While mental illness and chemical dependency account for the majority of the cases PHS handles, it's seeing an increasing number of cases involving interpersonal and behavioral problems, according to Louis Sanchez, MD, director of the Massachusetts program. Physician health programs are quite helpful to doctors and organizations in developing programs to correct those behaviors, and, as a consequence, improve the physician's capacity to practice medicine. The programs themselves vary greatly from state to state, however, because they must operate within the parameters of state regulation and legislation. Most programs were initiated in the late 1970s, but many have grown dramatically in recent years. We're subject to the same frailties, problems and illnesses as our patients.
Reports also come from lawyers, concerned friends, spouses and others.
We tend to get calls directly from the doctor requesting some assistance or support. Most physicians call because a problem has developed in the hospital or practice, and they have been advised to get some help. We also get referrals from administrators and colleagues, etc, which is good, because it's critical to our work and success that our presence and availability be very well-known to the medical community throughout the state. Also, because physicians are trained with the mentality that they are invulnerable, when they do get sick they feel a lot of guilt and shame. And even when they figure it out, they fear disciplinary sanctions.