House Staff Manual - Winthrop University Hospital

48. PHYSICIAN HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROCESSThe following process on physician health, wellness and impairment, is a policy of Winthrop’s MedicalStaff which also applies to its House Staff.PURPOSETo ensure physician wellness and assist in matters of individual physician health (including addictive,psychiatric and emotional disorders) that is confidentialTo provide education about health and prevention of physical, psychiatric or emotional illness.To facilitate confidential referral, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of physicians who suffer froma potentially impairing condition consistent with services provided by the Medical Society of NewYork State’s Committee for Physician Health (CPH) with the goal of restoring the physician to his/herability to provide safe and competent patient care.MEDICAL STAFF COMMITMENT TO PHYSICIAN HEALTH AND WELLNESSThe Medical Staff through its By-Laws, Rules and Regulations, is committed to providing safe, effective,timely and respectful medical care to patients while fostering an environment which promotes physicianhealth and wellness. The Medical Staff affirms that substance abuse and other behavioral health disordersare treatable illnesses and after treatment, physicians (house staff) may be considered for return to the safepractice of medicine (and training) with appropriate monitoring.COMMITTEE FOR PHYSICIAN’S HEALTH (CPH)CPH is authorized by Section 230-11 of Public Health Law to confidentially contact and refer to treatmentphysicians who are troubled with behavioral health concerns including substance abuse and otherpsychiatric disorders. CPH activities are confidential, its records not discoverable, and the law providesimmunity for those who make referrals. They have a very positive success rate.CPH is a division of the Medical Society of the State of New York and not part of any government agency.CPH accepts referrals for all behavioral health disorders including substance abuse disorders; obsessivecompulsive disorders; other addictive conditions such as eating, gambling, and sexual compulsivedisorders; psychiatric disorders including depression, bipolar disorder and personality disorders; anddisruptive behaviors.CPH representatives may be contacted at:Voice: 800-338-1833Email: info@mssnycph.orgREGULATORY REQUIREMENTSPublic Health Law of New York, Section 230-11, requires that physicians and hospital chief executiveofficers report to the New York State Office of Professional Medical Conduct (OPMC) any informationwhich reasonably appears to show that a physician may be guilty of professional misconduct as defined inSections 6530 and 6531 of New York State Education Law (for house staff, see section 49 for regulatoryreporting requirements). In the absence of such information, physician health matters may beconfidentially referred to the CPH with no requirement for an OPMC report.PROCESSThe process that follows and actions to be taken are intended to provide over-all guidance and direction onhow to proceed when confronted with a potentially impaired physician, recognizing that they will not beRev. 1/08