Central PA Medicine - February 2017 - 14

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Community, Health & Wellness

PHYSICIANS ARE
PATIENTS TOO
By VIRGINIA HALL, M.D.

he Washington Post on January 7,
2017 published an article about
why doctors are leery to seek mental
healthcare for themselves. This
was preceded by Consumer Reports decrying
"addicted doctors" doing patient care within the
past year. It is time for the medical profession
to fairly air these issues and possible solutions.
First and foremost, we all need to remember
that physicians and other healthcare professionals
are human beings - not just humans who are
doing. The title M.D. does not mean M. Deity
(the D.O. is spared this pejoration) nor does a
medical degree confer perfect health - physical,
mental or spiritual.
When a doctor is a patient, just like any
other patient, they need confidentiality when
seeking care. While hospital systems should have
Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), lack or
perceived lack of confidentiality is often cited
as a reason for non-participation.
CONFIDENTIAL HEALTH PROGRAMS
FOR PHYSICIANS
The Physician Health Program (PHP) of
The Foundation of the Pennsylvania Medical

14 February 2017 Central PA Medicine

Society (PAMED) has been available to all the
physicians in need since 1987. Together with
the State Board of Medicine, the PHP keeps
patients and physicians safe.

diagnosis. Physicians, when admitted to this
program, are motivated to remain well and
functional. Just like the diabetic or hypertensive individual needs to take medication
and counsel to maintain health and prevent
complications such as diabetic coma from too
high a blood sugar, hypoglycemia (low blood
sugar), myocardial infraction (heart attack) or
cerebrovascular accident (stroke), the physician
with addictive or psychiatric disorder needs
confidential therapies.

The PHP deals with physical, psychiatric
and addictive issues that affect patient and
physician careers. LifeGuard, another arm of
the Foundation, deals with re-entry of aging
physicians for assessment of the art and science
of medical practice. Assessments that are done
are designed to protect patients and physicians.
There has long been a separation between
Just like the non-physician patient desires
confidentiality, so does the physician. The physical and mental/spiritual health. It is time
Health Information Privacy and Portability to encourage therapy of the whole individual
Act (HIPPA) applies to physicians-patients, too. - for we are not just physical beings but also
mental and spiritual beings
TREATMENT FOR ADDICTION
Let us understand treatment of psychiatric
Addictive disease is a chronic relapsing illness
for which counseling and selected medications and addictive disorders confers safety for all, but
have been proven effective. Gregory Gable, until confidentiality is guaranteed and honored,
Psy.D., did a review of Pennsylvania PHP there will remain reluctance of physicians to
participants and found a 90% abstinence rate seek care for psychiatric and addictive disorders.
at five years. This rate is much higher than Please call PHP if you have questions or concerns
the general population who has an addiction at 1-800-225-5747 (1-800-CALL-PHP) or
717-558-7843.

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Central PA Medicine - February 2017