Manage Aging and Potentially Impaired Physicians

WEBCAST ON CD OR ON-DEMAND

Sponsored by: The Top 40 Medical Staff Policies and Procedures: Solutions from the Greeley Medical Staff Institute, Fourth Edition

presented on June 29, 2010

Physicians see the effects of aging on their patient populations daily, yet they rarely recognize its effect on their own competency.

As the wave of Baby Boomers peaks, an increasing number of physicians are approaching retirement age. Although not all aging physicians are potentially impaired, hospitals need to keep a keen eye on individuals who may pose a patient safety risk if their mental and physical competencies decline. During this webcast, speakers cover the best practices, policies and procedures that need to be in place to protect patients, treat physicians with respect and dignity, and avoid getting slapped with an age discrimination lawsuit.

Participants will be able to:

• Recognize the symptoms of age-related or other impairments
• Identify when a fitness-to-work evaluation and/or neuropsychological testing is needed
• Implement a policy for aging practitioners that sets a tone of mutual respect and collegiality
• Proactively address the issue of aging and potential impairment before an adverse event
• Develop a model to transition older physicians into the next stage of their careers
• Avoid age discrimination lawsuits
• Describe which events should trigger an investigation, who should perform it, and potential pitfalls
• Recognize and implement solutions post-investigation, such as further evaluation, FPPE or OPPE, rehabilitation, and alternative privilege delineation

Take a proactive approach to managing aging and potentially impaired practitioners—Purchase today!

Take a look at the agenda:

1. Impairment: What is it and why must we manage it proactively?
   1. Assistance and rehabilitation vs. discipline or corrective action
   2. Tools to manage impairment
2. Case study: 67-year-old ophthalmologist
   1. Recognition of the age-impaired physician
   2. Assessment: Neuropsychological testing—Who, what, when, where, and why?
   3. Role of confidentiality and prevention of HIPAA violations
3. Managing the aging practitioner: A subset of impairment
   1. Scientific evidence documenting the effect of aging on physician performance
   2. Factors that may exacerbate the aging process
   3. Balancing the rights and dignity of physicians with the need to practice safely
4. Case study: 58-year-old orthopedic surgeon
   1. Role of alcohol and substance abuse
   2. Role of burnout and depression
   3. Strategies for physicians to employ as they age
   4. Strategies for medical staffs to help with the transition into retirement or an alternate career path
5. Why managing aging and potentially impaired practitioners is an important part of medical staff advocacy and culture
6. Q&A

Bonus tools included in your materials packet:

In addition to the expertise and advice presented during this webcast, you will receive these valuable tools and takeaways:

1. Aging physician policy and procedure
2. Impaired physician policy and procedure
3. “What every medical staff needs to know to avoid age discrimination lawsuits” from Credentialing & Peer Review Legal Insider
4. “Wellness committee key to addressing physician burnout: Best practices for promoting good health” from Medical Staff Briefing

Meet the speakers:

Jonathan H. Burroughs, MD, MBA, FACPE, CMSL, is a senior consultant with The Greeley Company, a division of HCPro, Inc., in Marblehead, MA. He works with medical staffs and boards throughout the country in the areas of governance, credentialing, privileging, peer review and performance improvement, medical staff development planning, strategic planning, and physician performance and behavior management. Dr. Burroughs is one of The Greeley Company’s leading national speakers and also currently serves on the national faculty of the American College of Physician Executives where he has been consistently rated as one of its top speakers and educators during the past five years.

R. Dean White, DDS, MS, has been involved in medical staff governance for the last 30 years. He has served in numerous medical staff leadership roles, including chairing the credentials and bylaws committees and serving as chief of the medical staff in 1999 and 2000 at Texas Health Harris Methodist HEB Hospital in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. He served on the board of trustees of the same hospital for six years, and for the last eight years has held a part-time position as medical staff advisor.

Who should listen?

CEO, medical staff president, chief medical officer, vice president of medical affairs, credentialing coordinator, medical staff services professional, director of medical staff services, medical executive committee member/chair, credentials committee member/chair, peer review committee member/chair, quality director, members of physician health or advocacy committee

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