TY  - JOUR
T1  - PHysicians’ experiences with impaired colleagues
AU  - Merlo LJ, Altenburger KM, Gold MS
Y1  - 2010/11/03
N1  - 10.1001/jama.2010.1557
JO  - JAMA
SP  - 1895
EP  - 1897
VL  - 304
IS  - 17
N2  - 
The association between a state’s malpractice environment and likelihood of reporting an impaired colleague could represent cause or effect. Malpractice claims may be lower in states in which more impaired physicians are reported because such physicians could access the help they need before any patients are harmed. Thus, the quality of the state's physician health program (PHP) may have a more meaningful effect on the reporting climate within a state. PHPs were implemented to help physicians access treatment while maintaining public safety.2 There are no national standards for PHPs, so the structure, size, and quality of the programs vary. For example, some PHPs mandate disciplinary action by the state board of medicine, whereas others allow physicians to obtain treatment confidentially and without punitive action (eg, Florida, Alabama). In addition, some states recently lost a PHP (California) or do not have a PHP (Georgia).2- 3

SN  - 0098-7484
M3  - doi: 10.1001/jama.2010.1557
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2010.1557
ER  -