Management of impaired physicians in Europe

A significant percentage of physicians may be impaired at some point in their career by substance dependence, psychiatric and neurological disease.

Literature review.

While the United States and a few other countries have addressed the problem since the 70's, most European countries still have no national or hospital policy to deal with impaired physicians.

According to European directives on workers' health and safety, the occupational health physician entrusted with medical surveillance of hospital workers is often mandated to manage impaired professionals.

Strategies for early identification, treatment and rehabilitation of impaired physicians are reviewed and suggestions for preventive action in European countries are given.