Need assistance or ready to help a physician in need?
Need assistance or ready to help a physician in need?
Our latest news and updates from the Washington Physicians Health Program team. For an archive of relevant resources on a wide variety of health topics, please visit Research & Studies.
Coinciding with National Suicide Prevention Month, National Physician Suicide Awareness Day is observed annually on September 17th to remember the physicians we have lost, support those who may be struggling, and bring awareness to the underlying barriers to mental health care in the medical community. The Washington Physicians Health Program (WPHP) is committed to destigmatizing help-seeking for healthcare professionals and taking proactive steps to support our healers.
WPHP encourages you to explore the valuable suicide prevention resources below, whether you are a physician yourself or concerned about a colleague or loved one. Hope is real, and help is within reach.
Vital Signs: The Campaign to Prevent Physician Suicide
The Physicians Foundation and the Dr. Lorna Breen Foundation developed a seven-step action plan to help reduce physician burnout and ensure physicians’ struggles do not become mental health emergencies. The seven actions include:
View action plan to learn more
Preventing Physician Suicide: Identify and Support At-Risk Physicians Toolkit
The American Medical Association created a toolkit to help identify risk factors and warning signs for suicide among physicians. It outlines how to build an environment of support in a medical practice and simplify the process of receiving support. Dr. Chris Bundy, Executive Medical Director of WPHP, contributed his expertise to the toolkit.
The four steps to identify and support at-risk physicians are:
Guidelines for Ethically Communicating about Suicide
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) has detailed how to report safely and accurately about suicide to avoid sensationalizing suicide and inadvertently increasing risk.
AFSP’s guidelines for ethically reporting on suicide include:
View full list of guidelines to learn more
The Role of Physician Health Programs in Suicide Prevention Webinar
This webinar recognizes the mental health challenges faced by healthcare workers, discusses the effectiveness of physician health programs in reducing suicide risk and improving the well-being of physicians, and shares high-impact prevention strategies and responsible communication guidelines when discussing suicide in healthcare settings.
Dr. Chris Bundy, Executive Medical Director of WPHP and Chief Medical Officer of the Federation of State Physician Health Programs (FSPHP), Dr. Christine Yu Moutier, Chief Medical Officer of AFSP, and Dr. Michael Baron, Medical Director of the Tennessee Medical Foundation and Immediate Past President of FSPHP, lead this important discussion.
What is WPHP Doing About Physician Suicide?
This article featured in the Washington Medical Commission’s quarterly newsletter details WPHP’s ongoing work to address physician suicide through suicide risk assessment and management protocols, education, and advocacy.
FSPHP Physician Suicide Prevention Resources
FSPHP has compiled relevant articles, publications, videos, and resources to support the prevention of physician suicide and assist with educational outreach.
Crisis Hotlines
National Physician Suicide Awareness Day, observed annually on September 17th, is an important reminder and call to action to understand the underlying barriers to mental health care for physicians and create open dialogue that can help those in distress seek the care they need. The Washington Physicians Health Program (WPHP) is committed to addressing this crisis and taking proactive steps to support our healers.
Explore the valuable suicide prevention resources below, whether you are a physician yourself or concerned about a colleague or loved one.
Preventing Physician Suicide: Identify and Support At-Risk Physicians Toolkit
The American Medical Association created a toolkit to help identify risk factors and warning signs for suicide among physicians. It outlines how to build an environment of support in a medical practice and simplify the process of receiving support. Dr. Chris Bundy, Executive Medical Director of WPHP, contributed his expertise to the toolkit.
The four steps to identify and support at-risk physicians are:
Vital Signs: The Campaign to Prevent Physician Suicide
The Physicians Foundation and the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation developed a seven-step action plan to help reduce physician burnout and ensure physicians’ struggles don’t become mental health emergencies. The seven actions include:
View action plan to learn more
Federation of State Physician Health Programs (FSPHP) Physician Suicide Prevention Resources
FSPHP has compiled relevant articles, publications, videos, and resources to support the prevention of physician suicide and assist with educational outreach.
The Role of Physician Health Programs in Suicide Prevention Webinar
This webinar recognizes the mental health challenges faced by healthcare workers, discusses the effectiveness of physician health programs in reducing suicide risk and improving the wellbeing of physicians, and shares high-impact prevention strategies and responsible communication guidelines when discussing suicide in healthcare settings.
Dr. Chris Bundy, Chief Medical Officer of FSPHP and Executive Medical Director of WPHP, Dr. Christine Yu Moutier, Chief Medical Officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and Dr. Michael Baron, President of FSPHP and Medical Director of the Tennessee Medical Foundation, lead this important discussion.
What is WPHP Doing About Physician Suicide?
This article featured in the Washington Medical Commission’s quarterly newsletter details WPHP’s ongoing work to address physician suicide through suicide risk assessment and management protocols, education, and advocacy.
Read More
The Washington Physicians Health Program (WPHP) has been dedicated to supporting healthcare professionals for over 35 years. Recently, WPHP updated its mission statement to better reflect its purpose as Washington’s trusted resource for restoring the health of medical professionals. Our confidential support and exceptional outcomes provide reassurance of safe practice and promote workforce sustainability.
Confidential Help, Reassurance of Safe Practice
WPHP assists healthcare professionals with any health condition that may affect safe clinical practice. We offer early intervention, assessment, treatment referral, and post-treatment health support for those in the medical field workforce with conditions that may negatively impact practice performance. In some cases, brief assessment and referral to services are all that is needed to support health and put concerns at rest. In other cases, more help is needed and WPHP is ready to assist. We serve osteopathic physicians, allopathic physicians, podiatric physicians, physician assistants, dentists, veterinarians, and students and residents in these fields.
WPHP’s Key Outcomes
WPHP consistently receives high ratings for program service and satisfaction from both participants and stakeholders. Approximately 85-90% of participants receiving WPHP services do so without any knowledge or involvement of their licensing boards. Notably, 91% of program participants report needing and benefiting from WPHP advocacy. At program completion, 83% of participants are working in their field and nearly 90% of colleagues report that WPHP is a valuable resource to the medical community.
WPHP participants also report significantly lower burnout rates than the national average. Approximately 85% of WPHP’s program participants are in full remission of their health condition at discharge. Twelve- and sixty-month abstinence rates for WPHP participants with substance use disorders are at 92% and 87% respectively.
Suicide Awareness and Prevention
WPHP considers physician suicide awareness and prevention an important priority – one in which we are leading efforts at state and national levels. Through our education and outreach mission, WPHP strives to provide accurate information about physician suicide as well as resources to support physicians, physician assistants, veterinarians, and dentists with health conditions that are associated with suicide.
Advocacy and Credentialing Reform
Beyond health support, WPHP is also active in advocating for license and credentialing question reforms and preserving WPHP protections in the public records act.
Through these initiatives, WPHP is contributing to the promotion of long-term wellness and success of healthcare professionals which promotes workforce sustainability.
Read the full article in the Washington Medical Commission Update
Read More
The University of Washington has launched a free three-part course aimed at suicide prevention strategies for veterinary professionals. Our very own Associate Medical Director, Dr. Laura Moss, has invested extensive effort to help develop this comprehensive course. The modules cover a range of topics, including understanding suicide, supporting at-risk individuals, promoting wellness, reducing stigma, and addressing access to lethal means. By completing this course, veterinary professionals gain valuable knowledge on how to promote well-being and create a supportive environment within their field.
Learn more about this free course.
Read More
Federation of State Physician Health Programs is offering a free on-demand webinar, Physician Suicide Prevention: Listening to the Voices of Experience.
Read MoreQuick Links