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.
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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In these difficult times, research is highlighting the protective factors that health professionals experience from their spiritual practice.
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A recent Cochrane Review led by Dr. John Kelly and Dr. Keith Humphreys clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous. This excellent video explains the findings and implications for treatment providers and patients.
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Shea joined WPHP in 2018 as Director of Program Development. She is responsible for strategic initiatives and performance improvement activities that promote accountability, consistency and excellence across WPHP services. Shea’s combination of clinical, business development, and public-relations experience is uniquely suited to her role at WPHP. Through meaningful stakeholder engagement, Shea is able to develop innovative yet practical strategies to solve complex organizational challenges and improve service delivery. Shea was born and raised in Olympia, Washington and was recruited to swim at Southern Methodist University where, in addition to three Division 1 All-American honors, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in psychology, political science and women’s studies. She later earned a master’s degree in psychology and is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate and Chemical Dependency Professional. As a clinician, Shea has managed a juvenile drug court and worked in private practice and addiction treatment settings. Prior to joining WPHP, Shea was Business Development Manager for Edgewood Health Network and created Hive Consulting Group, working as a health care consultant.
“It has been such a gift to join the WPHP team and have so many unique ways to support the recovery of our amazing health care professionals in Washington state. My job allows me to work directly with the participants by way of facilitating one of the monitoring groups and to support the clinical work by managing projects that help improve our processes and operations. I have never worked with a more passionate and talented team and am constantly amazed by the strength and heart of our participants.”
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FSPHP Immediate Past President, Dr. Paul Earley, was interviewed as part of the March issue of the Carlat Addiction Treatment Report’s article Personal Privacy Versus Public Safety: Addiction Among Health Professionals. This article explains the balance that PHPs must strike between protecting the doctor and protecting the public.
CARLAT VERDICT: “Physician health programs are highly successful and are the gold standard for abstinence-based treatment. Lessons can be gleaned from their structure and applied to other models, including the importance of a contingency management framework and long-term monitoring.”
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Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) does not equal treatment with buprenorphine. Dr. Chris Bundy, WPHP Executive Medical Director and FSPHP President, is interviewed on this complex topic:
Doctors’ Exemplary Treatment Success Occurs Absent High Use of Buprenorphine Alcohol and Drug Abuse Weekly – May 11, 2020 article by Gary Enos in the May issue of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Weekly.
“Physicians experience some of the most noteworthy recovery success rates among professional groups, largely because of the presence of physician health programs (PHPs) that offer a treatment-focused alternative to discipline while still protecting public safety.”
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The FSPHP Spring 2020 issue of Physician Health News is now available! This issue introduces our Executive Medical Director, Dr. Chris Bundy, as the 2020-2022 FSPHP President and includes a contribution from our Director of Program Development, Shea Scheuler.
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Senior Members of American Medical Association (AMA): Please consider voting for Luis Sanchez, MD for AMA Delegate, Senior Physicians Section!
Ballots went out yesterday.
Dr. Sanchez is an addiction psychiatrist who has been a lifelong advocate for addiction treatment and physician health. Please help make sure addiction expertise flourishes at the AMA!
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Sachi joined WPHP in September 2017. She is the Senior Accountant and is responsible for managing the organization’s day to day accounting operations, and preparing and analyzing financial reports. Sachi received her BA in Accounting at Seattle University and later her Master of Science in Accounting at the University of Bothell. She is currently working towards becoming a CPA.
“I started out as Staff Accountant at WPHP in 2017. I was able to advance my career which was important to my professional development, and the team supported me throughout the journey. I began my Masters in Accounting in 2018 and completed my degree in 2019. I then transitioned over to a new role at WPHP as the Senior Accountant, where I am responsible for financial reporting, managing billing and budgeting, and maintaining financial records.
The team here at WPHP has been one of the best parts of working for the organization. I really appreciate the collaborative culture, and the team’s energy really brightens my work life!”
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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Check out Dr. Bundy’s three part series in the Washington Medical Commission’s Update! In this series Dr. Bundy is “Setting the Record Straight” and answering common questions about Physician Health Programs.
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Due to COVID-19, WPHP will be unable to hold the Annual Reunion on May 15-17, 2020. We came to this decision with heavy hearts, understanding how much this event means to our attendees and staff. We are also acutely aware of how much fellowship and recovery support are needed during these uncertain times.
We apologize for those who were looking forward to this event and the inconvenience this may cause with travel and work plans. If you have any questions, concerns, or require follow-up please contact us.
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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.
A great opportunity to be of service to our community!
As Washington takes more steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 the Department of Health (DOH) will now enroll and activate emergency volunteer health care workers in preparation for health system requests and surging. This will help the state meet emerging demands for health care workers. Many profession types are needed to help in response efforts. Both Washington-licensed and out-of-state health care professionals can volunteer.
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Our Executive Medical Director, Dr. Bundy, is on the ASAM Covid-19 Taskforce and led the team that developed these recommendations for promoting support group attendance.
https://www.asam.org/Quality-Science/covid-19-coronavirus/support-group
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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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We are excited to introduce our newest team member, Courtney Strong. Mrs. Strong joined WPHP in 2020. As Clinical Director, Mrs. Strong is responsible for direct supervision and professional development of the clinical staff. In addition, Mrs. Strong manages quality, performance and operational activities that promote WPHP’s commitment to accountability, consistency, and excellence. She has a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Substance Use Disorder Professional who has been working in the behavioral health field for over ten years. Most recently, Mrs. Strong served as Director of Edgewood Health Network Seattle. Mrs. Strong applies principles of system redesign, organizational health and relationship building to promote the shared goals of our staff, participants and community stakeholders. Welcome Courtney!
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A 2020 Cochrane Review was recently released evaluating outcomes and cost-effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF). While a prior 2006 Cochrane Review did not provide conclusive evidence of the effectiveness of the AA or TSF approaches, it was limited to eight studies and much has changed since then.
Most important to this current review is the number and quality of studies available for review. The current review includes 27 studies involving 10,565 participants with 21 of those studies being randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials. In short, the review demonstrates that AA/TSF increases rates and lengths of abstinence compared with other interventions (such as cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational enhancement therapy) at a much lower cost.
This 2020 Cochrane Review provides the highest scientific rigor. We are encouraged by the findings since they support a recovery process that has benefited so many of us, our participants, friends, family and colleagues. We are also reminded that there is more unknown than known when it comes to addictive illness and that our most strongly held beliefs are the ones we need to be most wary of. Polarized views of what works or doesn’t work usually betray us. There are no simple solutions to the complex problem of addiction. Humility in the face of the awesome destructive power of this illness urges us to embrace every tool at our disposal.
We are grateful to the study authors for this important contribution. It validates the experiences of millions who credit their recovery to AA and other 12 Step Programs and may help alleviate skepticism and doubt among others. We extend special appreciation to Keith Humphreys, PhD, one of the study authors, an leader in the science of mutual help, supporter of the Physician Health Program model, and friend to WPHP.
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