Fraud can be any deliberate and dishonest act committed with the knowledge that it could result in an unauthorized benefit to the person committing the act or someone else who is not entitled to the benefit. Medical health practitioner fraud can occur when someone uses their position as a health care provider to exploit others into obtaining funds or property for their direct benefit. This may involve a doctor misleading a patient, or the health care system in order to obtain financial gain. Specific examples of medical health practitioner fraud can involve billing for services that were never rendered, either by using patient information through identity theft to fabricate claims, or by padding claims with charges for procedures that did not take place. In other cases, individuals may represent themselves as qualified to perform or practice certain procedures when in fact they are not qualified. The collateral consequences of these offences result if disciplinary proceedings with the Ontario College of Physicians, among other regulatory and civil issues.
Medical Health Practitioner fraud is treated very seriously by the police and crown attorneys. These offences involve a severe breach of trust involving persons in positions of power and authority exploiting such positions for financial gain. A medical practitioner fraud conviction may result in a jail term of 14 years.
