Welcome to the 2022/2023 membership year. This past renewal marked the first renewal using the new member portal, Alinity, and overall the process was smooth.

The renewal application in Alinity was a three-step process which consisted of a profile update, Continuing Competence record and professional responsibilities and declarations acknowledgement. This year, the College required updated professional liability insurance if the expiry date was October 1, 2022 or earlier. This is because in the past the College only required members to have active insurance at the time they renew and every year there was a group of members that were suspended on October 1 due to expired insurance.

In an effort to help with the new process, the College created a short instructional video. This was available on the home page of the member portal and as the first page of the renewal application. It was viewed a total of 3,706 times. Additionally, a live chat function was launched on the website as a pilot project during the renewal period. The goal was to offer an additional channel of communication for members who needed help completing renewal or had questions and got real-time responses from staff. I’m happy to announce that the chat was a major success and will be used for future renewal periods to come.

Below are some common questions or misunderstandings the College staff encountered during renewal.

Why was my practice permit suspended before the end of renewal?

It is a requirement of active registration for all regulated members to have an active professional liability insurance policy listed in their portal. The effective date outlines the first date the policy is active. The expiry date outlines the date the policy expires. This means if the expiry date is listed as September 30, the policy expires at 12:01 am on September 30, not 12:00 am on October 1.

When a member’s policy is set to expire, the College sends out email reminders to update the policy information on file. If a regulated member does not update their policy information prior to it expiring, their practice permit is suspended. In order for a member’s practice permit to be reactivated, an updated insurance policy needs to be added to the member’s portal. This year, we had inquiries from members on September 30 who were confused about why their practice permit was suspended. It is important for all members to ensure their professional liability insurance information is always kept up to date. The College does not receive information from insurance companies on behalf of our members.

When can I start entering my CC credits in the portal?

CC activities can be entered in the member portal at any time during the cycle. It was brought to our attention that some members believed that they were only able to enter credits during the renewal period. The Continuing Competence page in the member portal can be accessed and updated at any point during the member year. This same form is populated in the renewal application, so anything entered during the year will be populated in the renewal application. We encourage members to enter activities in the member portal as they are completed throughout the year. This will ensure a smooth renewal process.

Is there a mandatory Continuing Competence learning for 2022/2023?

There is no mandatory learning module for the 2022/2022 Continuing Competence cycle.

Thank you to everyone that completed the renewal application. As always, we are here to help whenever possible. If you experienced any issues during renewal with the member portal or have any questions, please contact the College at info@abparamedics.com.

Wendy Dugas,
CEO