Confidentiality in Doctor Rehab Programs Called Into Question

[CAL/AAEM News Service]

Confidentiality in Doctor Rehab Programs Called Into Question
 
Source: The California Healthline ( http://www.californiahealthline.org )
Date: December 19, 2007


Confidential programs that allow physicians to continue practicing while receiving
treatment for addiction to drugs or alcohol are drawing criticism from some patient
advocates, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports. 

Almost all states have confidential rehabilitation programs that allow doctors to see
patients as long as they keep up with their treatment regimen. Last summer, the Medical
Board of California announced that it would abolish its program, citing an inability to
protect patients or help addicted doctors. 

Nationwide, about 7,500 to 8,000 doctors -- roughly 1% of practicing U.S. physicians --
are in such programs, according to Greg Skipper, head of the Alabama program. The
American Medical Association approves of doctors continuing to practice while receiving
substance abuse treatment. 

California Program

The California program ends June 30, 2008, and if no new program is adopted, the rules
"could revert back to the zero-tolerance policy in place before 1980," which stripped the
licenses of any doctors found to have a drug or alcohol problem, according to the
AP/Chronicle.

Richard Fantozzi, president of the California medical board, said, "To hide something
from consumers, something so blatant, ... it's unconscionable today." 

Julie Fellmeth, director of the University of San Diego's Center for Public Interest Law,
said, "Patients have no way to protect themselves from these doctors." However, opponents
of these programs have not been able to cite any documented cases in which participating
doctors have harmed patients while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the
AP/Chronicle reports. 

Those who support confidential rehab believe the programs rarely have negative effects on
patients and note that eliminating the programs could have far more negative effects.
Sandra Bressler, the California Medical Association's senior director for medical board
affairs, said, "If you don't have confidential participation, you don't get people into
the program" (Wohlsen, AP/Houston Chronicle, 12/18).

For more information, please visit:
http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2007/12/19/Confidentiality-in-Doctor-Rehab-Programs-Called-Into-Question.aspx?topicID=40


Abid Mogannam &
Brian Potts MD, MBA
Managing Editors, CAL/AAEM News Service
University of California, Irvine

The CAL/AAEM Archives are available at: http://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/public/calaaem/



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