for those whose base PLI policy only covers one area of practice (e.g. athletic therapy, exercise physiology).

Your PLI policy must satisfy the following as defined in the Registration Regulation:

i. a minimum amount of $1,000,000 per occurrence;
ii. a minimum aggregate amount of $3,000,000 per year;
iii. a deductible of no more than $1,000 per occurrence;
iv. where the insurance is of the claims-made type, the member shall have enduring (tail) insurance to provide coverage for at least five years after the termination of the insurance; and
v. the provider must either be licensed as an insurer with the Financial Services Commission or Ontario or must be in the form of membership in a protective association acceptable to the Registrar that provides equivalent protection.

You must provide the College with a copy of your PLI policy at annual renewal and once you’ve renewed your insurance.

For more information on the PLI requirements, view the Professional Liability Insurance Policy.

PLI protects both kinesiologists and their patients/clients. PLI provides patients/clients with compensation should harm occur as a result of error, omission or a negligent act by a kinesiologist, and it protects the kinesiologist by providing legal and financial support should a claim be made against them.

Where possible, minimize the exchange of personal health information and/or sensitive information through unencrypted channels.

• There has been an increase in the number of SARS-CoV-2 related malicious emails. There has also been an increase in website registrations – some of those could be malicious.
• Remain vigilant in identifying SARS-CoV-2 themed spam/phishing emails and malicious websites.
• If applicable, collaborate with your organization’s information technology/infrastructure team to identify, report, and block malicious email and website domains. Information technology/infrastructure teams are reminded to stay informed of latest emerging threats. Where possible, keep up to date with security patches and upgrades.

View a cyber alert example.

Several resources have been published setting out guidelines and strategies for the implementation and use of virtual care. A few examples are provided below:

• Ontario MD and Ontario Medical Association (2020). Virtual Care: COVID-19 Guide (includes list of video visit platforms created for medical care)
• CMPA (2018). Thinking of working with virtual clinics? Consider these medical-legal issues
• HIROC (2016). Privacy Breach- Risk Reference Sheets

You are reminded of your professional and legal obligations related to virtual care including (but not limited to) minimizing the risks of virtual care:

• Obtaining informed consent (documented) to the virtual encounter (e.g. risk, benefits, and alternatives with virtual care and the type of technology used);
• Meeting privacy and confidentiality requirements (e.g. physical and technical safeguards to protect personal health information and not using platforms that store recording encounters on the cloud or ‘offsite’ without College or employer approval);
• Maintaining proper and secure documentation and patient/client records (note: the same standards for documentation apply to both in-person and virtual care encounters);
• Ensuring positive patient/client and substitute decision maker identification (e.g. defined by your local protocol/guidelines);
• Complying with your duty of care responsibilities (e.g. providing the patient/client with adequate/appropriate information, use of language and cultural interpreters, timely consultations, etc.);
• Ensuring program and platform suitability (e.g. pros/cons of the platform, suitability to the patient/client and practitioner needs).

If you are using Zoom, please read an advisory on Zoom released by the Ontario Government on April 9, 2020.

Invoices should be an accurate representation of the service provided to the patient/client. If the service was provided virtually, it should say this on the invoice. If you are unable to enter the fact that it was a virtual session in an electronic invoice because of the format, it should be added as a note in the patient/client record.

View the College’s Practice Standard- Fees and Billing and the Practice Guideline- Fees and Billing.

Yes. Consent to virtual service is required and it is not implied. The consent conversation should at minimum cover the same basic information, whether the service is provided in-person or virtually. The consent conversation that takes place with a patient/client should discuss the benefits, risks, alternatives and possible outcomes should the patient/client not receive the service.

You must get the patient’s/client’s consent to involve someone else in their care, like an assistant or student. The patient/client must also be informed that they can refuse service at any point during the session.

Virtual service does introduce some new elements to the consent conversation, such as:

• It might become too complicated or difficult to complete the assessment or treatment and either party can stop the session and discuss how to move forward.
• The potential benefits, constraints and risks of using technology. Things like privacy, security and ability to communicate during a virtual session.
• The patient/client should be reminded that they can ask you questions at any time.

You should summarize the discussion at the end of the session and document this in the patient/client record, including the patient’s/client’s consent.

Some organizations and practitioners have developed a consent to virtual/remote care template. In the absence of such a written form, obtain verbal consent and document the consent discussion in the patient/client record.

Consent example: CMPA- Consent to use electronic communications

View the College’s Practice Standard- Consent and the Practice Guideline- Consent.

Here are important factors to consider before making decisions about offering virtual care:

• Is it clinically appropriate based on each patient’s/client’s needs or is an in-person visit required?
• Are there any physical, cognitive or sensory deficits that may make virtual practice unsafe or ineffective for a particular patient/client?
• Are you able to protect the safety of your patient’s/client’s personal health information? (consider your and their location and the technology itself- make sure it is PHIPA compliant).
• Do you have a plan in place to deal with potential adverse events such as patient/client medical emergencies, failure of the communication technology or environmental hazards?

The Manager, Professional Practice can answer any questions you have regarding the Practice Standards or Guidelines. He can be reached at professionalpractice@coko.ca or 416-961-7000 ext. 104

The full module will take between 2-4 hours. You are not required to complete the module in one sitting, you can save your progress and return to the module at a later date.

Yes, all Kinesiologists registered in the General Class are required to complete it. Not completing the Self-assessment is grounds for selection for the Peer and Practice Assessment.

The Manager, Professional Practice can answer any questions you have regarding the Practice Standards or Guidelines. He can be reached at professionalpractice@coko.ca or 416-961-7000 ext. 104