
This CPPPH newsletter aims to keep readers abreast of current developments and relevant information about physician health and wellbeing in California.
All past issues are available from the CPPPH website: www.CPPPH.org.
Definitions
Wellness activities address quality of life and professional satisfaction for all physicians.
Wellbeing activities focus on an individual physician and provide resources for identifying, evaluating, referring, treating, and monitoring for physicians when addiction, mental health, behavioral issues, and the effects of aging are a concern.
Confidential Assistance Over the Phone
The Physicians’ and Dentists’ Confidential Assistance Line is a 24-hour phone service providing completely confidential doctor-to-doctor assistance for physicians experiencing substance use or mental health issues. Call:
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Getting a PHP for California
“California doctors struggling with addiction often don’t want anyone to find out, especially the state board that has the power to revoke their medical license. … When doctors are afraid, they hide, which experts and regulators say is dangerous. That’s why, in the coming year, the California Medical Board plans to ask lawmakers to allow it to create an alternative recovery program that’s disconnected from its disciplinary power. “
That’s the beginning of an article titled “A California recovery program keeps watch on addicted health workers — but not doctors” published by CalMatters in December and carried by Associated Press.
The effort by the Medical Board of California to secure legislation authorizing a new Physician Health and Wellness Program continues with refinement of the proposed language in preparation for getting it introduced into the 2025 session of the California legislature. As reported in the last issue of this CPPPH newsletter, two members of the Medical Board – Board President Kristina Lawson, and Board Member James Healzer, MD — are assigned to begin discussion with legislators and to continue the communication with stakeholders. You can see the Board members’ entire discussion of the topic in the webcast of the Nov 22 meeting available from the MBC website under “About,” “Meetings”. See the webcast of the whole of Day 2.
Who Runs the Recovery Programs for 8 Health Care Professions in California?
California’s Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), the parent agency over all of California’s licensing boards for the health care professions, has awarded a 5-year contract to Premier Health Group — taking over from Maximus — to administer the DCA Recovery Programs for 8 of the licensing boards under its authority , including nurses and osteopathic physicians. The Medical Board of California is not included.
Premier Health Group is a private for profit company founded in 2013 with headquarters at 620 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. Premier Health Group has two separate sections: one with six treatment facilities primarily in Orange County and the Palm Springs area and one designated as the “recovery program.”
As reported in the September issue of this CPPPH newsletter, the DCA Recovery Program is “a statewide, comprehensive, substance abuse and/or mental illness program, involving treatment, rehabilitation, monitoring, compliance referrals and recovery for health care professionals.” The DCA request for proposals to administer the program was issued on August 28. Proposals were due to DCA on October 9; the award was made on October 17. 2024. Premier Health Group assumed responsibility on January 1, 2025.
Mental Health Questions from Credentialing Applications
Passage of AB 2164 added Sec. 2090 to California’s Business and Professions Code to prohibit the Medical Board of California (MBC) from requiring an applicant for a license, or for renewal of a license, to disclose a condition or disorder that does not impair the applicant’s ability to practice medicine safely. See the full article in the September 2024 issue of this CPPPH Newsletter – “Medical Board Changes the Question on the Licensing Application.”
In line with that effort, several medical staffs are examining the questions used in their credentialing applications. A 13-page Tool Kit from the Dr. Lorna Breen Foundation has specific examples of wording and discussions of the ramifications involved. See a copy of the Tool Kit HERE.
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