CMTBC posts Interim Guidelines for RMTs’ Return to Practice in the context of COVID-19.

RMTs’ requests for interpretation of the Guidelines are summarized here, in “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQs). CMTBC updates this webpage on a regular basis.

RMTs can contact [email protected] with questions about the FAQs below, or with other questions related to the Interim Guidelines for Return to Practice.

Reminder: please call 8-1-1 for health-related questions. The phone number for non-medical information about COVID-19 is 1.888.COVID19 (1.888.268.4319), 7:30 am – 8 pm, 7 days a week. Please consider bookmarking BCCDC resources at a glance in your browser. 

FAQs POSTED ON APRIL 1, 2022 [updated April 4, 2022]

Can RMTs and patients now choose if they want to wear a mask during treatment?

The Provincial Health Officer (PHO) issued a notice on March 10, 2022 that wearing a mask in public indoor settings is no longer required by public health. 

On April 1, 2022, the PHO provided guidance to all BC health regulatory colleges, including CMTBC, regarding the use of masks in medical offices, private practices, and other settings. The PHO recommends the use of medical masks by both the RMT and patient when there is close, in-person patient/therapist contact.

A decision on mask use in the practice environment, particularly during treatment, should be made jointly by both the RMT and patient as part of the consent process, following a discussion and in the context of all the layers of protection (i.e. regular cleaning and disinfection, screening for COVID-19 risks, hand hygiene, physical distancing where possible, staying home when sick, and appropriate ventilation) an RMT has in place to minimize risk of transmission in the practice environment.

RMTs should use their professional judgement regarding the use of masks, taking into consideration the decision regarding mask use made with the patient as part of the consent process, as well as the PHO’s recommendation for medical mask use and any masking requirements established by an employer as part of a workplace communicable disease plan.

FAQs POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2021 [updated April 1, 2022]

Do RMTs belong to the group of regulated health care professionals who are now required to be vaccinated?

The Provincial Health Officer (PHO) order regarding vaccination status and preventive measures was issued on October 14, 2021. This order applies to health professionals and others who provide health care or services in public care settings.

RMTs practicing in private practice/clinic settings fall under Part L of the order, which states:

“L. NOTICE TO HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

TAKE NOTICE that in accordance with further direction from me, health professionals to be determined by me and their staff, not otherwise required to be vaccinated under the Residential Care COVID-19 Preventive Measures Order or this Order, will be required to be vaccinated by a date to be determined by me, in order to provide health care or services in the Province.”

This means that the PHO, at a future date, may require all health professionals, including RMTs, to be vaccinated in order to provide health care or services in BC.

Further information related to this order will be provided to registrants when it becomes available.

I have had a number of patients ask about my vaccination status. Do I have to disclose my vaccination status to my patients?

RMTs are not required to disclose their vaccination status to patients.

RMTs should consider whether the question and their response (or non-response) raises an issue of informed consent, and should consider the impact of their response (or non-response) on the therapeutic relationship with the patient.

For my own comfort and that of my patients, I would like to limit my practice to only those patients who are fully vaccinated. Can I do this?

RMTs who decide to treat only fully vaccinated patients should consider how they will share this information with existing patients and potential new patients.

A principle of informed consent is that patients agree to what will occur while in the RMT’s care, and that they understand the rationale for the treatment approach. If an RMT limits practice to those who are fully vaccinated, patients must be advised of this decision prior to presenting for their appointment.

Questions the RMT should consider include (and are not limited to)

• How will the RMT verify that a patient’s vaccination information is valid? (for example, if they are not BC residents but are permitted to travel to BC)
• The RMT must confirm that they will not treat children or others who cannot be vaccinated at this point in time.
• Some people may be medically exempt from vaccination. How will the RMT verify an exemption? (while keeping in mind BC’s Human Rights Code and a patient’s right to confidentiality)
• How will the RMT share their own vaccination status and that of others in their practice environment?
• If other health professionals within the RMT’s practice environment continue to see unvaccinated individuals, how does that impact the RMT’s decision to treat only fully vaccinated people? (for example, communication with patients and potential patients, ventilation within the clinic)

FAQs POSTED ON JULY 9, 2021 [updated April 1, 2022]

May RMTs ask patients if they have been fully vaccinated?

An RMT can ask a patient for their vaccination status but must also tell the patient they’re not obliged to answer. An appropriate way to present this question would be to ask whether the patient is comfortable revealing their vaccination status.

Can an RMT ask for proof of vaccination status?

Patients are not obliged to provide proof of vaccination for the purpose of receiving massage therapy. The Guidelines are silent on the issue of vaccination; CMTBC follows guidance provided by BC’s Provincial Health Officer and the Ministry of Health.

Both RMTs and patients may choose to provide proof if they have it.

Can you recommend a good way to discuss vaccination status that is consistent with practice standards?

This discussion is best in person, because it’s about building trust and that’s hard to do via an online form with check boxes. The RMT and the patient – especially if it’s a new patient with whom you don’t yet have a mutual trust relationship – need to be able to assess each other’s attitudes toward reducing risk of communicable disease transmission.

An RMT might choose to disclose their own vaccination status (assuming they are fully vaccinated), and then ask, Are you comfortable disclosing your own vaccination status to me?

Remember that vaccination status is private, personal information. Neither RMTs nor their patients are required to disclose their status (though they may choose to do so).

The Interim Guidelines state that “no one should enter the clinic if they are sick or show signs of communicable disease.” What signs of communicable disease should I screen for, in myself and others?

We have all learned over the last two years of pandemic management that COVID-19 has both typical and atypical signs, and is sometimes asymptomatic. None of us are communicable disease experts; all of us are asked to apply common sense to the question, do you feel sick, or have you been with people who are sick? If the answer to either question is “yes”, stay at home, and if COVID-19 symptoms are present, call 8-1-1 if direction on next steps is needed.

Is pre-screening still required?

The short answer is yes, but it’s different from before.

RMTs must clearly explain what patients will experience when they arrive at the practice setting. For example, does the RMT have a mask-use policy? Are patients invited to use the waiting room, or should they wait outside the practice setting to avoid physical crowding? And of course, patients are asked to rebook at a later date if they are sick.

Prior to COVID-19, RMTs didn’t ask patients – or potential patients – if they were free of communicable diseases that can be transmitted in shared space, for example in a treatment room. RMTs may choose to maintain this practice into the future. The message – “If you’re sick or have been with someone who is sick, please stay home” – is a reasonable precaution right now.

FAQs POSTED ON MARCH 17, 2021, RELATED TO COVID-19 IMMUNIZATION [updated September 29, 2021]

Current information is available at the following websites:

• BC Centre for Disease Control, COVID-19 Vaccine information
• COVID-19 Immunization Plan, Government of British Columbia
• COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions, ImmunizeBC
• BC Centre for Disease Control, COVID-19 information (frequently updated)
• COVID-19, Office of the Provincial Health Officer, updated orders, guidance, and information
• How to get vaccinated for COVID-19, Government of British Columbia

I received the email about vaccination clinics in my area; do I have to get vaccinated to maintain my registration, even though my family has chosen not to get vaccinated?

Immunization against COVID-19 is a global effort. In BC, the provincial government is providing immunization to all citizens through the health authorities. Please reflect on this question in the context of your professional Code of Ethics.

Consider as well that Section 7 of CMTBC’s Interim Guidelines for Return to Practice (COVID-19) addresses professional obligations, including your insurer’s requirements and the requirement to obtain informed consent from your patient. Consider that your decision about immunization may impact those with whom you come into contact, including your patients.

FAQ POSTED ON OCTOBER 6, 2020 [updated April 1, 2022]

My patients have requested heat during treatments. Am I able to use a thermophore, table warmer or other thermal agents during treatment?

Short answer, yes. Regular cleaning and disinfection minimize the risk of transmission of the novel coronavirus.

The College understands that many RMTs have successfully incorporated vinyl covers for heating devices. This is acceptable, where the vinyl (or other) cover of the heating devices (such as a thermophore) provides a surface that can be thoroughly cleaned after each use. RMTs need to consider if the heating (or cooling) agent and any high-touch surfaces associated with its use can be properly sanitized between patients. This includes not only coverings, like pillowcases and towels (e.g., some RMTs use multiple layers of towels around a heating device, and launder the towels after each use), but the thermal agent itself. A thermal agent that cannot be properly sanitized must not be used.

FAQs POSTED ON MAY 29, 2020:

Do I have to get written consent to treat every time my subsequent patient receives massage therapy in the new COVID-19 environment, or just the first time?

Written consent must be renewed in your presence when your patient first returns to massage therapy in the COVID-19 environment. This is consistent with CMTBC’s Consent Standard of Practice which states in Section 10: “An RMT renews consent when the treatment approach changes for any reason, and revises the treatment plan or creates a new one.”

The treatment approach has changed to include risk mitigation measures for transmission of COVID-19. Take the opportunity to invite your patient to ask questions and engage with your new protocols for everyone’s safety.

For subsequent treatments, ongoing consent is verbal (and charted by you), as before, until such time as there is a significant change in your treatment approach or treatment plan.

I would like to provide massage therapy to front-line health care workers who have been in COVID-19 wards, but I’m not sure what to do. What are the requirements? [updated November 2, 2020]

RMTs must apply the assessment tool provided by the BC Centre for Disease Control, Exposures and return to work for health care workers, in consultation with the health care worker. Spend time on the BCCDC webpage and read the fine print of the assessment tool (the diagram with green, yellow, red risk indicators), and ask your patients questions to help you determine the risk level.

FAQs POSTED ON MAY 20, 2020 [updated November 4, 2020]

Please clarify the consent requirement – there are a lot of new consents required, is that right?

Fundamentally, the consent process, and the reasons for it, have not changed.

If you previously had an informed consent process in your practice that conformed with requirements set by CMTBC’s Consent Standard of Practice, it probably looked something like this:

• On initial intake, you would describe your practice framework to a new patient, explaining that you will take a clinical history (question/answer about the patient’s medical history) initially and ask from time to time if anything has changed.
• You would explain that at every session, prior to providing massage therapy, you will conduct an assessment to clearly focus on the patient’s presenting complaint, or to monitor improvement over time.
• Further, you would explain that following treatment, you might re-assess, and you would provide home care – activities that the patient will do at home to improve their condition, including stretches, strengthening exercises, and possible adaptations to daily activities.
• You would also describe potential benefits and risks of receiving massage therapy, and point to alternatives for care.
• You would then request signed consent, demonstrating that the patient understood your framework for clinical care, understood the benefits and potential risks, and consented to your approach.

Sections 9 and 10 of the Consent Standard of Practice state that “before the delivery of a subsequent treatment, an RMT renews consent if appropriate” and that “[an] RMT renews consent when the treatment approach changes for any reason” [emphasis added].

What is new as a result of COVID-19 is that the context of care for every RMT and for every patient has changed, which means that RMTs are now required to renew written consent with each patient returning for massage therapy. Specifically, RMTs must include the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus, and the steps taken by the RMT to reduce the risk.

RMTs are not required to create a new form – they are required to obtain informed consent in the new context of care, including the risk of transmission of COVID-19 virus, and the patient must sign the consent.