Problem Doctors: Is There a System-Level Solution?
Authors: Mark S. Gold, Kimberly Frost-Pineda
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2006)

Letters6 June 2006Problem Doctors: Is There a System-Level Solution?Mark S. Gold, MD and Kimberly Frost-Pineda, MPHMark S. Gold, MDFrom the University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL 32611.Search for more papers by this author and Kimberly Frost-Pineda, MPHFrom the University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL 32611.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-144-11-200606060-00015 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:As Leape and Fromson (1) explained in their recent article, substance abuse and dependence are significant problems among physicians and have negative consequences for the physicians themselves, their families, and their patients. We have evaluated, treated, and reported on impaired physicians for more than 3 decades. Alcohol abuse and dependence are no more common among physicians than among similarly matched controls; however, prescription misuse, opiate abuse and dependence, and suicide seem to be more common among physicians. Physicians, however, may not be a single homogeneous group. Our recent work has shown that anesthesiologists, surgeons, and emergency department ...References1. Leape LL, Fromson JA. Problem doctors: is there a system-level solution? Ann Intern Med. 2006;144:107-15. [PMID: 16418410] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Gold MS, Byars JA, Frost-Pineda K. Occupational exposure and addictions for physicians: case studies and theoretical implications. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2004;27:745-53. [PMID: 15550291] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Gold MS, Melker RJ, Dennis DM, Morey TE, Bajpai LK, Pomm R, et al. Fentanyl abuse and dependence: further evidence for second hand exposure hypothesis. J Addict Dis. 2006;25:15-21. [PMID: 16597569] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Jacobs WS, Repetto M, Vinson S, Pomm R, Gold MS. Random urine testing as an intervention for drug addiction. Psychiatric Annals. 2004;34:781-5. CrossrefGoogle Scholar5. Department of Veterans Affairs. Drug-Free Workplace Program: VA Directive 5383. Washington, DC: Department of Veterans Affairs; 2004. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Mark S. Gold, MD; Kimberly Frost-Pineda, MPHAffiliations: From the University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL 32611.Disclosures: None disclosed. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoProblem Doctors: Is There a System-Level Solution? Lucian L. Leape and John A. Fromson Problem Doctors: Is There a System-Level Solution? Martin T. Donohoe Problem Doctors: Is There a System-Level Solution? David R. Gifford , Robert S. Crausman , and Bruce W. Mcintyre Problem Doctors: Is There a System-Level Solution? Lucian L. Leape and John A. Fromson Problem Doctors: Is There a System-Level Solution? Duncan M. Kuhn Metrics Cited bySystematic Evaluation of “Compliance” to Prescribed Treatment Medications and “Abstinence” from Psychoactive Drug Abuse in Chemical Dependence Programs: Data from the Comprehensive Analysis of Reported Drugs 6 June 2006Volume 144, Issue 11Page: 861-862KeywordsConflicts of interestDrugsEmergency departmentEmergency medicineOpiatesOpioidsPatientsSubstance abuseSuicideSurgeons ePublished: 6 June 2006 Issue Published: 6 June 2006 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2006 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...