When a licensed health practitioner has
an "impairment" - whether drug addiction,
alcoholism, or mental health problem, it is a
serious matter. Typically, the State Boards look
at this condition as a reason to suspend a
licensee.
When a doctor, nurse, etc., sees another doctor
for professional help (i.e., psychiatrist), most
states REQUIRE that the licensee be reported to
the respective state "Health Practitioner
Monitoring Program." (They have various names)
Most states have a Health Practitioner
Monitoring program. These are usually entities
hired by the Boards to help health
practitioners. It is important that the
practitioner contact this program ASAP before
someone reports them (hospital staff, employees,
patients...).
The monitoring programs will evaluate the
licensee for whatever they need help for. And
they will do this WITHOUT notifying the State
Boards.
Substance Abuse (alcohol/drug addiction) doctors
typically go to rehab, and are restricted from
returning to practice for a varied period of
time. Usually 3 months - 12 months. Once they
are back into practice, they continue to
be "monitored" for anywhere between 3 years to 5
years. Some states actually require monitoring
as long as the doctor practices. In addition,
random drug screens are given 3-4 times a month.
Doctors who have psychiatric conditions enter
the same type of program. They are evaluated by
a psychiatrist, placed in an outpatient program/
and given proper meds, and once "cleared to
return to practice", they return to practice
being monitored by the health practitioner
Monitoring program. Again, all without notifying
the State Board.
The beauty of this arrangement, is the doctor
gets help, the Board (and thus the Public) never
finds out, and hopefully the doctor's life
becomes significantly better!
If practitioners do not follow the contract that
the monitoring program gives them, they WILL be
reported to the State Board and this usually
results in a license suspension.
This is a fantastic program designed to HELP -
not penalize those that need it.
Name Withheld by Editor
