On June 16, 2015, the Discipline Committee found that Dr. Craita Arina Romanescu committed an act of professional misconduct in that she has engaged in conduct or an act or omission relevant to the practice of medicine that, having regard to all the circumstances, would reasonably be regarded by members as disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional. Dr. Romanescu admitted to the allegation.
In February of 2010, the College received a complaint from a patient who had been unable to obtain her records despite repeated requests when Dr. Romanescu closed her office for an indefinite period. Dr. Romanescu was cautioned by the College regarding the need to adhere to the College’s policy “Practice Management Considerations for Physicians Who Cease to Practise, Take an Extended Leave of Absence, or Close Their Practice Due to Relocation”.
In September 2011, Dr. Romanescu signed an undertaking with the College, in which she agreed to abide by the terms of the contract with the Physician Health Program (the “PHP”) she had entered in July 2011, and to remain in the monitoring arrangement with the PHP for five years.
In November 2013, Dr. Romanescu was advised by the PHP that she must take a leave of absence from her medical practice for health reasons. She had retained an administrative person who was to check messages and respond to patient requests, but this relationship was terminated shortly after Dr. Romanescu’s leave of absence began and then there was no one to staff the office. Thereafter, a sign was posted on the door of Dr. Romanescu’s office and a voicemail message was left on the office’s telephone system advising patients that the office was closed, but the voicemail message was only intermittently in place.
In December 2013, Dr. Romanescu’s lawyer contacted the College to advise that Dr. Romanescu had no administrative staff. Over the following months, Dr. Romanescu and her lawyer attended at her office on several occasions to process patient record requests and the delivery of test results and other mail to patients.
The College received nine formal complaints from patients in relation to the sudden closure of Dr. Romanescu’s office in November 2013:
- Regarding Patient A, her husband attended Dr. Romanescu’s office and found the door locked but no notice was posted advising him of any change. Patient A called the office regarding her daughter’s x-ray results but there was no answer and the mailbox was full. On a subsequent call, a staff member answered the phone and said he would pass the message along but could not assist further.
- Regarding Patient B, he attended Dr. Romanescu’s office for a scheduled visit to receive a supply of pain medication before travelling. She refused to see him and told him to go to a walk in clinic. His appointment was rescheduled but when he arrived at the office a sign on the door advised that Dr. Romanescu would be away for an undetermined period of time. Patient B was left without a renewal or his medical records to facilitate his ability to obtain medication from another physician. Dr. Romanescu also forwarded the government’s request for additional information regarding Patient B’s disability tax credit directly to him since she was unable to practise.
- Regarding Patient C, he tried to book an MRI with Dr. Romanescu but there was no answer after repeated calls to her office. After finding a new physician, he had difficulty
obtaining his medical records from Dr. Romanescu.
- Regarding Patient D, she was concerned that Dr. Romanescu closed her practice suddenly without notice. She encountered an unprofessional staff member on the phone who did not explain the process to request her medical record.
- Regarding Patient E, she requires check-ups and medication refills periodically due to her high blood pressure. Patient E received a recorded message saying the mailbox was full when trying to book an appointment. She had difficulty finding another physician and
could not access her medical records.
- Regarding Patient F, she found Dr. Romanescu’s office closed until further notice when calling to make an appointment. She wrote in for her medical records but did not receive any communication back from Dr. Romanescu.
- Regarding Patient G, his daughter was having trouble obtaining medical records for him. After receiving a colonoscopy report from Dr. Romanescu, Patient G’s daughter informed the College that he had been recently diagnosed with cancer by his new physician.
- Regarding Patient H, she had been unable to obtain her medical records from Dr. Romanescu. She found the telephone disconnected after trying to make an appointment.
-Regarding Patient I, she was upset about not being notified of the closure because she is diabetic and visited the office regularly. Dr. Romanescu was also rude to her at her last appointment.
In addition to the formal complaints, the College received numerous additional contacts from patients who shared similar experiences and expressed frustration that Dr. Romanescu had closed her office abruptly, without prior notice, and without having made prior arrangements to address patient requests for such things as obtaining their medical records, prescription renewals and test results should she be unable to work in the future.
In 2014, Dr. Romanescu provided medical records to each of the nine complainants at no cost. Dr. Romanescu also provided a copy of her medical records requested by all other patients who requested them at no cost following the closure of her office in November 2013. In addition, Dr. Romanescu mailed out hundreds of test results, consultation notes and other medical records that she received following the closure of her office at no cost.
The Discipline Committee ordered and directed that:
- The Registrar suspend Dr. Romanescu’s certificate of registration for a period of one (1) month, commencing immediately.
- The Registrar place the following terms, conditions and limitations on Dr. Romanescu’s certificate of registration:
a) Effective immediately, Dr. Romanescu shall only practise in a group setting acceptable to the College;
b) Dr. Romanescu shall provide notice to the College of the first day she returns to the practice of medicine;
c) If Dr. Romanescu returns to practice prior to December 1, 2015, she shall undergo a practice assessment, at the College’s expense, within three (3) to six (6) months of her return to practice; and
d) If Dr. Romanescu returns to practice on or after December 1, 2015 she will be required to abide by the re-entry to practice procedure outlined in the College policy “Re-entering Practice”.
- Dr. Romanescu appear before the panel to be reprimanded.
- Dr. Romanescu to pay to the College costs in the amount of $4,460, within 60 days of the date of this Order. 
Terms and conditions imposed on certificate by: Discipline Committee
