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1/ In this stressful world, things are about to get tougher for Colorado's physicians.
@DORAColorado is upending a decades-long program to help Colorado's health care providers to voluntarily & anonymously seek help.
A thread.
@GovofCO @LtGovofCO
@medicalaxioms @EmmyBetz
@DORAColorado is upending a decades-long program to help Colorado's health care providers to voluntarily & anonymously seek help.
A thread.
@GovofCO @LtGovofCO
@medicalaxioms @EmmyBetz
2/ Background: For 3 decades, Colorado Physicians Health Program (CPHP) worked with the Colorado Medical Board and DORA to appropriately evaluate/assist physicians who request help. A major achievement was the recognition of stakeholders that confidentiality was an imperative.
3/ Now, this ability to confidentially request help from CPHP is going away. @DORAColorado is awarding the contract for this service to Peer Assistance Services. PAS requires all clients to sign a Release of Information, sharing information more widely-
- ending confidentiality
- ending confidentiality
4/Research shows us that the potential shame and professional consequences prevent physicians from coming forward, and this has been shown to have a chilling effect on those that need help the most. Confidentiality is a requisite for an effective program that aims to help us.
5/ Help for Physicians, by Physicians
CPHP brings physicians to both sides of the equation. Physicians are deployed to evaluate & develop a path to health & recovery for physicians seeking help
Reviewing their website, PAS has no physician in their organization.
Not one.
CPHP brings physicians to both sides of the equation. Physicians are deployed to evaluate & develop a path to health & recovery for physicians seeking help
Reviewing their website, PAS has no physician in their organization.
Not one.
6/ CPHP addresses a wide range of requests from Colorado's phyisicans, including medical, psychiatric, behavioral concerns, burnout, depression (including suicdality) and provides same day evaluation and triage of physicians in need.
Immediate.
Immediate.
7/ In contrast,
PAS has historically focused on substance abuse testing and monitoring for all its clients, and pledges to assess clients in 1-5 business days.
PAS has historically focused on substance abuse testing and monitoring for all its clients, and pledges to assess clients in 1-5 business days.
8/ So...
What is the thinking behind abandoning a program with a proven track record, having helped >5000 physicians over decades, and replacing it with a non-confidential process led by narrowly focused entity with no physicians on the team and no history with physician clients?
What is the thinking behind abandoning a program with a proven track record, having helped >5000 physicians over decades, and replacing it with a non-confidential process led by narrowly focused entity with no physicians on the team and no history with physician clients?
9/ To Conclude
We are at our limit. COVID-19 is a challenge that is costing lives of our patients and having impacts on providers that we can't even begin to comprehend. And now, we are losing a resource to provide help to those that provide help. Things are about to get harder.
We are at our limit. COVID-19 is a challenge that is costing lives of our patients and having impacts on providers that we can't even begin to comprehend. And now, we are losing a resource to provide help to those that provide help. Things are about to get harder.
10/
What can you do? Protect your peer, advocate for those among us who might some day need these services. Reach out to those involved with this decision.
Provide for the Providers.
@GovofCO @ltgov @DORAColorado
What can you do? Protect your peer, advocate for those among us who might some day need these services. Reach out to those involved with this decision.
Provide for the Providers.
@GovofCO @ltgov @DORAColorado
