{"id":2415,"date":"2024-12-10T19:55:48","date_gmt":"2024-12-11T00:55:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/live-coto.pantheonsite.io\/?post_type=resource&#038;p=2415"},"modified":"2025-09-05T15:58:42","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T19:58:42","slug":"professional-obligations","status":"publish","type":"resource","link":"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/resources\/professional-obligations\/","title":{"rendered":"Professional Obligations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<div class=\"content-section-block has-fade-in-up  align wp-block-acf-content-section\" id=\"section-professional-obligations-for-occupational-therapists\">\n    <div class=\"section-header \">\n        <h2>Professional Obligations for Occupational Therapists<\/h2>\n            <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"content-section\" aria-hidden=\"false\">\n        <div class=\"acf-innerblocks-container\">\n\n<p>Occupational therapists are accountable to the people they care for and serve, their peers, other regulated professions and their regulator \u2013 the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As registrants of the College, occupational therapists have a duty to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>provide the&nbsp;<a href=\"\/resources\/?resource-type=standards\"><strong>accepted standard of care<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;for patients and clients<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>report suspected cases<\/strong>&nbsp;of child abuse, sexual abuse or incapacity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>maintain the rules of&nbsp;<strong>privacy and confidentiality<\/strong>&nbsp;to respect patients<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>serve the best interests of patients by&nbsp;<strong>working with other professionals&nbsp;<\/strong>through interdisciplinary care and collaboration<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>put the&nbsp;<strong>needs of patients and clients first<\/strong>&nbsp;by maintaining professional boundaries<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>ensure that patients provide&nbsp;<strong>informed consent<\/strong>&nbsp;before a treatment or procedure<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>improve their skills and knowledge through ongoing&nbsp;professional development and completing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/registrants\/quality-assurance\/quality-assurance-requirements\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"2254\"><strong>annual quality assurance requirements<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>hold appropriate&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/registrants\/professional-liability-insurance\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1447\"><strong>professional liability insurance<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>maintain the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/registrants\/registration-services\/maintaining-currency\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"2249\"><strong>required number of practice hours<\/strong><\/a> (600 in three years)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>follow the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/resources\/legislation-bylaws\/\" data-type=\"resource\" data-id=\"1435\"><strong>rules and regulations<\/strong><\/a> that govern the occupational therapy profession<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>fulfill legal reporting requirements such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/resources\/self-reporting\/\" data-type=\"resource\" data-id=\"1879\"><strong>self-reporting<\/strong><\/a> and submitting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coto.org\/employers\/reporting-requirements\/mandatory-reporting-requirements-processes\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"1066\"><strong>mandatory reports<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>inform the College of changes to their address, email, employment, professional liability insurance and more, <strong>within 30 days of the change<\/strong>, to update information and make sure&nbsp;current information&nbsp;is available on the <strong>public register<\/strong> (list of OTs in Ontario)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>stay informed<\/strong> about changes to laws, regulations, standards and other information affecting your practice by visiting the College website and <strong>reading all College communications<\/strong>, including emails.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>By fulfilling these fundamental obligations and responsibilities, occupational therapists meet the expectations of the profession<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advanced_seo_description":"Read the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario's document on professional obligations.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"Professional Obligations | College of Occupational Therapists of 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