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Spotlight on Services ... using your ISMA benefits
ISMA staff member, program can help you or a colleague
Chances are you’ll never need to contact the ISMA’s Physician Assistance Program (PAP). But if you, a colleague or a member of your hospital medical staff ever exhibit signs of an impairment, you’ll find help is a phone call away.
For nearly 20 years, Candace Backer, a licensed social worker, and the ISMA PAP have provided services to physicians impaired by chemical dependence, psychiatric disorders and physical disability. Backer and the program also can intervene and assist when physicians are disruptive in the health care work environment.
“We’re here to help,” Backer said. “It’s best to call at the earliest sign of a concern. Conversations are always confidential, and people are welcome to call anonymously to ask questions.”
The program does deliver on its promise of help. Backer estimated that 80 to 85 percent of physicians who have gone through the PAP for substance abuse are relapse-free after five years.
“This is a higher rate of recovery than in any other population – due to treatment, the accountability that’s required and the documentation that occurs,” she explained. Throughout the process, each physician is evaluated in consultation with PAP Medical Consultant Fred Frick, M.D.
Acceptance into the chemical dependence treatment program requires the physician to sign a monitoring contract, agree to attend support groups and consent to random drug-screen testing, counseling and communication with treatment professionals, as appropriate. The program is generally protected by federal confidentiality laws.
Cases involving disruptive physicians often begin when Backer receives a call from a partner, hospital chief of staff, medical director or member of an executive committee, since most hospitals have policies regarding disruptive physicians.
Backer will advise concerned callers to begin documenting the disruptive physician’s behavior in incident reports, noting what happened and who was present as a witness. High-level managers are encouraged to meet, formally or informally, with the physician to discuss the behavior; such meetings also should be well documented.
In a follow-up call with Backer, an appropriate referral can then be discussed.
“The whole purpose of our program is to help people,” Backer emphasized. She also is available to give presentations to groups about services the ISMA program can deliver.
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