Addiction in Healthcare
This month’s wellness topic is substance abuse and addiction in healthcare providers. We had the honor of hosting two guest speakers, a nurse practitioner and a family medicine physician, who courageously shared their personal stories of addiction and recovery with us. To hear their stories first hand shed light on the fact that healthcare providers are not immune to this problem. In fact, healthcare providers face unique challenges given a relatively easier access to certain substances and multiple perceived road blocks to getting the help that they need, including stigma, denial and the fear of punitive or disciplinary action by the medical board.
Recovery is Possible
Our guest speakers imparted on us that recovery is possible without having to leave the practice of medicine and shared specific organizations that facilitated their recoveries. One such organization is called the “RPP” or “Recovering Professional Program”, which is an alternative to the board disciplinary process, operating independently from both boards and associations and provides confidential referral, monitoring, rehab and recovery for healthcare providers. For voluntary participants who comply with the RPP, their addiction remains anonymous to medical boards. More information can be found on their website: https://scrpp.org.
Prisma Health's EAP
For residents or other healthcare providers struggling with addiction in our system, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at Prisma Health is a free, confidential, service that offers counseling and referral for addiction and substance abuse, as well as many other work or life related issues. For more information, visit https://www.ghs.org/healthcareservices/business-health/eap/eapfaq/.
Thanks again to our guest speakers for their time and tremendous courage in sharing their stories with us.
