This decision was made on April 19 by the Disciplinary Board.

The Order requested a temporary radiation of Mr. Lemieux, who charged him with three counts with 30 patients, for a total of 90 counts.

In its decision, the Disciplinary Council concluded “without a doubt that all the evidence shows here that the respondent threatens to compromise the protection of the public, in the immediate future, if he remains registered on the list of the Ordre des audioprosthetists” .

The Order of Audioprosthetists charged Serge Lemieux three counts for 30 patients, namely: the settings of the fixed hearing aids were not checked; not providing the patient with the explanations necessary to understand the repair services; and does not consult any document in the course of providing its professional services to patients.

The Disciplinary Council, in its review, found that the complainant did not present sufficient evidence to acknowledge that Mr. Lemieux was guilty of first group counts.

However, in the evidence presented, the Council found that Serge Lemieux violated two provisions of the Code of ethics of hearing aid professionals, namely:

• to give his patient the explanations necessary for understanding and appreciating the services provided to him;

• avoid training under conditions or in states that are likely to compromise the quality of its services.

Truth

In December 2020, an Estrie-based audioprosthetist, François Laplante, and Serge Lemieux signed an agreement under which Mr. Lemieux was responsible for the temporary custody of Mr. Lemieux’s patient files. Laplante.

Then, in June, Mr. Laplante sold his patients ’files to Serge Lemieux.

This sale comes after François Laplante himself was temporarily expelled from the Order of Audioprosthetists, for 18 months.

Following this sale, Serge Lemieux monitors Mr. Lemieux’s patients. Laplante remotely, as the latter’s offices are located in Estrie and Mr. works. Lemieux of Rouyn-Noranda.

Serge Lemieux reported that he conducted follow-ups and sometimes called via videoconference with staff present in the Sherbrooke office to see the prostheses in need of repair.

The devices of all patients were sent to the manufacturer of Audio Control, whose office was located in the same building as Mr. Laplante.

Mr. Lemieux never met any of these 30 patients.

The Disciplinary Council, in its judgment, affirms that Mr. Lemieux relies on staff at Estrie, and removes his role as audioprosthetist for the benefit of the producer of Audio Contrôle, as well as Estrie.

Contacted by Radio-Canada, the administrator of the Ordre des audioprothésistes du Québec, Gino Villeneuve, who is acting as plaintiff in this case, declined our request for an interview.

By e-mail, he however specified that this is a case whose consequences have been pending since the decision […] relating only to the temporary removal of Mr. Lemieuxadded that Considering that the merits of the case are still not being addressed before the Disciplinary Council of the Ordre des audioprothésistes du Québec, we cannot comment on this matter at this time.

At the time of this writing, our requests for comments from Serge Lemieux’s attorney have not been answered.