ACSLPA has a standard of practice and a guideline related to virtual care. These documents can be accessed at the following links:
- Standard 1.7 Virtual Care
- Virtual Care Guideline (click on the ‘+’ beside Guidelines and Supplemental Materials – then Virtual Care Guideline)
Cross-Jurisdictional Virtual Care
Introduction
The use of virtual care to provide professional services has increased dramatically in the last two years, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In recognition of the various circumstances that regulated members may have to navigate when using virtual care to provide services, ACSLPA has developed detailed guidance on some of the more common scenarios with regard to virtual care.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
“Out-of-province” clients include those:
- Whose permanent address is outside of Alberta (i.e., in another province/territory),
- Who wish to obtain services from an Alberta based, ACSLPA registered SLP or Audiologist (e.g., clients wishing to access specialized services that are not available in their home jurisdiction), and
- Who will participate in sessions virtually or otherwise receive professional services from their home jurisdiction.
ACSLPA typically considers the location of the client to be the location of service provision. Therefore, the regulatory body in the client’s home jurisdiction has the authority to decide on any registration requirements for service provision in situations like these. In this circumstance, regulated members will need to inquire about the registration requirements of the regulatory body or association in the client’s home jurisdiction to determine whether registration is required and what type of registration is required to provide professional services.
Within Canada:
If registration is required by the regulator in the other province or territory, ACSLPA regulated members with clients whose home jurisdiction is in Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, or Saskatchewan, can apply for cross-provincial practice registration, which allows SLPs and audiologists to provide a limited amount of care across provincial boundaries in these provinces only. Please see the ACSLPA website (www.acslpa.ca) for more information on Cross Provincial Practice.
Regulated members with clients whose home jurisdiction is in provinces/territories other than the ones listed above should contact the applicable College or Association directly for more information on registration requirements.
In this situation the regulated member:
- Will not be providing services to clients in the jurisdiction where they are staying temporarily, and
- Will be returning to Alberta after their stay out of province.
- E.g., ACSLPA regulated members going on vacation to another province/territory in Canada or internationally, or temporarily residing in another province/territory in Canada, or internationally for family, school, work, or other obligations.
Given that the client in this circumstance is physically located in Alberta, from ACSLPA’s viewpoint, the regulated member can proceed with service provision virtually, as long as they practice in compliance with the College’s Standard of Practice on Virtual Care.
ACSLPA does not require regulated members to become registered in the other province/territory or country in these situations. However, we cannot speak for any extra-jurisdictional regulators. In this circumstance, regulated members may want to inquire about the registration requirements of the regulatory body or association in the jurisdiction they will be in while they are out of the province.
These are situations where:
- The client to whom services are provided is in Alberta.
- E.g., one guardian of a minor client lives out of province for work or school.
Given that the client in this circumstance is physically located in Alberta, the ACSLPA regulated member can proceed with service provision, with the out-of-province family member observing virtually, without needing to inquire about registration requirements in the jurisdiction where the family member is located.
These are clients:
- Whose permanent address will no longer be in Alberta,
- Who are moving to another province/territory in Canada or internationally,
- Who will not be returning to reside in Alberta, and
- Who would like to receive virtual services from their Alberta-based SLP or audiologist.
ACSLPA regulated members must inquire about registrations requirements with the regulatory body in the client’s new place of residence in order to determine what type of registration might be required to provide ongoing services.
From ACSLPA’s viewpoint, regulated members who hold the appropriate registration in the client’s new place of residence may provide services in this situation, but they are not obligated to provide ongoing services to clients who permanently move out of the province of Alberta. Regulated members may also choose to provide bridging or transitional services to clients who are permanently moving out of Alberta (e.g., educating the client on management of their care post-discharge, or facilitating referrals to services in the client’s new place of residence). Whether providing bridging or longer-term virtual services, ACSLPA regulated members must ensure that they obtain and maintain the appropriate registration or license to practice in the client’s new place of residence for the duration of service provision to the client.
Within Canada:
ACSLPA regulated members with clients moving to Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, or Saskatchewan can apply for cross-provincial practice registration, which allows SLPs and audiologists to provide a limited amount of care across provincial boundaries in these provinces. Click here for more information.
Regulated members with clients moving to provinces/territories other than the ones listed above should contact the applicable College or Association directly for more information on registration requirements.
These are clients:
- Whose permanent address is in Alberta, and
- Who will be returning to Alberta after their stay out of the province.
- E.g., clients going on vacation to another province/territory in Canada or internationally, clients temporarily residing outside of Alberta for extended periods for family, school, work, or other obligations.
ACSLPA does not require regulated members to become registered in the other province/territory or country in these situations, but we cannot speak for extra-jurisdictional regulators. In this circumstance, regulated members will need to inquire about the registration requirements of the regulatory body or association in the jurisdiction that the client will be in while they are out of the province in order to determine what type of registration might be required to provide temporary services.
Within Canada:
If registration is required by the regulator in the other province or territory, ACSLPA regulated members with clients travelling to or temporarily residing in Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, or Saskatchewan, can apply for cross-provincial practice registration, which allows SLPs and audiologists to provide a limited amount of care across provincial boundaries in these provinces only. Click here for more information.
Regulated members with clients travelling to or temporarily residing in provinces/territories other than the ones listed above should contact the applicable College or Association directly for more information on registration requirements.
ACSLPA has also developed more detailed guidance for SLPs and audiologists registered in jurisdictions outside of Alberta who may temporarily be in Alberta themselves, or who may wish to offer virtual services to a client who is in Alberta temporarily.
These are situations where:
- The SLP or audiologist will not be providing services to members of the Alberta public, and
- The SLP or audiologist will return to their home jurisdiction after their stay in Alberta.
- E.g., SLPs or audiologists going on vacation to Alberta.
Given that the client is not members of the Alberta public, and because the SLP or audiologist will not be providing professional services to members of the Alberta public, registration with ACSLPA will not be required to provide virtual services in this situation.
ACSLPA is not able to comment on the requirements of the clinician’s home/primary jurisdiction in this situation.
These are situations where:
- The client’s permanent address will no longer be in the jurisdiction where the SLP or audiologist is registered to practice,
- The client would like to continue receiving services from the clinician in their old jurisdiction after they move to Alberta, and
- The client will not be returning to the jurisdiction where the SLP or audiologist is registered to practice.
SLPs or audiologists wishing to provide virtual services to a client who is permanently moving to Alberta must be registered with ACSLPA in order to offer virtual services. These clinicians may provide longer-term virtual services or may choose to provide bridging or transitional services (e.g., educating the client on management of their care post-discharge, or facilitating referrals to services in Alberta).
Professionals in Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Saskatchewan can apply for cross-provincial practice registration in Alberta. Click here for more information.
SLPs and audiologists in all other jurisdictions outside of Alberta may apply for registration on ACSLPA’s Courtesy Register for short-term service provision. Click here for Courtesy Registration information.
These are situations where:
- The client’s permanent address is in the jurisdiction where the SLP or audiologist is registered to practice,
- The client will be returning to the jurisdiction where the SLP or audiologist is registered after their stay in Alberta,
- The client would like to continue virtual services with their clinician in their home jurisdiction while they are in Alberta, and
- The SLP or audiologist will not be providing any professional services to any member(s) of the Alberta public.
- E.g., clients travelling to Alberta on vacation, clients temporarily residing in Alberta for family, school, work, or other obligations.
Given that the client is not a member of the Alberta public, and because the clinician will not be providing professional services to members of the Alberta public, registration with ACSLPA will not be required in this situation.
ACSLPA is not able to comment on the requirements of the clinician’s home/primary jurisdiction in this situation.