Two programs at Vanderbilt Medical Center were recently invited to provide speakers at 2003 annual meeting of the Federation of State Physician Health Programs, held in Oakbrook, Ill., in May.
Dr. Reid Finlayson, medical director of the Vanderbilt Comprehensive Assessment Program, presented information on the program designed to provide the highest quality assessment service to professionals suffering from addictions, mental health, boundary-related and burnout problems. He presented general information about the first 38 referrals since the program was established in August 2002.
William Swiggart, training director for the Center for Professional Health, presented on experiences gained from two CME courses offered by the Center. The first course, Prescribing Control Drugs, has been offered at Vanderbilt since 1996. More than 300 physicians from 26 states have attended the three-day course. The second course, Maintaining Proper Boundaries, began in 2000 and has served 140 physicians from 34 states.
Physician health programs function to protect the public through the rehabilitation of physicians with potentially impairing health conditions. They provide non-disciplinary therapeutic programs for health care practitioners.