Lehigh County Health & Medicine Summer 2021 - 18

FEATURE
This article was originally printed in the Spring/
Summer edition of Physician Family Magazine
Confidentiality,
Compassion and
Competent Care
Highlighting Physician Health Programs
BY ANGELIC RODGERS, PHD
I
n April of 2020, Pennsylvania physician
and chair of the Pennsylvania Medical
Society Foundation Dr. Virginia Hall
put out a call for greater support of Physician
Health Programs (PHPs) in an essay on
KevinMD.org:1
" Some physicians have opined
their belief that physician health plans (PHP)
are contributing to the increasing physician
suicidality. These beliefs have been used to attack
PHPs and unfortunately, steer those in need to
other resources or even have those in need not
getting help. "
That fear of stigma is mentioned in the Spring/
: " Currently,
Summer 2021 issue of Physician Family Magazine
by Julie Petrera, who points out that2
only 14-15% of the physicians admitting to stress
and burnout seek treatment, despite 81% of
them knowing how or where to get help. When
asked why they don't seek assistance, physicians
reference stigma and potential career risk as
reasons for not seeking support. "
Physician Family Magazine always strives to
support the family members of physicians, but
at the same time, we constantly ask ourselves
18 Lehigh County Health & Medicine | SUMMER 2021
the question posed by Erika Beck in the Winter
2021 issue of Physician Family Magazine: Who
will heal the healers?3
like the Physician Support Line4
geon Masters Physician Peer Support Line,5
wanted to highlight some exemplary PHPs, as
well as motivate you to find out more about
your state's PHP and hopefully reach out to
support their work.
The Professionals Resource Network, Inc.,
(PRN) is a private non-profit 501(c)3 organization
that provides assistance and monitoring
to a wide range of healthcare professionals with
potentially impairing conditions in the state of
Florida. While it was originally created to serve
primarily physicians, it has grown to serve a wide
range of healthcare and other professionals as
diverse as harbor pilots, physical therapists, and
mental healthcare practitioners. It has, from the
beginning through today, benefited from the
support and influence of the Florida Medical
Association (FMA), the FMA Alliance, and the
Florida Osteopathic Medical Association. The
idea for a physician health program in Florida
was, in large measure, initiated and fortified
In addition to resources
and the Surwe
by
the pivotal work of FMA Alliance member
Nancy Hogshead. An FMA Alliance member has
continuously served on our Board of Directors
since its formation. The program admitted its first
participants in 1981. By 2019, PRN had touched
the lives of 11,333 referrals and participants from
33 state professional boards and councils.
While PRN has grown and changed in the
implementation of its mission, the mission has
remained the same: to protect the citizens of
Florida and to provide a confidential avenue of
assistance to professionals who are impaired or
are at elevated risk of an impairing condition that
could affect their ability to practice safely. The
program's growth reflects both the population
growth of Florida and the way society regards
potentially impairing health conditions, regarding
substance use disorders and mental health conditions
as illnesses rather than character flaws or
personal weaknesses, thus encouraging healthcare
professionals to seek help. The resultant outcomes
of thorough evaluations, adequate treatment, and
longitudinal monitoring for safety and stability,
where indicated, far surpass those who suffer from
these conditions in the general public.

https://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?m=62681&i=690093&p=18 https://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?m=62681&i=690093&p=18 https://www.physiciansupportline.com/ https://www.surgeonmasters.com/peersupport https://www.surgeonmasters.com/peersupport https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/04/why-you-should-support-physician-health-plans.html https://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?m=62681&i=702934&p=24&pp=1

Lehigh County Health & Medicine Summer 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Lehigh County Health & Medicine Summer 2021