Substance abuse and dependence in physicians: the Missouri Physicians Health Program--an update (1995-2001)

Substance abuse and dependence (alcohol and drugs) are behavioral disorders and treatable medical diseases. There is growing concern in the medical community for physicians impaired by these diseases. The Missouri Physicians Health Program has been established to help impaired physicians return to healthy personal and professional lives. This confidential voluntary program of early referral, intervention, treatment, monitoring, and advocacy has been highly successful. The recovery rate in this study of 168 participants was 89%. New concepts of the "Behaviorally Disruptive Physician" and the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health Care Organization requirements regulating physician impairment are also discussed.