Frequently Asked Questions
New Membership
- What documents do I need to provide when applying for membership?
To proceed with your file analysis, the following documents are required :
- Photocopies of your diplomas and certificates relating to alternative medicine (please specify the number of training hours, if not mentioned on diploma)
- Photocopies of your college and/or university diplomas and certificates or any other documents that could be complementary
- Resume
- Citizenship document - only if other than Canadian, as well as a valid work permit
- What is the acceptance delay when applying for membership ?
Upon reception of ALL your documents, the evaluation of you file by the committee can take up to 3 weeks.
- Do I have to be 18 years old to be a RITMA member ?
YES, the minimum age to become a RITMA member is 18.
General
- Professional Order or Professional Association?
Did you know that there is a difference between a professional association and a professional association?
Quebec has 46 professional orders that protect the public. Their main role: to ensure, in their own field, that professionals offer services that meet the quality and integrity standards of the profession. In order to fulfill the important mandate entrusted to them by the law, each professional order has a certain number of powers which constitute as many guarantees for the protection of the public and which ensure the quality of professional services.
As for a professional association, its role is to promote the socio-economic interests and the well-being of its members.
Source: Office des professions
- What is the difference between professional responsability insurance and civil and general liability insurance ?
The professional responsability insurance covers your therapeutic acts, your cares, while the civil and general liability insurance covers accidents that can take place at the place of care, for example a person that stumbles in your waiting room and gets injured.
- Is it mandatory to contract a professional insurance and to renew it every year ?
No, but it is highly recommended.
- Is it mandatory to contact a civil and general liability insurance and to renew it every year ?
No, but it is highly recommended.
- Can my employer compel me to change association ?
NO, the choice of the association is at the therapist's personnal discretion.
- What are the reserved activities (all disciplines combined) ?
For each discipline, it is important to know which activities are reserved for certain professions and which you can not use. To know these activities, refer to web sites :
Articles 35 to 37 of the Code des Professions du Québec at http:// legisquebec .gouv. qc.ca /fr/ ShowDoc /cs/C- 26
Loi médicale Article 31, https://www.legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/fr/document/lc/m-9
Acuponcture, https://www.legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/fr/document/lc/A-5.1
Sage femme, https://www.legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/fr/document/lc/S-0.1/
Receipt Issuance
- What is the difference between an invoice and a receipt ?
These are two distinct documents.The invoice is intended for the therapist accounting and tax return, while the receipt if for the client who receives a care. The client will present the receipt to his/her insurance company and according to his/hers insurance plan, there can be a refund. In addition, the client can include the receipt in his tax return for deductable care such as homeopathy, naturopathy and osteopathy.
- How to fill out a paper receipt ?
It is imppotant that ALL fields of the receipt are filled in order to allow the reimbursement for your client by the insurance company. For the Traditional type receipt (similar to a checkbook), the address where the care are given can be written on the same line as the phone number or on the back of the receipt.
- How can I put my electronic signature on electronic receipt ?
You must download a software of the type Acrobat Reader (free software). Then, you need to import your receipt and sign it by following the instruction of the software. Click here for a helpful document.
- Can I reissue a receipt already given to a client ?
YES,
Papers receipts : Fill out a receipt as you would for a first receipt and add DUPLICATE, that way the insurance companies will know that this receipts is a copy of a receipt already issued.
Electronic receipts : In your member's profile, in the section Electronic receipts, return to your client's desired receipts and reprint the receipt, DUPLICATE will automatically be mentionned.
- How can I find a receipt I issued in the past ?
Paper receipts : Refer to your receipt books. There is always a place to keep track of your issued receipts, whether you have traditional type receipts (the stub) or professional type receipts (the yellow copy).
Electronic receipts : The system stores all issued electronic receipts, which you can view at any time in your member's profile. You can also refer to the Video Tutorials, also available in your member's profile.
Record Keeping
- Am I required to have a consent form signed by my client ?
YES, for the therapist, this document is proof that the client indeed accepted to receive the given service. It is not mandatory that this document be that of RITMA's, which can be use as template. Pay attention, the minor child consent form is different than the adult one.
- Is it mandatory to fill out a Health summary ?
YES, filling out a health summary allows the therapist to ensure the health of the client before profiding a care.
- Am I obliged to use the documents provided by RITMA such as consents, summaries, evolution notes, referal to a specialist or record keeping?
NO, these documents can be used as such or serve as template for a document adapted to you needs.
- Do my client files follow me in case of change of clinic or resignation, whether I am an employee or self-employed ?
Not necessarily. As a self-employed worker, your files belong to you, so you will naturally leave with your files. As an employee, only your personnal notes belong to you, records and clients belongs to the clinic.
- What should I do if an insurer request to provide a client's file ?
Contracts between insured and insurer stipulate that upon request, the insured must provide his/hers file in order to be reimbursed. In such a case, either you give the file to your client, or with his/hers whiten permission, directly to the insurer. These notes include client contact information, care dates and evolution notes. The personal notes belong to therapist and are confidential, even in the case of a formal request from the court.
Members
- Do I have to send my continuing education as soon as I finish them?
YES, this allows RITMA to keep your file up to date.
- Are my annual membership fees tax deductible ?
YES, you must keep your invoice and the receipt of your annual RITMA contribution in order to give them to your accountant for your tax report. For any other information, refer to your accountant.
Contact us at info@ritma.ca for more information.