This latest Q&A document, published as recently as August 2011 provides useful clarification of many of the stipulations made in the original guidance document which was issued in September 2008. At MedLatest we think it might be useful to occasionally drop in a few snippets from this document to provide updates and reminders of the guidelines and how the industry and healthcare professionals might be expected to act with respect to each other. The entire Q&A document can be found here, but here’s question 3 for a taster:
Q3 Under the guidelines, is written notification to the Healthcare Professional‟s employer (or
other locally-designated body) required for each interaction with a member? For example, is such
notification required each time a member pays for a reasonably priced meal or gives a Healthcare
Professional a gift which are otherwise in line with the requirements of the guidelines?
A3 Written notification to the Healthcare Professional‟s employer (or other locally-designated body) is required whenever a member engages a Healthcare Professional as a consultant or whenever a member makes a financial contribution to the Healthcare Professional‟s medical training. Incidental interactions arising in the normal course of business such as meals associated with educational or business meetings or the receipt of modest gifts related to the Healthcare Professional’s practice, do not require notification
Source: MedLatest staff
published: September 16, 2011 in: Healthcare, Regulatory