During this time of social distancing, it seems appropriate to discuss remote (telephone) intervention. In 2011, we at the Alabama Physician Health Program, where I was then medical director, examined intervention outcomes over the previous 10 years. We found that of the 328 interventions that had been conducted, almost half, 161, were telephone interventions. InRead More
California was one of the first states to develop a program for early detection and treatment of physicians with substance abuse problems, but the program was closed in 2007. Now, California is one of the only states lacking such a program. The result has been catastrophic for many physicians and their patients. Substance use disordersRead More
Utilizing blood phosphatidylethanol (PEth) testing as a means to detect beverage alcohol use vs abstinence among licensed professionals and others is a relatively new development. Phosphatidylethanol is a minor metabolite of ethanol formed when an enzyme, phospholipase D (PLD), binds ethanol to phosphatidylcholine lipids in cell membranes, including red blood cells. Over 48 homologues (similarRead More
Google AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and you find a lot of negative opinions about it online. “AA is a cult.” “AA only has a 5% success rate.” “AA is an irrational “faith based” program.” “AA is a dangerous playground for violence-prone members.” “AA doesn’t work.” “The pseudo-science of AA.” So, if it does not work thenRead More
In Part I of this 2-part series on DUIs among physicians, I highlighted the fact that physicians are not immune from substance use disorders or DUIs. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 5.5% of health care workers in the U.S. had a current substance use disorder1 and numerous studies have shownRead More
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a serious crime and doctors, who seem to have about the same rate of substance use disorders as the general population, are not immune. The consequences for DUI have become more severe, especially for physicians and other licensed health professionals, particularly in some states. And forRead More
“Mandatory evacuation now!” the police commanded. In my last 30 years working in addiction and treatment, I have seen my fair share of challenges. There have been cross country moves, changing facilities and staff changes that were really hard, but the last year has been extraordinary. It all started in November last year when weRead More
All substance use disorder treatment programs should be excellent, unfortunately standards are often lax, in part because funding is inadequate. Every program should be licensed and accredited and have a physician involved with expertise in addiction medicine. Counseling staff should be licensed. Every program should have excellent evaluation services for assessing the severity of theRead More
When it comes to alcoholism, there is a connection between career choices and drinking habits. Unfortunately, certain professions seem to have greater percentages of workers who struggle with alcohol abuse. The American Bar Association (ABA) published a study that confirms that lawyers have a higher percentage of people who abuse alcohol when compared to theRead More
How Professionals Overcome the Stigma of Mental Illness Mental health is an important concern for everyone, even though most of us usually focus on physical health. Even so, psychological illnesses and mental disorders can affect anyone at any time in their lives. The problem is that mental health is still a taboo topic and sufferingRead More
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