Physicians Practice - February 2008 - (Page 65)

HUMAN RESOURCES IS YOUR PARTNER IMPAIRED? BY BOB REDLING DON’T LET DENIAL BLIND YOU TO A COLLEAGUE’S SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEM Maybe you heard about the anesthesiologist stealing fentanyl from the drug cabinet? Or the pediatrician lacing his morning coffee with brandy to take the edge off his daily hangover? Thanks goodness nothing like that happens in your practice. Or does it? Experts estimate that about 6 percent of physicians have drug problems and one in seven have IN SUMMARY To prevent a physician with a substance abuse problem from becoming a danger to patients, colleagues must identify the issue early and act decisively to encourage the physician to seek help voluntarily. Take the following steps: • Keep a sharp eye for the warning signs of substance abuse and mental health problems. are often the last to know. But your practice can be jeopardized by an impaired physician. You must act. substance abuse problem, and work with other practice partners, family members, and outside experts to confront the physician. Interventions should be carefully planned with clear goals in mind. tolerance policy for substance abuse. This does not mean offenders must be dismissed, but it means they must enter treatment and can’t be allowed patient contact while impaired. commitments to random drug screenings, participation in support groups, and regular therapy. • Remember, an addict’s colleagues • Document behavior that suggests a • Make sure you have a written zero- • This process should include problems with alcohol. That’s about the same rate as the general population, but doctors are held by the public to a higher standard. Of course, substance abuse isn’t the only reason some physicians may put patients, reputations, and medical licenses at risk. Personality disorders, psychiatric illnesses, and emotional problems also can lead physicians to endanger patients with substandard care. Your practice may never have to deal with these problems among its providers, but if it does, preparation and swift action can save a lot of time and a ton of trouble. You might even save a colleague’s career. “There’s never an easy situation and they are all heartbreaking,” says Joan Roediger, a partner with the Philadelphia-based law ﬁrm Obermayer, Rebmann, Maxell & Hippel LLP. “The light at the end of the tunnel is that if you handle these things correctly, what could have been a horror story will end up with a successful outcome.” Many recovery programs have been designed speciﬁcally for physicians. But getting to that successful outcome is a lot harder if problems aren’t detected and addressed early. Too often they are not. Physicians tell their patients how to spot the early signs of substance abuse, stress, depression, and other health issues. But as practice partners, they sometimes fail to recognize or acknowledge those signs in their colleagues. After all, it’s easier in the short run to stand back and hope the problem with a colleague will resolve itself. “Every situation is different and there’s certainly no cookie-cutter FEBRUARY 2008 | PHYSICIANS PRACTICE | WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM 65 http://WWW.PHYSICIANSPRACTICE.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Physicians Practice - February 2008

Physicians Practice - February 2008 Contents The Bigger Picture: Your Future is in Your Hands Letters Physicians Practice Pearls: Creating an A+ Practice Noteworthy Cover Story: Conquering Time: 5 Keys to a More Efficient Practice In Balance: A Family Affair Technology: Making EMRs Work in the Exam Room In Practice: "I've Got Some Bad News" The Tech Doctor - The EMR: Savior or Poseur? Ask the Experts NEW! Healthonomics: How to Handle Health Savings Accounts The Administrator's Desk: Finishing School for New Managers Human Resources: Is Your Partner Impaired The Great Practice Makeover: Too Well-Liked for His Own Good? Coding Idealab: 'Why I Blog' Classifieds Advertiser Index

Physicians Practice - February 2008

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