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Physician Mental Health and Well-Being pp 265–294Cite as

Physician Health Programs: The US Model

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Part of the book series: Integrating Psychiatry and Primary Care ((IPPC))

Abstract

Physician Health Programs (PHPs) began in the early 1970s in response to calls from the Federation of State Medical Boards and the American Medical Association alarmed by physicians with addiction and/or psychiatric illness as well as the high number of physician suicides in those who had experienced licensure revocation. From modest beginnings, often as small volunteer groups within state medical societies, PHPs have grown and matured in their structure, funding, authority to operate, scope of services, and consistency from state to state. This process has been aided by their national membership organization, the Federation of State Physician Health Programs (FSPHP). PHP studies demonstrate PHP monitoring is highly effective in assisting physicians with potentially impairing illness while doing so in a fashion that promotes public health and safety. Today, these programs continue to work toward accountability, consistency, excellence, and serve as a “new paradigm” for addiction management. The success rates observed for PHPs significantly exceed other addiction care practices, and as a result PHPs have set a new standard showing that recovery (rather than relapse) can be the expected outcome of treatment. PHPs are well accepted by most all medical societies and licensure boards. This chapter will review the history of state PHPs, describe their authority to operate, staffing, funding relationships, and the expanding scope of services provided. It will also review recommendations for improvements and opportunities for growth.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    “Impaired Physician” is a pejorative misnomer that has had unintended consequences. Most often these physicians are not functionally “impaired” but suffer from a “potentially impairing illness”. (See ASAM Public Policy Statement (2011): Illness vs. Impairment in Healthcare and Other Licensed Professionals).

  2. 2.

    Stakeholders—(a) Primary Stakeholders—PHP program participants and their families; (b) Secondary Stakeholders—professional associations, licensure boards, medical groups, hospital staff/administration, malpractice carriers, other medical organizations, and ultimately the public.

  3. 3.

    “Relapse” in behavioral/mental illness cases—indicates recurrence of the behavior being monitored or exacerbation of the monitored mental illness.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. JourneyPure, Southaven, MS, USA

    Gary D. Carr M.D. (Medical Director)

  2. Federation of State Physician Health Programs, Wilmington, MA, USA

    P. Bradley Hall M.D., D.A.B.A.M., M.R.O.C.C. (President)

  3. WV Medical Professionals Health Program, Mount Clare, WV, USA

    P. Bradley Hall M.D., D.A.B.A.M., M.R.O.C.C. (President)

  4. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA

    A. J. Reid Finlayson M.D.

  5. Institute for Behavior and Health, Inc., Rockville, MD, USA

    Robert L. DuPont M.D. (President)

  6. Department of Psychiatry, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA

    Robert L. DuPont M.D. (President)

Authors
  1. Gary D. Carr M.D.
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  2. P. Bradley Hall M.D., D.A.B.A.M., M.R.O.C.C.
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  3. A. J. Reid Finlayson M.D.
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  4. Robert L. DuPont M.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert L. DuPont M.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Kirk J. Brower

  2. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

    Michelle B. Riba

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Carr, G.D., Bradley Hall, P., Reid Finlayson, A.J., DuPont, R.L. (2017). Physician Health Programs: The US Model. In: Brower, K., Riba, M. (eds) Physician Mental Health and Well-Being. Integrating Psychiatry and Primary Care. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55583-6_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55583-6_12

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