Monitoring physician drug problems: attitudes of participants.
The objective of this study was to measure satisfaction with a physician alcohol/drug and behavioral health monitoring program. Participating physicians rated the program's effectiveness, staff professionalism, monitoring and advocacy, relapse services, and sensitivity to women's issues. Correlations between satisfaction and successful recovery, source of referral, and legal involvement were computed. Responders' (N = 87, 82% male) contracts were 82% alcohol/drug and 9% behavioral health; 76% first contracts (no relapse). Sources of referral were self (32.2%), a friend/colleague (31%), the state medical board (14.9%), a hospital chief (11.5%), or a family member (3.4%). Satisfaction was associated with no relapse (mean rank = 47.6 vs. 30.0, p = .005), but not with gender (p = .47), type of contract (p = .39), source of referral (p = .75-.05), or board involvement (p = .24). Participants' reactions to the PHS program were influenced more by positive clinical outcome than other factors.
Knight
John R
JR
Division on Addictions, Harvard Medical School, and Center for Adoloscent Substance Abuse Research, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. john.knight@tch.harvard.edu
Sanchez
Luis T
LT
Sherritt
Lon
L
Bresnahan
Linda R
LR
Silveria
Jennifer M
JM
Fromson
John A
JA
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010815:Physician Impairment; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*