Stay up to date with news, announcements, and upcoming event information from the Washington Physicians Health Program team. For an archive of relevant resources on a wide variety of physicians health topics, please visit Articles and Publications.
Dr. Carrie Cunningham reveals her lifelong battle with depression, anxiety, and addiction to her peers. Read her powerful story in this recent article in The Guardian and be part of breaking the stigma around mental health in medicine.
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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.
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The Federation of State Physician Health Programs (FSPHP) Annual Education Conference is a highly anticipated event that brings together experts, advocates, and stakeholders in the field of physician health. This year’s conference, held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, was no exception. WPHP’s participation in the conference was multifaceted, reflecting the organization’s commitment to advancing the field of physician health through expertise, innovation, and advocacy.
A major highlight for WPHP was the development of an alternative toxicology testing paradigm. At the 2022 FSPHP Education Conference, WPHP presented innovative approaches to toxicology testing that utilized technological advances in specimen collection and validation systems. This year, Dr. Bundy and Ms. Courtney Strong returned to the conference to present follow-up data and answer questions, helping to improve toxicology testing for other programs.
Dr. Bundy also joined panelists J. Corey Feist, JD, MBA, Scott Hambleton, MD, DFASAM, Michael Baron, MD, MPH, DFASAM, to discuss the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation’s mission to support the well-being of healthcare workers at the conference.
In addition, Dr. Bundy participated in the FSMB-FSPHP joint session where he and co-presenter Mike Farrell, JD, Policy Director at WMC, highlighted the collaborative effort between WMC and WPHP. In doing so WPHP and WMC aim to inspire and encourage other states to establish similar coordinated relationships.
Another area of focus during the conference was the presentation by Dr. Bundy, along with Dr. Michael Baron and Buddy Stockwell III, JD, on Medication for Opioid Use Disorder in Safety Sensitive Workers. Their presentation drew on their extensive knowledge and experience to provide insights on this important topic.
WPHP’s involvement in the FSPHP Annual Education Conference was not limited to presentations and panels. The organization also took the opportunity to connect with fellow experts and advocates, building partnerships and networks that will strengthen the field of physician health to improve outcomes for physicians and patients alike.
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Physician burnout, psychiatric problems, and substance use disorders are becoming increasingly prevalent. However, the costs of recovery for physicians enrolled in Physician Health Programs (PHPs) remain unexamined. This survey study published in The American Journal on Addictions recent article sheds light on the financial strain on physicians, especially those in training, and highlights resources for financial assistance such as fee deferrals and sliding scale fees. It’s crucial that access to PHPs is available, destigmatized, and affordable for all physicians.
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New cases in India are surging past 400,000 per day in what is the world’s worst outbreak of COVID to date. Patients are dying as hospitals run out of basic medical supplies and oxygen.
For more information, or to make a donation, go to https://iacswa.org/donate/.
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If you are a health care worker who has been impacted by COVID-19 related stress, we invite you to participate in this study being conducted by Dr. Rebecca Hendrickson, trauma researcher at the University of Washington/VA Puget Sound Health Care System. The study aims to analyze the impact of COVID and how to better provide protections against the stressful impact of the pandemic.
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The King County Medical Society helps health care workers not affiliated with hospitals find COVID-19 vaccination sites.
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Learn more about how hospitals across the country are responding to the mental health effects of COVID-19 on their staff. #covid-19 #mentalhealth
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What can we learn from Italy and China about the impact of COVID-19 on mental health in front line workers? #physicianwellness #covid-19
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Caring for Caregivers: WSMA resources to help sustain health professionals during the COVID-19 outbreak.
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Thank you for helping us stay well during this difficult time Washington State Medical Association (WSMA) !
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WPHP has put together a variety of recovery support resources accessible during this period of social distancing and stay at home orders.
It is more important than ever that physicians take care of themselves in this crisis. It’s also becoming more and more difficult to access one’s regular supports and self-care activities. We hope this is a helpful support to our physicians during this difficult time.
https://www.medicaleconomics.com/news/mental-health-survival-guide-physicians-during-covid-19
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Join Mindfulness Northwest every Tuesday from April 7-28, 2020 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. for an investigation of mindfulness from the inside out. This online module includes 5 sessions based on based on the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. Students can learn from home while earning up to 14 CME credits.
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WSMA has great resources on COVID-19 for health care professionals to reference. Please check out this video from WSMA’s president, Dr. Hirota or visit their informational page.
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This event has been postponed. Health care providers looking for a rejuvenating and informative day with a wellness expert should check out this awesome opportunity! Join Diane Hetrick on March 28th for A Day of Compassion Cultivation Practice. This workshop includes compassion practices, guided meditations, and exercises to integrate into your life.
Join Dr. Bundy at the upcoming UW Medicine Update in Hospital Medicine. Dr. Bundy will be sharing on physician burnout as part of this event that is targeted for practitioners who take care of hospitalized general medicine patients.
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