November is a busy time for physicians with many competing priorities. The SMA has developed the following checklist to make this time of year less stressful for physicians.

• Renew your SMA/CMA conjoint membership

Membership dues need to paid by December 31. If you have any question about your membership, please contact Joelle Kostiuk, Membership Administrator, at joelle@sma.sk.ca or (306) 244-2196.

• Renew your license with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan (CPSS)

Renew your license online. Click here to go to the CPSS website.

• Fulfill your revalidation requirements

Since 2007, Saskatchewan physicians who are licensed on a full, provisional or special licence are required to fulfill revalidation requirements in order to renew their professional registration for the upcoming year.

Physicians need to enroll in a continuing professional learning program with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the Canadian College of Family Physicians of Canada before they will be permitted to renew their registration for 2014. This process is known as revalidation. More information about the the revalidation process is available here.

Contact Barb Porter, Director of Physician Registration at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan at (306) 244-7355 for further information.

• Renew your professional corporation with the CPSS

All professional corporation permits expire on December 31 each year. For more information, please click here to go to the CPSS website.

• Ensure you are compliant with all privacy requirements

In Saskatchewan, physicians who are trustees as described in The Health Information Protection Act are required to establish privacy programs for their staff and others who may have access to patients’ personal health information.The privacy program should consist of:

• Written privacy and security policies and procedures,
• Privacy and security education for staff,
• Confidentiality agreements signed by staff,
• Providing information to patients about information management practices of the trustee,
• Signed agreements with third parties and other trustees.

The SMA, through the Saskatchewan EMR Program, has developed privacy and security resource materials to help physicians enrolled in the EMR Program meet their obligations under The Health Information Protection Act. Privacy resources can be found here.