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This CPPPH newsletter aims to keep readers abreast of current developements and relevant information about physician health and wellbeing in California.
All past issues of CPPPH newsletter 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 Physicans’ 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:
- (650) 756-7787
(northern California)
- (213) 383-2691
(southern California)
Send Us Your Comments
We want to hear from you. Send comments to gjara@cppph.org.
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Physicians with Addiction
The American Society of Addiction Medicine’s February 2020 Public Policy Statement on Physicians and other Healthcare Professionals with Addiction provides a comprehensive explication of what “impairment” means and what effective responses are.
A copy of the full statement is available HERE
Reporting Allegations of Sexual Misconduct to MBC
The Medical Board has issued the Health Facility Reporting Form that hospitals and health facilities are to use to report allegations of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct made by a patient against a licensed health care practitioner.
The law creates a fine of $50,000 per violation for “any failure to file the report” and a fine of $100,000 for a “willful failure”, as defined in Section 805.8(e).
The report must be made within 15 days. This requirement was created by the passage of Senator Jerry Hill’s SB425 in 2019 that created Section 805.8 of California’s Business and Professions Code.
From the emailed message from the MBC to all licensees dated 1-23-20: “It is important to note that any allegation received by the Board will go through the Board’s normal enforcement process, which includes due process rights for physicians.”
RCMA Conference on Physicians’ Well-Being
Registration is open now for the 32nd annual program of the Riverside County Medical Association conference – this year on Wednesday, May 20. Full information is HERE.
Federation of State PHPs is Meeting in San Diego
The Federation of State Physician Health Programs is bringing its 30th annual meeting to San Diego April 30 to May 3. All who work in the field of health and wellbeing of healthcare professionals are invited to register.
There are 23 sessions on matters related to physician health and wellbeing. Just two examples are:
- What Can Working in Professional Assistance with Federal Judges Teach Us about the Essential Nature of Our Work in PHPs?
- Lessons from the Physician Health Program for Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Implementing Innovations for Aftercare, Recovery Support and Monitoring to Attain Five-Year Recovery
The full program and registration information is HERE
Doctor Bob Cabaj
CPPPH wants to take a moment to share condolences and sadness at the passing of Dr. Robert “Bob” Cabaj. Dr. Cabaj was a CPPPH board member for many years and we would like to express our appreciation for his service and leadership within CPPPH and California Psychiatric Association. Dr. Cabaj was a friend and advocate for physician health in California and while he will be remembered for many professional achievements, we call attention to his work and service to increase patient safety and physician health in California.
— Matthew Goldenberg D.O., CPPPH Chair
MBC New Executive Director in June
The Medical Board of California (MBC) has appointed William J. Prasifka as its new executive director. He will start in June. Christine Lally, Deputy Director, is currently serving as Interim Executive Director.
Mr. Prasifka is a native Californian who comes to the Board from the Medical Council of Ireland where he was chief executive officer (CEO) for the past four years. He is an attorney, a 1984 graduate of Columbia University School of Law and a 2018 graduate of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, with 12 years’ experience in leading law firms in both Ireland and the U.S. In Dublin, he was advising in the areas of Irish, European and American competition law.
Board president Denise Pines said, “I think that Mr. Prasifka will bring fresh eyes to the work that we have been doing and help us rethink the way that we are doing things.”
The MBC press release dated 3-3-20 is HERE.
Available from CPPPH
You can read all the past issues of CPPPH eNews HERE.
Five CPPPH guideline documents are available HERE.
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