Practical guide
Starting a medical practice in Ontario: an operational checklist
Opening a practice involves professional, business, privacy and technology decisions. Sequence them early so patient care does not begin on top of unfinished administrative foundations.
Confirm registrations and relationships
Review CPSO registration status, obtain an OHIP billing number where applicable and establish group or payment arrangements before relying on them operationally. The Ministry requires a valid professional registration, an Ontario practice address and banking information for OHIP billing-number registration.
Define records and privacy accountability
In shared practices, establish written agreements covering custody, access, security, retention and what happens when someone leaves. CPSO expects clear medical-record accountabilities where multiple contributors use a shared system or the physician does not own the EMR licence.
Design the first-day workflow
Map registration, scheduling, clinical documentation, billing, incoming documents, results and follow-up. Decide who owns exceptions and how urgent items are escalated. Test access, backups, downtime procedures and staff training before the first full clinic day.