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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:
Send Us Your Comments
We want to hear from you. Send comments to gjara@cppph.org.
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AB408 Authorizes a California PHP
The Medical Board of California is pursuing the steps needed to get a physician health program (PHP) based on the evidence and experience of PHPs in other states and on the guidelines from the Federation of State Physician Health Programs. The legislation needed — the detailed language describing the Physician Health and Wellness Program that the Board wants — has been introduced into the 2025-2026 session of the legislature by Assembly Member Marc Berman. It is AB408. You can get a copy of the bill and follow its progress HERE.
How Did We Get Here?
A page on the CPPPH website tracks the history from the 2008 closure of that program and the steps since then in the effort to get a Physician Health Program for California like the ones that are available in 48 of the 50 US states.
PHPs In Other States
To get an overview of what PHPs are and what they do in other states, see these two recent Annual Reports – Colorado 2024 and Washington State 2025. Both programs have over 35 years of experience.
Colorado PHP was founded in March 1986 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. It is governed by the Colorado Peer Assistance Act and is independent of other medical organizations and the state government. The Denver Medical Society, the Colorado Medical Society and Colorado Physicians Insurance Company (COPIC) were instrumental in establishing CPHP and continue their support of the program. Colorado’s Quick Fact Sheet gives an excellent description of the program.
WPHP was founded in 1986 by a group of concerned members of the Washington State Medical Association who wanted their colleagues to receive treatment, rather than discipline, when illness threatened safe practice. Today, WPHP is an independent, physician-led, nonprofit organization providing critical support to Washington’s health professional workforce.
Confidentiality Provisions in a PHP
In 2024, the Federation of State Physician Health Programs distributed its Issue Brief on Effective Communication Regarding PHP Confidentiality with this opening sentence:
Confidentiality is foundational to the PHP model which is designed to reduce barriers, such as stigma, shame, and fear of professional sanction that can discourage help-seeking and lead to the progression of illness to impairment.
The 3-page document recommends that the descriptions of PHPs should include clear, easy-to-understand language describing the key confidentiality parameters. Two examples are:
- when the program’s confidentiality begins and
- what may prompt a PHP to disclose information or release PHP records.
For a copy of the document, click HERE.
List of National Resources
The Federation of State Medical Boards has updated its Directory of Physician Assessment and Remedial Educational Programs, as of January 2025. The 45-page document is freely available from the FSMB “as a courtesy for those seeking general information about assessments and remedial educational programs for physicians.”
For each organization, the list shows the name of the program or organization, the subject matter, the name of the accrediting organization (if the program is accredited), the name of any affiliated organization, the length of the program and when it is offered, contact information, and a link to the organization’s website. For a copy, click HERE.
RCMA Conference on Physicians’ Wellbeing July 18
The Riverside County Medical Association (RCMA)’s annual one-day virtual conference will be on Friday, July 18, from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm. Speakers will explore effective strategies for addressing disruptive physician behavior, provide key legal and legislative updates and best practices for well-being committees.
Did You Find This Newsletter Helpful?
Our records show that this CPPPH newsletter gets opened by several hundred people, sometimes opened several times, and we take that to mean that each issue brings some helpful information. Readers who find it valuable can help us cover the costs involved: DONATE HERE
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