Healthcare organizations nationwide, through their
Physician Well-Being Committees and Credentialing Committees,
are searching for appropriate resources to refer physicians
who are exhibiting “disruptive behavior” at work. Unfortunately,
the needed missing link is a directory or list of approved
programs designed exclusively to address this issue.
Doctors are a highly trusted and valued group of professionals
in all cultures. They enjoy social respect, but also
have significant social responsibilities. Doctors who
fail to maintain professional standards and conduct
cause social concern, because they may do harm to patients,
if their performance is poor.
The loss of a doctor has effects on service provision,
and may be expensive to health care providers. Doctors
may fail to perform well for a number of reasons. Stress
related problems, depression and substance abuse are
known to be more common among doctors than other similar
professional groups.
One particular manifestation of poor performance has
been described as “disruptive” behavior or unprofessional
conduct. These are situations where physicians are unhelpful,
rude, or even abusive. Intimidating and disruptive behaviors
can foster medical errors, contribute to poor patient
satisfaction, increase the cost of care, and cause qualified
clinicians, administrators and managers to seek new
positions in more professional environments. Safety
and quality of patient care is dependent on teamwork
and communication. To assure quality and to promote
a culture of safety, health care organizations must
address the problem of behaviors that threaten the performance
of the health care team.
Below is a list of established organizations that provide
assessment, intervention and monitoring of “disruptive
physicians”
Program for Distressed Physicians (Vanderbilt
University)
The Center for Professional Health offers a three-day
continuing medical education course (CME) to address
the specific needs of physicians whose workplace behavior
has become problematic. This course combines didactic
presentations, role-play with focused feedback, group
feedback from peers and colleagues, plus review of workplace/family
complaints. Participants will receive training in alternative
behaviors and explore cognitive distortions that relate
to their problems. The course will focus on the problems
identified by specific complaints. The solutions are
reinforced by role-play, feedback, testing and group
accountability. An appropriate referral to this course
would follow an assessment and evaluation to rule out
medical and psychiatric problems. Contact William Swiggart
for details.
The three-day Continuing Medical Education course follows
an assessment. The course fee is $4000, which includes
three follow-up group sessions with course participants
facilitated by course faculty. Vanderbilt University
School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation
Council for CME to sponsor continuing medical education
for physicians.
For more details and explanations of course material
and assessments contact: William Swiggart, M.S., L.P.C.
Training Director, The Center for Professional Health
1107 Oxford House Nashville, TN 37232 - 4300 Tel:615-936-0678
E-mail:CPH@Vanderbilt.edu
william.swiggart@vanderbilt.edu.
Anger Management for Healthcare Professionals
Program (UCSD)
This course is designed to help those physicians and
healthcare providers who have contributed to a disruptive
working environment by way of inappropriate expression
of anger. Conflict, stress and disruption in the hospital
and clinic setting create low morale, heightened rates
of staff turnover, and patient safety concerns. The
Anger Management for Healthcare Professionals program
is a small, (6-8 participants), intensive and highly
interactive three-day course taught by UCSD faculty
from the Department of Psychiatry. Participant coursework
in the form of self-reported inventories of mood and
interpersonal conflict as well as reading is required.
The objectives and goals of this course include: Aiding
participants to identify triggers in the workplace leading
to disruptive behavior. Didactic instruction providing
constructive tools and strategies to aid in diffusing
and managing anger and conflict in an appropriate and
professional manner including: Increasing Emotional
Intelligence Empathy Training Transforming conflict
into cooperation, practicing both behavioral and cognitive
strategies, including coping mechanisms,
leading to healthier communication and interactions
in the healthcare environment. Developing a personalized
plan of action (Commitment to Change) PACE provides
a dynamic training program that offers professionals
an opportunity to obtain educational information and
personalized assessment in a highly sensitive, supportive
and confidential environment away from the workplace.
Participants who successfully complete the course receive
30.5 CME Category one credits.
UCSD PACE Program 1899 McKee Street, Ste 126 San Diego,
CA 92110 Email: ucpace@ucsd.edu
Anderson & Anderson Executive Coaching/Anger
Management for Disruptive Physicians
In response to the need for a one on one individualized
and sensitive intervention coaching model for physicians,
Anderson & Anderson is now offering a twelve-hour intensive
coaching program with 6 months of aftercare for “disruptive
physicians”. This course is available at our Brentwood,
California office or on-site seven days a week anywhere
in the United States. The Anderson & Anderson Executive
Coaching/Anger Management Program™ is listed in the
Directory of Physician Assessment and Remedial Education
Programs, Federation of State Medical Boards. George
Anderson is a frequent presenter on Emotional Intelligence
for Disruptive Physicians at Physician Well-Being Conferences
throughout the country.
No other anger management provider is authorized to
use this model. Components of the course include: Comprehensive
non-psychiatric Emotional Intelligence Assessments are
given at the initial contact, focusing on the
participant’s level of functioning in Self-awareness,
Self-control, Social awareness and Relationship management
.We do not provide psychological testing, nor is our
intervention considered counseling or psychotherapy.
Therefore, there are no stigmas attached. ”The Practice
of Control”, the new Anderson & Anderson Physician client
workbook, includes didactic information and exercises
focusing on enhancing emotional intelligence,
improving assertive communication, as well as behavioral
strategies for recognizing and managing anger
and stress. A Complimentary copy of “Gaining Control
of Ourselves” DVD along with “Styles of Communication”
and “A Day without Stress” are two power DVDs that are
also complimentary.
A Post-test at completion is designed to determine the
level of change during the course. Bi monthly follow-up
sessions are provided for a six-month period when needed.
Our services are provided with the utmost in confidentiality
for all participants.
Anderson & Anderson is the Preferred Provider for Kaiser
Permanente Health Maintenance Organization of Southern
California.
Anderson & Anderson® Executive Coaching/Anger Management
Program
12301 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 418
Los Angeles, CA. 90025
Phone:310-207-3591
Website: www.andersonservices.com
Email: georgeanderson@aol.com
