THE Ontario government recently announced that it would allow long-term care homes to arrange hybrid/virtual consultations with Registered Dietitians (RDs) when a dietitian is not onsite. The news represents positive change for long-term care homes, long-term residents, and RDs. The change required a legislative amendment to O. Reg. 246/22 under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021.
“According to our latest annual report, more than 10 per cent of dietitians in Ontario work for long-term care organizations,” explains CDO Registrar and Executive Director Melanie Woodbeck. “In fact, in terms of workplace settings, long-term care settings are the third-highest employer of dietitians, following hospitals and private practice. The positive imact cannot be underestimated.”
CDO first began its work developing virtual care standards and deadlines in 2020, during the pandemic, when the College held a series of webinars to provide registrants with a better understanding of their regulatory and professional obligations when providing virtual care.
Registrants identified a need for more clarity and guidance on virtual care, and work subsequently began in 2021 on new standards and guidelines, following environmental scans, consultations, surveys, equity impact assessments and more.
The new standards were approved by the Board in March 2023.
In September 2024, the Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care began consultations to amend Ontario Regulation 246/22 under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021, “as part of an ongoing evolution of the governing framework intended to enhance the quality of care and life for residents in long-term care.”
The College quickly responded in support of the Ministry’s objective of ensuring delivery of safe, high-quality care to long-term care residents by enabling innovative and flexible health human resource solutions.
“We assured the Ministry that it could proceed with confidence,” explains Melanie, “because dietitians were ready for this change. The virtual care standards and guidelines, together with the CDO Code of Ethics, set out performance expectations. And CDO had also developed collaborative care professional practice guidelines for RDs back in 2018.”
The amendments align with goal two of the College’s new 2025-29 Strategic Plan: Promote Quality Care and Professionalism.
“But just as importantly,” adds Melanie, “this is a postive change that aligns with CDO’s new vision statement: A healthier Ontario through excellence in dietetic regulation.”
