State law requires health facilities, including health maintenance organizations, to report disciplinary actions they take against medical professionals and any instances of possible misconduct. All licensed health professionals, including physicians, physician assistants and specialist assistants, are required by state law to report colleagues whom they suspect may be guilty of misconduct. Failure to report suspected instances of misconduct is, in itself, misconduct. If you are uncertain whether specific actions or behaviors constitute misconduct, you may request advice from OPMC without revealing the name of the practitioner. Once advice is provided, you are required to follow it.
All calls are confidential.
The committee identifies, refers to treatment and monitors impaired physicians. The program is voluntary and participation is confidential. The names of physicians participating in the program are not shared with OPMC without a participant s approval unless there is a failure to comply with treatment recommendations. The law does not exempt physicians from their duty to report colleagues practicing with a suspected impairment to OPMC because they have reported to the committee. Many of the complaints reviewed by OPMC staff concern issues for which it has no legal authority to act.